The Demographic Transition of the Catholic Priesthood and the End of Clericalism in Spain
The evidence showing patterns of demographic transition (decline) in the Catholic Church are similar in both Spain and the United States. Yet while the patterns are similar, the Spanish case reflects a very different historical circumstance in which the institutional church was closely allied to sta...
| Published in: | Sociology of religion |
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| Authors: | ; |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Oxford Univ. Press
1998
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| In: |
Sociology of religion
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | The evidence showing patterns of demographic transition (decline) in the Catholic Church are similar in both Spain and the United States. Yet while the patterns are similar, the Spanish case reflects a very different historical circumstance in which the institutional church was closely allied to state interests. The article argues that the dialectical relationship between forces of clericalism and anticlericalism shaped both institutions, church and state, in indelible ways. Thus while the patterns of demographic transition in the two countries are similar, the impact upon society has been very different. In Spain, the decline of clericalism is associated with the rise of modernization processes. While the logic of this modernism creates similar pressures among Spanish priests to leave the ministry, i.e., a greater sense of personal autonomy, a desire to marry, etc., the context of these decisions is very different. Spanish priests have less social freedom than US priests, and their role is more strongly integrated into their own family structures. Celibacy is seen more as an issue of male power than women's exclusion. |
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| ISSN: | 1759-8818 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Sociology of religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3711963 |