Is it sinful to deny Christ under threat of death?
The short answer
We are called never to betray our loyalty to Christ and his Church, even under torture or death. But an acceptance coerced under duress is considered null by most civilized societies, and only God knows how culpable someone is who breaks under such pressure.
Duress
Accepting a contrary ideology under duress is considered null by most civilized societies — as when journalists were recently coerced into professing Islam.
Our calling
Nevertheless, we are called never to betray our loyalty to Christ and his Church, even under torture or death.
Culpability
Only God knows how morally culpable someone is who breaks under such duress.
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