Celibacy and religious traditions / edited by Carl Olson.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Olson, Carl.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sexual abstinence--Religious aspects.

Sexual abstinence.

Celibacy.

Physical Description:

xiv, 321 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008.

Summary:

Whether celibacy is encouraged or discouraged, its role in a given religion gives insight into that tradition's worldview, social values, gender relations, ethics, and understanding of the body. Celibacy can contribute to the creation of status, play a role in the construction of identity, and serve as a source of charisma. In some traditions, it is possible to renounce sex and gain sacred status and economic support from society.

In this collection, fifteen scholars from four continents use examples from East and West and from ancient and modern cultures to show that celibacy differs cross-culturally and historically. Each chapter addresses such questions as, Is celibacy a prerequisite for religious office or status? Are there different contexts for the practice of celibacy? What does the choice of celibacy tell us about attitudes toward the human body? What is its symbolic significance? Is it connected to the acquisition of power? What are its physical or spiritual benefits? The first collection of its kind, this book is both a valuable resource for courses in world religions and a contribution to our understanding of this very widespread human phenomenon.

Contents:

1 Celibacy and the Human Body: An Introduction / Carl Olson 3

2 Celibacy in the Greco-Roman World / Willi Braun 21

3 "And Jacob Remained Alone": The Jewish Struggle with Celibacy / Eliezer Diamond 41

4 Celibacy in the Early Christian Church / Glenn Holland 65

5 "Let Anyone Accept This Who Can": Medieval Christian Virginity, Chastity, and Celibacy in the Latin West / Karen Cheatham 85

6 Celibacy and the Protestant Traditions: From Celibacy to the Freedom of the Christian / M. Darrol Bryant 109

7 Islamic Tradition and Celibacy / Shahzad Bashir 133

8 Celibacy in Classical Hinduism / Patrick Olivelle 151

9 Hindu Devotionalism, Tantra, and Celibacy / Carl Olson 165

10 Sthulabhadra's Lodgings: Sexual Restraint in Jainism / Paul Dundas 181

11 Celibacy in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism / John Powers 201

12 Celibacy in East Asian Buddhism / John Kieschnick 225

13 Sexual Control and Daoist Cultivation / Livia Kohn 241

14 Shinto and Celibacy / C. Scott Littleton 265

15 A Social-Cultural Analysis of Celibacy among the Yoruba: Oyo Alafin's Servants as a Case Study / Oyeronke Olajubu 275

16 Celibacy and Native American Indians / Carl Olson 285

17 Abstinence, Balance, and Political Control in Mesoamerica, / Jeanne L. Gillespie 301.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780195306316

0195306317

9780195306323

0195306325

OCLC:

85862345