Book Recommendation: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Romans 1:24-27

Reading level

Very easy —- easy —- moderate —- challenging — very challenging

Genres

nonfiction, philosophy, history, and Christianity

Content

In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (published 2020), Carl R. Trueman provides a refreshingly clear and academic explanation of “how we got here,” or in the way that he explains it, how it became socially acceptable and even promoted for a man to say that he is trapped in a woman’s body, a claim that would have been considered sheer lunacy only a few decades ago. However, this book is not just about the LGBTQ+ community but also our postmodern understanding of personhood and sex itself.

Trueman first explains the history of these ideas, starting with the philosopher Rousseau, then covering the poems of romantic poets like William Wordsworth and Percy Shelley, to Freud, Marx, all the way to present day philosophers, ethicists, and public figures of sexual ideas and expression of identity. What I consider “refreshing” about this book is that this is not an emotionally detracted book, neither is it an obviously biased book, that is, Trueman takes great measures to avoid creating straw man arguments of those who have contributed to the sexual revolution. As Trueman puts it, his book is neither a lament nor a polemic, but rather he is trying to help Christians avoid this tendency when we look at our postmodern present and understand where these ideas come from and how they have influenced every part of society.

Trueman ends the book with a helpful explanation, as a former pastor and current theologian, of how the Christian church can apply the knowledge from the book to teaching, pastoring, and witnessing in a day and age where sex is considered to be the core of identity, where psychology is to be protected more than freedoms of speech, where postmodern and anti-Christian ideas are taught to children in schools, and where sex itself is politized. While this is only provided in one chapter, it helps the reader understand the relevance of the information, how we are affected by it, and what we should and should not do about it.

What I learned from reading this book…

Reading Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self helped me understand how we (as in the general world “we”) came to the understanding of sexuality and identity that we have today. I also found the last chapter of the book very helpful, as it explained how even the modern church, both for good and bad, has unknowingly adopted some of the ideals explained in the book as a result simply of existing in the 21st century. I could not appreciate Trueman’s honesty and clarity more in this book - his explanations of the “other side” of the sexual debate felt honest and fair, unlike many of the orthodox writings and talks I have read/heard about this topic that have only aided in vain cynicism rather than fruitful action. His encouragement for the reader is that we would have open eyes to how some of the philosophies have seeped into our own perspective of ourselves and the world, whether good or evil.

I would recommend this to…

People who are fascinated with history, philosophy, and hot topics may enjoy this book. Anyone who is willing to take on a challenge, who is eager to learn and grow, and who wants to have a more rounded view of the LGBTQ+ and sexual ethics narrative of the 21st century, as explained by an orthodox Christian historian with a heart for Biblical truth, would benefit from reading this book.

How I read this book…

Since this book is heavy in academic language and complicated concepts, I would not recommend trying to read large chunks of this book at one time or else it will feel daunting and likely not be finished. I read 10-12 pages a day, and in the chapters that most intrigued me, I would read 20-25 pages a day. It’s okay if you feel you have to reread a page to understand the concept. This book requires patience and a desire to learn, but it is far from dull, as Trueman provides fascinating and helpful information.

Who is Carl R. Trueman?

Dr. Carl R. Trueman is a professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, though he taught at. He is also an author, editor, theologian, ordained minister, and earned his Ph.D. in church history.

Where to buy it:

https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/the-rise-and-triumph-of-the-modern-self-cultural-amnesia-expressive-individualism-and-the-road-to-sexual-revolution-9781433556333?variant=37405205692616