Status Updates From Lower than the Angels: A Hi...

Here we really focus on Europe in the Middle Ages. We see a full-on shift in the Catholic Church towards celibate clergy, along with the shift in how we see Mary. One thing which stood out in this part was the Reformation being quite contradictory; the family stood out as the main unit after centuries of ambiguity, though it also shrunk places where women could stand, save for a few places.

One thing which really surprised me in this section was the emphasis on chastity and monasteries over marriage; it took them centuries to determine a church marriage, whereas ceremonies for celibacy was more established. I'm glad MacCulloch does touch on differences between east and west, particularly with how the east embraced iconography earlier on. A bit off topic, but still curious.