The Bible states that God created humanity "a little lower than the angels." If humans are so close to angels, is the difference found in human sexuality and how we handle it? Many political controversies and divisions in societies worldwide focus on issues of sexuality, and one-third of the global population has a Christian background or perspective. In a single lifetime, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most remarkable shifts in attitudes towards sex and gender in human history. Revolutions in the position of women in society followed, a new place for same-sex love in the spectrum of human emotions, and a public exploration of gender and transgender identity. For many, the new situation brought exciting liberation – for others, anger and fear. This book seeks to calm fears and encourage understanding through the telling of a 3000-year history of Christians encountering sex, gender, and family, with echoes from their sacred texts. The message of "Lower Than Angels" is simple, necessary, and timely: to cherish the extraordinary wonderful complexity and contradictions in the history of Christianity. The reader can decide from the story narrated here whether there is a single Christian theology of sex or many competing voices in a symphony far from complete. The Emeritus Professor of Church History at Oxford introduces an epic narrative of both ordinary and extraordinary Christians trying to understand themselves and the deepest desires, fears, and hopes of humanity.

Pages: 688, Dimensions: 16.1x16.1cm