Lower than the Angels (book)
 | |
| Author | Diarmaid MacCulloch |
|---|---|
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
Publication date | 19 September 2024 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 688 |
| ISBN | 9780241400937 |
Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity is a 2024 book by English historian and Oxford University Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church Diarmaid MacCulloch. The book explores the history of Christian debates over sex, gender and family.[1]
Reception
[edit]Lower than the Angels received positive reviews. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams gave the book a 5-star review in The Daily Telegraph, writing that the book offers "a compelling and encyclopedic survey of how Christianity makes sense of sexual desire".[2] In a review in the New York Times, Princeton University lecturer Spencer Strub praised MacCulloch's "dry wit and flair for narrative sweep".[3] Writing in The Guardian, Kathryn Hughes labelled the book "masterly" and wrote that MacCulloch effectively navigated the complexity of the topic without his writing becoming polemical.[4] In a review in the Financial Times, Anglican priest Lucy Winkett described the book as a "magesterial" account, and wrote that it provided "an important and timely contribution to the current debates not just within the Church, but in societies that should understand the influence of Christian teaching on these subjects for good or ill".[5] A review in The Times noted that in addition to its scholarly rigour, the book was often quite humorous.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Lower than the Angels". Penguin. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ Williams, Rowan (13 September 2024). "What does the Bible really say about sex and marriage?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ Strub, Spencer (14 April 2025). "2,000 Years Later, Christians Are Still Worrying About Sex". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ Hughes, Kathryn (31 October 2024). "Lower Than the Angels by Diarmaid MacCulloch review – sex and the church". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ Winkett, Lucy (19 September 2024). "Lower than the Angels — a magisterial history of sex, Christianity and the meaning of marriage". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ Anil, Pratinav (5 October 2024). "Lower than the Angels by Diarmaid MacCulloch review — Christianity and sex". The Times. Retrieved 11 May 2025.