--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: as Barbara Tuchman, author of Distant…" description: "\"“as Barbara Tuchman, author of Distant Mirror, put it, “clerical celibacy was a joke.” Despite the previous ban on clerical marriages, nuns, monks, car..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bba/charles-river-editors-1165_books_as-barbara-tuchman-author-of-distant-mir_1171622.jpg" --- # as Barbara Tuchman, author of Distant Mirror, put it… ![“as Barbara Tuchman, author of Distant Mirror, put it, “clerical celibacy was a joke.” Despite the previous ban on clerical marriages, nuns, monks, cardinals, priests, and other representatives of the holy cloth were frequently fraternizing in impious ways.” quote by Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bba/charles-river-editors-1165_books_as-barbara-tuchman-author-of-distant-mir_1171622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bba/charles-river-editors-1165_books_as-barbara-tuchman-author-of-distant-mir_1171622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bba/charles-river-editors-1165_books_as-barbara-tuchman-author-of-distant-mir_1171622.jpg) > ““as Barbara Tuchman, author of Distant Mirror, put it, “clerical celibacy was a joke.” Despite the previous ban on clerical marriages, nuns, monks, cardinals, priests, and other representatives of the holy cloth were frequently fraternizing in impious ways.”” [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes that clerical celibacy was historically ineffective, with many clergy engaging in relationships. **In simple terms:** Clerical celibacy often ignored; clergy had relationships. Key Takeaway Recognize historical realities of religious practices. Themes religion hypocrisy history Mood critical reflective Type historical analytical When to use this quote - church policy analysis - historical study - theology debates Key Concepts celibacy institutional critique Questions to Reflect On - Why do institutions maintain contradictory rules? - How does hypocrisy affect credibility? A Different Perspective Modern reforms may face resistance despite past practices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Celibacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celibacy/) [Celibacy Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celibacy-joke-3398498/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Clerical Celibacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clerical-celibacy-2492671/) [Clerical Marriages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clerical-marriages-2457641/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriages Nuns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriages-nuns-3398499/) ## Related quotes > [The church may hold whatever it holds with regard to clerical celibacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-leahy/the-church-may-hold-whatever-it-holds-with-regard-to-clerical-celibacy/) [William P. 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