Legal Definitions - simony

Simony refers to the unlawful practice within religious institutions of buying or selling spiritual offices, promotions, or sacred privileges. It involves the corrupt exchange of money, gifts, or other material goods for something that is considered spiritual or holy, treating sacred roles or blessings as commodities rather than divine appointments or spiritual entitlements.

Here are some examples to illustrate simony:

• Imagine a situation where a wealthy individual offers a significant sum of money to a religious organization, explicitly stating that the donation is contingent upon their son being appointed to a prestigious leadership role within the clergy, despite other candidates being more qualified based on spiritual merit or experience. This would be an act of simony because a spiritual office (the leadership role) is being sought and potentially granted in exchange for a material gift (the money).

• Consider a scenario where a high-ranking religious official accepts a valuable piece of real estate from a follower, and shortly thereafter, grants that follower an exclusive and highly sought-after spiritual title or a special dispensation that is not typically available to others. If the exchange of the property directly influenced the granting of the spiritual title or dispensation, it would constitute simony, as a spiritual privilege was effectively "sold" for a material asset.

• Suppose a candidate seeking ordination into the priesthood is told by a church administrator that while their spiritual qualifications are adequate, a "substantial contribution" to the church's building fund would significantly "expedite" their application and ensure a favorable review by the ordination committee. If the contribution is understood to be a prerequisite or a strong influencing factor for receiving holy orders, this interaction would be an instance of simony, as a spiritual office (ordination) is being linked to a financial payment.