Flourishing? Women's bodies and the history of Christianity - June 2025

St Paul's Cathedral

Over the course of Western history, how have religion and medicine worked together to tell women how their bodies work, and what they should do with them? How have Eve and Mary been used to convey these messages, and how has their role been challenged? Helen King explores the potential of both Christianity and medicine to work towards a healthier approach to the body. Helen King is Professor Emerita at The Open University, where she researched and taught the history of the body. She is an elected lay member of the Church of England's General Synod and a trustee of WATCH (Women and the Church). Her latest book is 'Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies'.