The ACCUS does not require its priests, deacons, bishops or other clergy and/or religious members to be celibate.

The Catholic League defended Murphy, contending, amongst other things, that the allegations were unfounded and that Massachusetts did not require clergy at the time to report abuse; and the internal pastoral response was at the time the norm in all religions.

But the Manx Act differed in one significant respect from the latter, in requiring clergy from abroad, who were convicted of conducting marriages in breach of the Act's requirements, to be pilloried and have their ears cropped, before being imprisoned, fined and deported.

The Mesopotamian patriarch in the 8th century wrote that he was appointing a metropolitan for Tibet, implying that their churches were numerous enough to require bishops and lesser clergy.

Its principal provision was to require clergy of the Church of England to subscribe to the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.

The Act required all office-holders, Members of Parliament and clergy to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy for the new monarchs, William III and Mary II.

The act also required all officials and clergy to make an oath of allegiance acknowledging her as the governor of the Church of England.

Israeli authorities required Christian clergy serving in the West Bank or Jerusalem, except some of those covered by the status quo agreement or who are affiliated with recognized nongovernmental organization (NGOs), to leave the country every 90 days to renew their tourist visas.

However, various European free churches still consider confessions important, for example, the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church and the Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church both require clergy and congregations to declare a quia subscription to the Book of Concord.

The Council of Elvira (306) is often seen as the first to issue a written regulation requiring clergy to abstain from sexual intercourse.