Ambrose: Does Celibacy Still Have Value?

Yet there is still room for Ambrose’s view. Human marriage and sex are but foretastes of the divine union between you and your God. They are not the real things, but they point to the real thing. Attempts to elevate marriage on earth to anything more than the temporary precursor of this eternal union are misguided. Jesus clearly stated that there will be no pairing up in paradise. He, Paul, John the Baptist, and others even blazed the celibate trail. Granted, most Christians still aren’t lunging forward to sign up for such an imitation of Christ. However, if we can learn anything from Ambrose’s advocacy of celibacy and virginity, at least it should be not to despise it and certainly to advocate the virtues it ideally encourages: purity of heart, modesty of thought, behavior and language, depth of devotion to God, genuine friendship, and non-manipulative, selfless love.