Lower than the Angels - A History of Sex and Christianity by Diarmaid MacCulloch - A review
"A must-read for anyone interested in the history of Christianity, sexuality, or the intersection of religion and culture"
The memory of meeting Diarmaid and listening to his expert talk on Thomas Cromwell, and discussing his thoughts on Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall Trilogy is still fresh in my mind. I was thrilled when I discovered that he has a new book about to be published by Allen Lane. I expected a masterpiece and I was not disappointed. Yet again the Professor of the History of the Church, has produced a seminal work that raises the bar for readable and engaging academic research.
Diarmaid MacCulloch's Lower Than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity is a monumental work that delves into the complex and often contradictory relationship between Christianity and sexuality. Spanning millennia, Diarmaid traces the evolution of Christian attitudes towards sex, gender, and family, offering a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of a subject that has been central to religious discourse for centuries.
His choice of the title is inspired:
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. Psalm 8:5 King James Version (KJV)
‘...how might we tell the difference between angels and humans, if the two created species are so close? The difference might be about sex and sexual attributes…’
One of the book's strengths is its ability to navigate a vast and multifaceted topic with clarity and precision. Diarmaid expertly weaves together historical, theological, and cultural perspectives, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of how Christian views on sexuality have been shaped by various factors, including biblical interpretations, philosophical influences, and social and political conditions.
His writing style is both engaging and informative, making complex theological concepts accessible to a wide audience. He skillfully balances scholarly rigor with a conversational tone, ensuring that the book is both intellectually stimulating and enjoyable to read.
While Lower Than the Angels is primarily a historical work, it also has contemporary relevance. The book offers valuable insights into ongoing debates about sexuality and religion, providing a historical context for understanding contemporary controversies.
Lower Than the Angels is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Christianity, sexuality, or the intersection of religion and culture. Diarmaid's masterful exploration of this complex subject is a significant contribution to the field and is sure to be a valuable resource for scholars and general readers alike for years to come.
Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity Kindle Edition Available Now, Here.
Pre order the hardcover - available on September 27th here: https://amzn.to/4djIL5k
Diarmaid has written extensively on the sixteenth century and beyond it. His History of Christianity: the first three thousand years (Penguin/Allen Lane) and the BBC TV series based on it first appeared in 2009; the book won the Cundill Prize, the world’s largest prize for history, in 2010. His three-part TV series for BBC2, How God made the English, aired in March 2012, and his BBC2 series, Sex and the Church, aired in early 2015. He has written Silence: a Christian History (2013) and his collected essays on the Reformation appeared as All Things New: Writings on the Reformation in 2016. He was knighted in the UK New Year’s Honours List of 2012.
Other books by Diarmaid MucCulluch.