This book invites readers to "think of sex & celibacy - & your own sexuality - in new & creative ways." While its primary focus is celibacy as part of a commitment to a spiritual vocation, it is also valuable reading for the millions of single & widowed persons for whom a restricted sexual life may be a temporary phase. Celibacy is also helpful for teachers, physicians, & counselors whose professional relationships necessitate a guarded trust. Drawing on his 35 years of research, often amid clouds of controversy, Sipe examines the evolutionary, biological, & cultural roots of celibacy, penetrating layers of denial & secrecy to advance our knowledge of the mysteries of human sexuality. Sipe views celibacy, not as a rigid repression, but as an adventure of discovery & a way of developing full relationships. Celibacy explores the different questions about life, love & altruism through an insightful & revealing analysis of the essential elements of sexuality as they relate to celibacy. These include gender, orientation, degree of desire, object of excitation, developmental experiences, behaviors, relationships, patterns of integration, & identity. The author treats marriage & celibacy as complementary vocations rather than polar opposite choices. For all who aspire to a disciplined, committed lifestyle, Sipe declares, the ideal is the same: "Love, practical love, will be the core. Service to life will be its proof. Integration will form the seal."