Rev. Prof. Diarmaid MacCulloch on His Book, "Lower than the Angels"

Few matters produce more public interest and public anxiety than sex and religion. Much of the political contention and division in societies across the world centers on sexual topics, and one-third of the global population is Christian in background or outlook. The issue goes to the heart of present-day religion.

In "Lower than the Angels," Diarmaid MacCulloch seeks to calm fears and encourage understanding through telling a three-thousand-year-long tale of Christians encountering sex, gender, and the family. The message of Lower than the Angels is simple, necessary, and timely: to pay attention to the complexity and contradictions in the history of Christianity. The reader can decide from the story told here whether there is a single Christian theology of sex, or many contending voices in a symphony that is not at all complete.

This talk offers viewers a chance to learn more about an epic of ordinary and extraordinary Christians trying to make sense of themselves and of humanity’s deepest desires, fears, and hopes.


You can purchase "Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity" here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...


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CHAPTERS:

0:00 Welcome and Introductions
2:16 Book Project Background
6:06 The Complexity of Sex and Christianity
8:17 What Is the Bible?
13:15 The Impact of Biblical Translation
18:30 What Jesus Said About Marriage
23:11 What Paul Said About Marriage
27:45 The History of Church Weddings
31:35 The Value of Celibacy in Christian History
35:53 Establishing Marriage as a Sacrament
40:11 Q: How does the church deal with rapid change, particularly from the laity?
44:41 Q: How can authors share this kind of knowledge without an agenda?
48:30 Q: How would this book have looked different if you wrote it 25 years ago?
50:15 Q: Are there more links between monasticism and first century Christian sources?
53:16 Q: Is the recent decline of church weddings a return to the past?
54:56 Q: Where does natural law fit into this conversation for you?
56:53 Final Thoughts and Thanks


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