... debated and disregarded. It was not until the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, that priestly marriage began to decline. Besides the human need for love and companionship, one reason for priestly marriage was that it ensured succession of the priesthood to their sons. It made social sense as a means ... homosexuality, ideally as elder-to-younger lovers. Marriage, however, was a business deal; men married women to run their household, rarely for love. In 385 BC, Plato wrote in his Symposium 2: "And if there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lover...

• Word Count: 3999
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School