Conversations with Tyler Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts
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Jan 21, 2026 
Diarmaid MacCulloch, a renowned historian of Christianity and Emeritus Professor at Oxford, shares insights on the complex relationship between Christianity and sex. He discusses the uneven correlation of monotheism and monogamy, challenges common narratives about gender equality in early Christianity, and critiques Michel Foucault's views on sexuality. MacCulloch also delves into the significance of Mary in both Christianity and Islam, the role of the Eucharist in societal change, and whether hell is necessary for Christianity's survival. His historical lens aims to unsettle settled facts for a deeper understanding.
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Monogamy Was Cultural, Not Theological
- Christianity adopted monogamy to appeal to Greek and Roman monogamous cultures rather than because monotheism requires monogamy.
- Judaism practiced polygyny into the medieval period and only shifted under Western societal pressure.
Baptism Enabled Early Christian Equality
- Baptism, accessible to both sexes, gave early Christianity an egalitarian initiation unlike male circumcision in Judaism.
- Over centuries the church drifted toward ancient male-centered norms despite that initial egalitarian structure.
Pauline Reciprocity Recast Marriage
- Paul's 1 Corinthians 7 contains a radical reciprocity: each spouse's body belongs to the other, making marriage a physical, mystical union.
- Western canon lawyers later emphasized procreation, shifting marriage toward a reproductive contract.
