The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution
How did we arrive at a moment in history where the statement “I am a woman trapped in a man’s body” is not only intelligible but celebrated as a marker of personal authenticity? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, historian and theologian Carl R. Trueman offers a profound answer. This ambitious work traces the long intellectual and cultural shifts that have redefined what it means to be human, focusing especially on how identity and sexuality have come to dominate modern conceptions of the self.
Drawing from thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Philip Rieff, Charles Taylor, and Alasdair MacIntyre, Trueman explores the genealogy of “expressive individualism”—the belief that inner psychological conviction defines true identity. He shows how this idea, shaped by Romantic poets, secular philosophers, and political movements, laid the groundwork for today’s sexual revolution, LGBTQ+ activism, and shifting norms around gender and selfhood.
The book is structured in four major parts:
Part 1: Architecture of the Revolution – introducing key frameworks for understanding cultural change, such as the “social imaginary.”
Part 2: Foundations of the Revolution – examining the role of Rousseau and other figures in reshaping identity.
Part 3: Sexualizing Psychology & Politicizing Sex – tracing how Freud and Marxist thought connected sexuality and liberation.
Part 4: Triumph and Consequences – showing how these ideas now shape law, ethics, education, and popular culture.
About the Author
Carl R. Trueman is a professor at Grove City College, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and a widely respected historian of ideas. He has written extensively on Reformation thought, church history, and cultural analysis. With this book, Trueman cements his reputation as one of today’s most important Christian intellectuals, offering a map to understand our turbulent age.
Endorsements & Praise
The book has been hailed as “the most significant analysis of Western culture written by a Protestant in the past fifty years” (Bruce Riley Ashford).
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput calls it “essential reading for anyone concerned for sustaining the Christian faith in a rapidly changing culture.” Rosaria Butterfield praises Trueman’s clarity in showing how expressive individualism gave rise to today’s debates over sexuality
Other endorsements—from theologians, philosophers, and cultural critics alike—emphasize its brilliance, balance, and urgency.
Why It Matters
At a time when rapid cultural transformations leave many feeling unmoored, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self provides not only historical perspective but also intellectual tools for thoughtful engagement. It is a must-read for pastors, educators, students, and all who wish to understand the deep roots of today’s debates about identity, freedom, and morality.
