A red paper heart sits in the loop of a dark iron padlock beside a brass chain on a slate tile.

Original artwork, not a still

Hans Küng

Everyone agrees the celibacy rule is just a Church law dating from the 11th century, not a divine command.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker claims broad agreement that priestly celibacy is merely a Church regulation from the eleventh century, not something God commanded. The point is that a rule of human origin can in principle be revisited, since it lacks divine authority behind it.

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