The Demographic Transition of the Catholic Priesthood and the End of Clericalism in Spain
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2591049 |
|---|---|
| Authors | José Pérez Vilariño (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, corresponding author), José Luis Sequeiros Tizon (Universidade de Vigo) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 25 |
| Publication date | 1998-01-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sociology of Religion (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1069-4404 • E-ISSN: 1759-8818 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/3711963 |
| OpenAlex | W2127662739 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
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
Autonomy · Celibacy · Christian ministry · Demographic transition · Dialectic · Fertility · Modernization theory · Political science · Population · Sociology · Theology · Demography · Gender Studies · History · Law · Religion and Society Interactions
| Citations per year | 0.15 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2006 - 2018 (13) |
| Highly cited | No |