ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the current sexual misconduct crisis in the Roman Catholic Church, a crisis that is not limited to that branch of Christianity. From 1995 until 2001, Richards Anne served as a member of the senior staff of the Episcopal Bishop of New York. Being a monk or a friar has always meant being celibate-that is, refraining for life from genital sexual expression with anyone. Religious literature from the Middle Ages onward contains strong innuendos about the sexual lives of monastics, including a stream of 'spiritual friendship' literature that speaks fairly explicitly of sexual or sexualized relationships among monks living together in community. Martin Luther's strong belief in the healthiness and importance of marriage and family in the Christian life still has a tremendous influence on the way Protestant clergy are formed. The education and training of Roman Catholic priests is oriented around theology and the institution of the Church, both essential areas.
