'The early church's legitimation of singleness as a form of life symbolized the necessity of the church to grow through witness and conversion. Singleness was legitimate, not because sex was thought to be a particularly questionable activty, but becuase the mission of the church was such that "between the times" the church required those who were very capable of complete service to the kingdom. And we must remember that the "sacrifice" made by the single is not that of "giving up sex", but the much more significant sacrifice of giving up heirs. There can be no more radical act than this, as it is the clearest institutional expression that one's future is not guaranteed by the family, but by the church. The church, the harbinger of the kingdom of God, is now the source of our primary loyalty.'
Stanley Hauerwas, 'Sex in Public: How Adventurous Christains Are Doing It' in Bretherton & Rook (Eds.), Living Out Loud, p.182.
