Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts

2026-01-21 · 60 min · episode 268 · 8 entities

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→ appeared on Conversations podcast

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Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts
→ discusses Society & Culture concept

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Feed category: Society & Culture
→ discusses Education concept

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Feed category: Education
→ hosted by Mercatus Center at George Mason University company

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Feed author/publisher: Mercatus Center at George Mason University

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mentioned Society & Culture concept

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Feed category: Society & Culture
mentioned Education concept

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discusses Society & Culture concept

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Feed category: Society & Culture
discusses Education concept

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Feed category: Education

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Feed author/publisher: Mercatus Center at George Mason University
hosted by Mercatus Center at George Mason University company

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Feed author/publisher: Mercatus Center at George Mason University

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Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts

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appeared on Conversations podcast

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evidence rules-v4
Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts

Episode description as stored

Tyler considers Diarmaid MacCulloch one of those rare historians whose entire body of work rewards reading. This work includes his award-winning Cranmer biography, his sweeping histories of Christianity and the Reformation, and his latest on sex and the church, which demonstrates what MacCulloch calls the historian's true vocation: unsettling settled facts to keep humanity sane. Tyler and Diarmaid explore whether monotheism correlates with monogamy, Christianity's early instinct towards egalitarianism, what the Eucharistic revolution reveals about the cathedral building boom, the role of Mary in Christianity and Islam, where Michel Foucault went wrong on sexuality, the significance of the clerical family replacing the celibate monk, why Elizabeth I—not Henry VIII—mattered most for the English Reformation, why English Renaissance music began so brilliantly but then needed to start importing Germans, whether Christianity needs hell to survive, what MacCulloch plans to do next, and more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full vi deo on the new dedicated Conversations with Tyler channel. Recorded October 29th, 2025 . This episode was made possible through the support of the John Templeton Foundation. Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here . Image Credit: Barry Jones