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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Eucharistic Thought Drove Clerical Celibacy
- The 11th–12th century Eucharistic theology made the priest's role sacramentally central and pushed the church toward clerical celibacy.
- Celibate clergy made lay marriage the sole sphere for sexual activity and emphasized procreation as marriage's purpose.
Roots Of Early Christian Homophobia
- Christian hostility to same-sex relations stemmed from Jewish emphasis on procreation and ascetic Greek-influenced strands opposing sexual activity.
- Ancient same-sex practices were often unequal phases, different from modern lifelong partnerships.
Foucault Misreads Christianity And Sexuality
- Michel Foucault's history of sexuality underplays ancient Christianity and overstates modern invention of homosexuality.
- Earlier scholars like Boswell and Bray also overstated continuity of Christian hospitality to same-sex relations.
