Can celibacy help ministers serve Christ better? This article discusses the reaction of the Reformers to the Roman Catholic Church's teaching on celibacy. It shows how the Reformers viewed this teaching.

Was the apostle Paul an ascetic who saw marriage and sex as ungodly evils? These and related issues like celibacy are examined in the context of 1 Corinthians 7. The author argues against such interpretations. He offers a careful examination of the situational and discourse context and the structure of the chapter.

The Roman Catholic church maintains that the celibacy requirement for all its priests is essentially of apostolic origin. It was according to this view therefore binding on priests from early church history. If this claim of an apostolic origin for the Roman Catholic celibacy requirement can be refuted, it seems as if celibacy is left without adequate foundation. The question is not whether or not the Roman Catholic church will change the requirement of celibacy.