Carrol,
    Precisely the program, while for the maintenance of the more worldly
caudal segment the Church supported (how Guelphish of them) the doctrine of
primogeniture for every "converted" Norman cut-throat they put on the
payroll.
  That, however, had a tendency to sometimes backfire in the secular world.
Bully though for the churches anti-war stand in Merry Olde today.


Charles

----------
>From: Carrol Cox <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Virgo Made Male
>Date: Wed, Feb 19, 2003, 9:46 AM
>

> Various complex trends made clerical celibacy a _possibility_. The
> condition that made it _necessary_ was the existence of a "universal"
> church depending for its strength upon local clergy in a feudal world.
> How do you keep that clergy loyal to Rome rather than the priest's (or
> more importantly, Bishop's or Abbot's) own son?
>
> Clerical celibacy held together the medieval roman church.
>
> Carrol