Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity

by Diarmaid MacCulloch
Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity cover
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  • ID: 3074
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • Formats: 2
  • Reviews: 4
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omnivorous.substack.com · Unknown · 2025-10-19
insightful 4.50

Diarmaid MacCulloch's 'Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity' explores the complex and often contradictory history of Christianity's relationship with sex and the body. The book reveals that Christianity has never had a unified theology of sex, and this internal conflict has shaped its doctrines over centuries. MacCulloch's deep research and accessible writing make the book both informative and engaging, offering a nuanced perspective on a contentious topic.

Diarmaid MacCulloch's 'Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity' is a timely and insightful exploration of the intricate and often contradictory history of Christianity's relationship with sex and the body. The book challenges the notion that Christianity has ever had a coherent or stable theology of sex, revealing instead a faith that has continually grappled with these issues. MacCulloch begins by examining the cultural traditions of Judaism and Greco-Roman culture that influenced early Christian thought, highlighting the tensions and contradictions that arose as the faith tried to reconcile these diverse influences. The book delves into key debates, such as celibacy versus marriage, and how these issues have evolved over time, particularly with the Reformation and the changing roles of women in the church. MacCulloch's extensive research is presented in an accessible and engaging manner, leavened with wit and humor. While the book primarily focuses on Western Christianity, it also touches on Orthodoxy and Christianity in Africa, adding layers of complexity to the understanding of how these beliefs have shaped different contexts. For those returning to the Christian faith or seeking a deeper understanding of its history, this book serves as a powerful reminder that the doctrines surrounding sex and marriage are far from settled and continue to evolve.

Quick quotes

    The faith has always been at war with itself in its attempt to grapple with the reality of the human body and human sexuality, never quite able to paper over or resolve the contradictions built into its very conception and its self-identity.

    This was a motivating concern for no less a figure than Paul himself, who finally had to admit that, yes, he supposed it was better to marry than to burn (with lust).

    What’s remarkable about 'Lower than the Angels' is just how deeply-researched yet accessible it is.

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-19
intriguing 4.50

Lower than the Angels explores Christianity's complex and often contradictory relationship with sex, highlighting how teachings have evolved over centuries. The book reveals that many modern assumptions about Christian views on sex and marriage are misguided, as practices and beliefs have varied widely across different periods and regions.

Lower than the Angels by Diarmaid MacCulloch delves into the intricate history of Christianity's relationship with sex, showing how teachings have been shaped by a mix of faith, fear, and control. The book challenges the notion of a unified Christian theology of sex, demonstrating instead a diverse and often contradictory set of beliefs and practices. From the early Christian emphasis on virginity and celibacy to the Reformation's acceptance of marriage and sex within it, the book illustrates how Christian views on sex have been influenced by cultural and historical contexts. It also highlights the significant impact of these teachings on society, particularly on women and LGBTQ+ individuals, and how they have contributed to the declining influence of Christianity in contemporary Europe.

Quick quotes

    Centuries of conflicting teachings have shaped Christianity's complex relationship with sex — a mix of faith, fear, and control over human sexuality.

    Indeed, as this magisterial history of Christianity’s complicated relationship with sex shows, many of the ideas we now assume to be Biblical teachings actually emerged in the second and early-third centuries, and were heavily influenced by (or were adopted as a reaction to) Roman and Judaic practices.

    The fallout from such scandals partially explains the declining influence of Christianity in contemporary Europe, but the roots of that decline can be traced back much further.

theguardian.com · Unknown · 2024-10-31
masterly 4.50

Diarmaid MacCulloch's 'Lower than the Angels' explores Christianity's complex 2,000-year relationship with sex, highlighting the contradictions and conflicts within its teachings. The book reveals how different sects and theologians have interpreted and debated sexual matters, often reflecting their own biases and fantasies.

Diarmaid MacCulloch's 'Lower than the Angels' is a comprehensive history of Christianity's tumultuous relationship with sex, sexuality, and gender. The book delves into the origins of the church's conflicting teachings, tracing them back to the fusion of Greek and Judaic traditions. MacCulloch argues that the church's heterogeneous nature has led to ongoing debates and disagreements, particularly when it comes to matters of sex. The book highlights the often contradictory views of theologians like John Chrysostom and Saint Jerome, who imposed their own biases on their interpretations. It also shows how resourceful women, such as Catherine of Siena, found ways to subvert these paradigms to their own ends. The book is a masterful exploration of how the church's teachings on sex have evolved and been contested over the centuries.

Quick quotes

    Jesus never mentioned homosexuals, masturbation or the role of women in social, let alone sacred, life.

    Yet that hasn’t stopped millennia of godly scholars and lay Christians acting as if he had.

    MacCulloch conceives it as 'a family of identities', by which he means Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox, as well as a myriad other sects and splinter groups, some of which have long disappeared.

engelsbergideas.com · Unknown · 2024-09-17
insightful 4.50

Diarmaid MacCulloch's 'Lower than the Angels' is a comprehensive history of sex and Christianity, blending historical depth with theological insights. The book explores the complex relationship between sex and gender, highlighting how Christian thought has evolved over time, particularly in relation to gender identity and marriage.

Diarmaid MacCulloch's 'Lower than the Angels' is a monumental work that delves into the intricate history of sex and Christianity. The book is not just a history of the Church but a broader narrative of the West and its Near Eastern neighbors, providing a rich backdrop for understanding social attitudes towards sex. MacCulloch's elegant prose and deep scholarship make the nearly five-hundred-page narrative engaging and insightful. The book explores the anthropological premise that humans, though not angelic, have an inalienable dignity and the promise of a transformed existence. It traces how humans have thought about and worked out their intimate arrangements throughout history, particularly in relation to gender identity and marriage. MacCulloch's work is a testament to the complexity and evolution of Christian thought on these topics, offering valuable insights for contemporary discussions.

Quick quotes

    MacCulloch’s monumental tome on Christianity and sex sometimes reads more like a general history of the West and its Near Eastern neighbours from the classical period to the modern era.

    The book’s main title encapsulates MacCulloch’s anthropological premise (Psalm 8) that human beings, though not quite angelic, nevertheless in the sight of God, have an inalienable dignity and the promise of a transformed angelic existence in God’s eschatological kingdom.

    The growing emphasis on consent encouraged the liturgical recalibration of the order of priority amongst the constitutive elements of marriage, favouring union over procreation.

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