celibacy-and-service
Celibacy is ordained for priests and nuns to separate them from community citizenship, emphasizing their role as servants rather than members of the Church community.
1 chapter across 1 book
Speaker for the Dead (1986)Orson Scott Card
This chapter explores the tension between the Catholic Church hierarchy and the monastic order known as the Children of the Mind of Christ, focusing on their differing views about marriage, celibacy, and spiritual authority. Dom Cristão, abbot of the order, is summoned by Bishop Peregrino to discuss a threatening Speaker for the Dead, highlighting the political and religious conflicts surrounding truth, authority, and cooperation within the colony of Lusitania. The dialogue reveals the strategic considerations of both sides in dealing with the Speaker and the potential consequences of religious persecution under secular law.