# How Did Christianity End Up With No Notions Of Ritual Impurity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 10, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687 "2010-10-10T16:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/1 "2010-10-10T16:37:36Z")
I’m putting this in GD because someone’s bound to take it down a road I didn’t really intend. Being “unclean” is a big deal in Judaism and Islam (and, I think, other religions, AFAICT). Certain animals, objects, actions, diseases, people are symbolically but in a very important sense impure and contaminate you or de-sanctify you. The early early Christians seem not to have totally avoided this debate, but it seems that Paul’s view prevailed pretty early on (IIRC Paul told the converted Jews to just get over whether it was sinful to eat meat offered by others to idols). Certainly by a few centuries in (unless I’m wrong), Christians had stopped thinking that there were things or people that could “infect” you spiritually by physical contact. (On a more metaphysical level certainly Christians of various eras have had notions of spiritual uncleaness or impurity). But in general, when Christians abstain from, say, eating meat or touching women, it’s because those are viewed as very awesome things that, however, can be a spiritual detriment from over-indulgence in, but definitely not a spiritual detriment from defilement by touching at all. What other religions do/don’t have literal doctrines of impure or taboo things/foods/people, that make you cursed or spiritually-diminished by mere contact with, in all circumstances, and why? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/2 "2010-10-10T16:48:50Z")
To an extent, Christianity did. The idea that churches could be consecrated or desecrated for example. Or any of hundreds of different ideas regarding burial rituals. Or formal absolution, not eating meat on Fridiays, the Eucharist- the list goes on and on. It’s a very human tendency. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/3 "2010-10-10T17:33:31Z")
I believe that it is because Christ makes all things pure, or some such idea. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/4 "2010-10-10T17:44:02Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > To an extent, Christianity did. The idea that churches could be consecrated or desecrated for example. Or any of hundreds of different ideas regarding burial rituals. Or formal absolution, not eating meat on Fridiays, the Eucharist- the list goes on and on. It’s a very human tendency. Wouldn’t it vary by the denomination now? For example, in an episode of CSI, “Double-Cross,” that I saw recently on Spike, a woman was found murdered in a Catholic Church. Later, the priest shows up and ask if they can hold Mass, to which Grissom says no. If I remember correctly, correct me if I’m not, a murder desecrates a church and no Mass can be held until its reconsecrated by the bishop. If it’s a natural death, such as a heart attack, the church is not desecrated and Mass technically could be held, but I think you would want to wait for all the police to leave. The writers probably assume a church is a church, be it cathedral or storefront, and weren’t aware of this. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/5 "2010-10-10T18:05:41Z")
I Imagine it’s due to [this proclamation](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+15&version=NIV) by the Big Guy: > [@](#): > > 10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’ " > > … > > 15Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” > > 16"Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. 17"Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’ " ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/6 "2010-10-10T18:32:31Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > What other religions do/don’t have literal doctrines of impure or taboo things/foods/people, that make you cursed or spiritually-diminished by mere contact with, in all circumstances, and why? Muslims always wash their hands and faces before prayer, and I believe they consider dogs unclean, in the sense that if you touch one after washing, you need to wash again before praying. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/7 "2010-10-10T18:47:48Z")
I believe that Catholics are requested not to partake of Communion if there are unresolved sins in their lives - based on this teaching by Jesus: [Matt 5:23-24](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5:23-24&version=NIV) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/8 "2010-10-10T19:01:58Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > To an extent, Christianity did. The idea that churches could be consecrated or desecrated for example. Or any of hundreds of different ideas regarding burial rituals. Or formal absolution, not eating meat on Fridiays, the Eucharist- the list goes on and on. It’s a very human tendency. Eating meat on Fridays has nothing to do with “impurities” and is simply about fasting and denial. And nowadays it’s restricted to Fridays during Lent. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/9 "2010-10-10T19:18:16Z")
It could be argued that with the concept of Original Sin it regarded people as ritually impure. In that case there’s little point about worrying about other things contaminating us; we are the ones doing the contaminating if anything. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/10 "2010-10-10T19:48:08Z")
> [@grimpixie](#): > > I believe that Catholics are requested not to partake of Communion if there are unresolved sins in their lives - based on this teaching by Jesus: [Matt 5:23-24](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5:23-24&version=NIV) Unresolved mortal sins, yes, but that is only figurative “impurity,” my OP went to ooh-gross-you-touched/ate-X,-you-need-to-wash-the-cooties-off. There are obvious and intentional analogies to the OT version in the NT version, but they’re significantly different. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/11 "2010-10-10T21:17:24Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > Being “unclean” is a big deal in Judaism and Islam (and, I think, other religions, AFAICT). Certain animals, objects, actions, diseases, people are symbolically but in a very important sense impure and contaminate you or de-sanctify you. In terms of actions, homosexuality certainly comes to mind as something many Christians still find impure. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/12 "2010-10-10T21:58:16Z")
I think one of the big reasons for the marked decrease, if not the elimination, of these notions was the decision by some in the early Christian movement to try to sell their new faith to the Gentiles. The new religion wasn’t going to fly with Jewish dietary laws in lands where people were used to eating tasty, tasty pig-products. After that, once you start rolling back the proscriptions, it becomes easier and easier to cut out one more, then one more, then one more, then… ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/13 "2010-10-10T22:33:32Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > In terms of actions, homosexuality certainly comes to mind as something many Christians still find impure. But I think that’s (as a matter of doctrine) more the “spiritual purity,” not the “You can’t set foot in the temple after doing that until we wash you in sanctified water” literally “dirty” notion. Of course (again) they do overlap, and the notions of spiritual impurity often go hand in hand with “ooh, that’s filthy and disgusting.” ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/14 "2010-10-10T22:44:12Z")
> [@Jormungandr](#): > > For example, in an episode of CSI, “Double-Cross,” that I saw recently on Spike, a woman was found murdered in a Catholic Church. Later, the priest shows up and ask if they can hold Mass, to which Grissom says no. The idea that a priest, trained in the seminary & ordained, would ask some cop for instructions about this is just astoundingly wrong. Just shows how far removed TV shows like CSI are from reality. Serious desecration is that aimed at objects sacred to the faith, like the Holy Eucharist. The bread & wine used for Communion, the Holy Oil used for Extreme Unction & Ordination, etc. Places, like a church, are much less important – one particular building or church grounds is not something vital to the Christian faith. I recently read a book compiled from _Life_ magazine on WWII, that showed a priest celebrating Mass in a bombed-out church, with most of the roof open to the sky, and old Italian women in black clustered in the remains of the front pews – while American and Nazi soldiers were exchanging shots in the portico at the front of the church. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/15 "2010-10-10T22:44:28Z")
“[Churching](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churching_of_women)” new mothers used to be common in the RCC in Ireland at least. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/16 "2010-10-11T01:37:48Z")
**akennet** ’s answer is probably closest to the explanation. While Judaism included the concept of pollution, (and it is probable that a number of first century religions around the Mediterranean also had their own taboos), none of the various beliefs among the Gentile converts were such that they struck a chord with all the other Gentile converts. There was no specific taboo that would have been recognized and embraced by all the new converts, so there was no taboo that survived the inclusion process. Paul and other missionaries would have declined to recognize any taboos brought in from the pagan religions while downplaying the Jewish taboos so as to not put off any potential converts. This probably resulted in a religion that had no concept of pollution or ritual impurity. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/17 "2010-10-11T03:13:38Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > The new religion wasn’t going to fly with Jewish dietary laws in lands where people were used to eating tasty, tasty pig-products… Is there nothing that bacon cannot achieve?! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/18 "2010-10-11T04:22:51Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > The idea that a priest, trained in the seminary & ordained, would ask some cop for instructions about this is just astoundingly wrong. Just shows how far removed TV shows like CSI are from reality. I’m guessing the priest was asking, “Was she murdered or not,” and wasn’t taking instructions on Catholic dogma from the cop. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/19 "2010-10-11T05:25:23Z")
It seems to me like baptism is the ultimate story of ritual impurity in Christianity. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687/20 "2010-10-11T05:56:59Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > It seems to me like baptism is the ultimate story of ritual impurity in Christianity. What do you mean by this? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-end-up-with-no-notions-of-ritual-impurity/556687.md?page=2)