Abandoned Altars

When reading up on celibacy, the Council of Elvira (c. 305, Spain) is always cited as the first one to say bishops and priests shouldn’t have sex with their wives. Having located them, I found a number of other interesting rules. Just imagine what the Church would be like if these were still in effect. However, they’ve all be superseded by a thousand later rules, all just as useless.

18. Bishops, presbyters, and deacons, once they have taken their place in the ministry, shall not be given communion even at the time of death if they are guilty of sexual immorality. Such scandal is a serious offense.
(No clerical hanky-panky allowed!)

24. Individuals shall not be admitted as clergy in a province other than the one where they were baptized. Otherwise their life would not be known by those who examine them.
(Even then, bad priests would seek other dioceses.)

27. A bishop or other cleric may have only a sister or a daughter who is a virgin consecrated to God living with him. No other woman who is unrelated to him may remain.
(No “nieces” or housekeepers.)

29. Those with an erratic spirit shall not have their name added to the list of those making offerings nor shall they be allowed to exercize any form of ministry in the congregation.
(Screen those seminarians for crazies!)
30. Those who sinned sexually as youth may not be ordained as subdeacons. This will guard against their being promoted to higher offices later on. If they have already been ordained, they shall be removed from their office.
(Also, screen those seminarians for those with sexual problems.)

32. Anyone who has fallen into mortal ruin because of sin must seek penance from the bishop and not a presbyter. In extreme illness a presbyter may offer communion or may direct a deacon to do so.
(Yes, originally priests could not hear confessions – only bishops could.)

33. Bishops, presbyters, deacons, and others with a position in the ministry are to abstain completely from sexual intercourse with their wives and from the procreation of children. If anyone disobeys, he shall be removed from the clerical office.
(Once again, no clerical hanky-panky – not even with the wife.)

36. Pictures are not to be placed in churches, so that they do not become objects of worship and adoration.
(Anyone for iconoclasm?)

65. If a cleric knows of his wife’s adultery and continues to live with her, he shall not receive communion even before death in order not to let it appear that one who is to exemplify a good life has condoned sin.
(No hanky-panky, not even by the cleric’s wife.)

71. Those who sexually abuse boys may not commune even when death approaches.
(So much for a lot of priests.)

Now, to be fair, not all of these rules were enlightened by today’s standards. Even ones we might agreement are harsh. And others would be hard to justify today: Christians who gambled were to be excluded from communion for a year. Women were forbidden to correspond with men other than their husbands. And chariot racers and pantomimes had to renounce their professions before they could be admitted to the faith, and if they relapsed, they would be expelled.

While that would be bad news for NASCAR drivers and stand-up comics, it’s interesting to see how many of these ancient rules match up favorably with modern ideas.