A provocative and entertaining examination of celibate practices from the ancient world to the present day. So was Sir Isaac Newton. A monk vows to be one. A prisoner has no choice.
History tells of many avowed celibates, and today s society reflects a renewed interest in celibacy.
Elizabeth Abbott s exploration of celibacy debunks the traditionally held notion that celibacy is a predominantly religious concept of little concern to the secular world. Chosen or imposed for myriad reasons, celibacy actually is a practice that reveals a host of telling insights about our sexual desires and drives, as well as our changing attitudes toward religion, gender, and physical health. A History of Celibacy humanises celibacy through the ages, from the vestal virgins of ancient Rome who were entombed alive if they broke their vows, to contemporary athletes who conserve semen to enhance their game. While most people associate institutional celibacy with Catholicism, Abbott shows how virtually every culture and religion through history has incorporated it in some form. Her examples range from Judaism s rules regarding abstinence during menstruation to Hinduism s forced celibacy for widows.