The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman

Level of difficulty: Difficult, slow read, but well worth it

This book by Carl Trueman is a masterpiece, as he traces expressive individualism in Western thought to help us understand our contemporary culture’s worldview on sexuality, gender fluidity, and transgenderism. Trueman argues that the LGBTQ+ movement has taken over 250 years to develop, discussing contributions to Western thought by Descartes, Rousseau, Darwin, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, just to name a few. This book requires effort and perseverance, especially if you haven’t had a philosophical background, but it is well worth the effort (and it will take effort!). I’ve provided the link to the Gospel Coalition’s book review below, which you’ll find helpful. Despite being a challenging book to digest, I’ve included it in my book recommendations because it is such an astute and insightful analysis. I hope you take the time to wrestle with this book. It would be ideal for a book club. Trueman has written an abridged version (Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution), so that is worth considering if you don’t want to read The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. If you google Carl Trueman, you’ll find lectures, podcasts, and articles. Listen to anything he does and read his articles. You won’t be disappointed.

Publisher description:

Modern culture is obsessed with identity. Since the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015, sexual identity has dominated both public discourse and cultural trends—yet no historical phenomenon is its own cause. From Augustine to Marx, various views and perspectives have contributed to the modern understanding of the self.

In this timely book, Carl Trueman analyzes the development of the sexual revolution as a symptom—rather than the cause—of the human search for identity. Trueman surveys the past, brings clarity to the present, and gives guidance for the future as Christians navigate the culture in humanity’s ever-changing quest for identity.

 Gospel Coalition Book Review