The Rise And Triumph Of The Modern Self

Carl Trueman traces the historical roots of many hot-button issues such as transgenderism and homosexuality, offering thoughtful biblical analysis as he uncovers the profound impact of the sexual revolution on modern human identity.

“Carl Trueman explains modernity to the church, with depth, clarity, and force. The significance of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self . . . is hard to overstate.”
—Rod Dreher, from the Foreword

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.

Foreword by Rod Dreher
Preface
Introduction

Part 1: Architecture of the Revolution

1. Reimagining the Self
2. Reimagining Our Culture

Part 2: Foundations of the Revolution

1. The Other Genevan: Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Foundations of Modern Selfhood
2. Unacknowledged Legislators: Wordsworth, Shelley, and Blake
3. The Emergence of Plastic People: Nietzsche, Marx, and Darwin

Epilogue to Part 2: Reflections on the Foundations of the Revolution

Part 3: Sexualization of the Revolution

1. Sigmund Freud, Civilization, and Sex
2. The New Left and the Politicization of Sex

Epilogue to Part 3: Reflections on the Sexualization of the Revolution

Part 4: Triumphs of the Revolution

1. The Triumph of the Erotic
2. The Triumph of the Therapeutic
3. The Triumph of the T

Epilogue to Part 4: Reflections on the Triumphs of the Revolution

Concluding Unscientific Prologue
Index

Carl R. Trueman (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College. He is a contributing editor at First Things, an esteemed church historian, and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Trueman has authored or edited more than a dozen books, including Strange New World; The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self; and Histories and Fallacies. He is a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

“The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self is perhaps the most significant analysis and evaluation of Western culture written by a Protestant during the past fifty years. If you want to understand the social, cultural, and political convulsions we are now experiencing, buy this book, and read it for all it is worth. Highly recommended.”
—Bruce Riley Ashford, Professor of Theology and Culture, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; coauthor, The Gospel of Our King

“Carl Trueman has a rare gift for fusing the deep social insights of a Philip Rieff, a Christopher Lasch, or an Augusto Del Noce with a vital Christian faith and marvelously engaging style. Psalm 8 names the central question of every age, including our own: ‘What is man?’ In explaining the development of the modern self and the challenges it poses to human identity and happiness, Trueman makes sense of a fragmenting world. This book is essential reading for anyone concerned f