Editing Chastity (section)

===Christianity===
[[File:José de Jesús María (1601) Primera parte de las excelencias de la virtud de la Castidad.png|thumb|"Of the excellences of the virtue of Chastity" (José de Jesús María, 1601).]]
{{Redirect|Vow of chastity|vow of chastity as part of public vows|Religious vows}}

====Traditions====

In many [[Christianity|Christian]] traditions, chastity is synonymous with [[Virtue|purity]]. The [[Catholic Church]] teaches that chastity involves, in the words of cardinal bishop [[Alfonso López Trujillo]], "the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being",<ref>{{cite web| first1=Alfonso|last1=López Trujillo|first2=Elio|last2=Sgreccia| url = https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/family/documents/rc_pc_family_doc_08121995_human-sexuality_en.html| title = The truth and meaning of human sexuality – Guidelines for Education within the Family|date= 8 December 1995}}</ref> which according to one's marital status requires either having no sexual relationship, or only having sexual relations with one's spouse. In [[Western Christian]] morality, chastity is placed opposite the [[Seven deadly sins|deadly sin]] of lust, and is classified as one of [[seven virtues]]. The moderation of sexual desires is also required to be virtuous. Reason, will, and desire can harmoniously work together to do what is good.

As an emblem of inward chastity, some Christians choose to wear a cord, girdle or a cincture of one of the several [[Confraternities of the Cord]] or a [[purity ring]]. The cord is worn as a symbol of chastity in honour of a chaste saint whom the bearer asks for intercession. The purity ring is worn before [[Christian views on marriage|holy matrimony]] by those who marry or for the rest of their lives by those who stay single.<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite web |title=Schoolgirl loses "purity ring" battle |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-chastity-idUKL1617339420070716 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=16 March 2021 |language=English |date=16 July 2007}}
|2={{cite web |last1=Kosloski |first1=Philip |title=Struggling with purity? Try the cord of St. Joseph! |url=https://aleteia.org/2021/01/28/struggling-with-purity-try-the-cord-of-st-joseph/ |publisher=[[Aleteia]] |access-date=16 March 2021 |language=English |date=28 January 2021}}
}}</ref>

====Marital chastity====

In marriage, the spouses commit to a lifelong relationship that excludes sexual intimacy with other persons. A third form of chastity, often called "vidual chastity", is expected by the society for a period after the woman's husband dies. For example, Anglican Bishop [[Jeremy Taylor]] defined five rules in ''Holy Living'' (1650), including abstaining from marrying "so long as she is with child by her former husband" and "within the year of mourning".<ref>{{cite book | title = Holy Living |chapter = II.3: Of Chastity | author = Jeremy Taylor | author-link = Jeremy Taylor | year = 1650 | url = http://www.anglicanlibrary.org/taylor/holyliving/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208120603/http://anglicanlibrary.org/taylor/holyliving/09chap2sect3.htm|archive-date=2021-12-08 }}</ref>

====Celibacy====

In the Roman Catholic Church, members of the [[consecrated life]] vow or promise celibacy as one of the [[evangelical counsels]]. In 306, the [[Synod of Elvira]] proscribed [[clergy]] from marrying. This was unevenly enforced until the [[Second Lateran Council]] in 1139 when it found its way into [[canon law]]. Unmarried [[deacon]]s promise celibacy to their local bishop when ordained.

Eastern Catholic priests are permitted to marry, provided they do so before ordination and outside monastic life.

====Vows of chastity====

''Vows of chastity'' can be taken either as part of an organised religious life (such as Roman Catholic [[Beguines and Beghards]] in the past) or on an individual basis: as a voluntary act of devotion, or as part of an ascetic lifestyle (often devoted to [[contemplation]]), or both. Some Protestant religious communities, such as the [[Bruderhof Communities|Bruderhof]], take vows of chastity as part of the church membership process.<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/the-bruderhof-sussex-community-rules-cult-money-jobs-documentary-bbc-497826|title=All you need to know about the Bruderhof community|website=inews.co.uk|date=25 July 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-10-26}}
|2={{Cite news|url=https://www.theamericanconservative.com/life-among-the-bruderhof/|title=Life Among The Bruderhof|work=The American Conservative|access-date=2017-12-14|language=en-us}}
}}</ref>

====Teaching by denomination====
=====Catholicism=====
Chastity is a central and pivotal concept in Roman Catholic [[Christian theological praxis|praxis]]. Roman Catholic teaching regards chastity as essential in maintaining and cultivating the unity of body with spirit and thus the integrity of the human being.<ref>{{citation |chapter=I. "Male and Female He Created Them …" |title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]] |chapter-url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P84.HTM |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126034150/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P84.HTM|archive-date=2021-01-26|publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana}}</ref>{{rp|2332}} It is also fundamental to the practise of the Catholic life because it involves an ''apprenticeship in self-mastery''.<ref>{{citation |chapter=II. The Vocation to Chastity |title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]] |chapter-url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P85.HTM |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206210011/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P85.HTM|archive-date=2021-02-06|publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana}}</ref>{{rp|2339}} By attaining mastery over one's passions, reason, will, and desire can harmoniously work together to do what is good.

=====Lutheranism=====
The [[theology of the body]] of the [[Lutheran Church]]es emphasizes the role of the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]], who sanctified the bodies of Christians to be God's temple.<ref name="Reinke2018">{{cite web |last1=Reinke |first1=Langdon |title=Cremation and a theology of the body |url=https://www.beautifulsaviorspokane.org/2018/09/18/cremation-and-a-theology-of-the-body/ |publisher=Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church |access-date=23 February 2021 |language=English |date=18 September 2018}}</ref>

Many [[Christian monasticism#Lutheran Church|Lutheran monks]] and [[Nun#Lutheranism|Lutheran nuns]] practice celibacy, though in some Lutheran [[religious order]]s it is not compulsory.

=====The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints=====

In [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] chastity is very important:

<blockquote>Physical intimacy between husband and wife is a beautiful and sacred part of God's plan for His children. It is an expression of love within marriage and allows husband and wife to participate in the creation of life. God has commanded that this sacred power be expressed only between a man and a woman who are legally married. The law of chastity applies to both men and women. It includes strict abstinence from sexual relations before marriage and complete fidelity and loyalty to one's spouse after marriage.

The law of chastity requires that sexual relations be reserved for marriage between a man and a woman.

In addition to reserving sexual intimacy for marriage, we obey the law of chastity by controlling our thoughts, words, and actions. Jesus Christ taught, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" ({{bibleverse|Matthew|5:27–28}})."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/chastity/what-is-the-law-of-chastity?lang=eng|title=What Is the Law of Chastity?|website=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref></blockquote>

Teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints also include that sexual expression within marriage is an important dimension of spousal bonding apart from, but not necessarily avoiding, its procreative result.