Gregory Scott Blog

Book Review: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

So, I’m a little late to the party on this one, but better late than never.

In the book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (2020), Carl Trueman follows the intellectual bread crumbs that lead from the Enlightenment to modern expressive individualism.

When you are done reading the book you will understand how a millennial can say with a straight face, “I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body.”

Trueman starts with the premise that man identifies himself in the context of what is most important to him. Therefore, western man’s journey over the past two millennia is described as a transformation from political man (Greeks) to religious man (Middle Ages) to economic man (Enlightenment) to the modern psychological man.

In other words, whereas in The Middle Ages, a person’s identity was defined in the context of his religion, modern man’s identity has become defined by his psychology, and because psychology through Freud became sexual, identity is now defined in the context of sexuality.

What the Bible Says about New Years’ Day

The Lord gave Moses very specific instructions about what the people were to do on what would become New Years’ Day of the Jewish civil calendar (the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish religious calendar):

“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. ‘You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.’ ”

Leviticus 23:24–25 (NASB)

These instructions can be summarized as follows: rest, remembrance, repentance, and worship.

Should we Chose our Political Leaders based on Character or Competence?

As those who want to see the kingdom of God continue to expand on the earth, we must be able to answer the question presented in the title of this post.

As with most lofty matters, one must always start with the Bible. If one starts with reason, untethered to the Word of God, one can justify just about anything. If you want to see reason running amok on a daily basis just tune into the popular prime time hosts on MSNBC or Fox News.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

Proverbs 29:2

If there is any doubt about whether the Lord values righteousness and ethics in political leaders, one only need read the Biblical accounts of the kings of Israel. Even a cursory review reveals the Lord generally blessed righteous rulers and judged the wicked.

As much as the world pretends otherwise, one cannot compartmentalize character from the rest of who we are. Our character informs our worldview and policies and is the basis for our conduct. We cannot be separated from who we are.

At the same time, is character enough to make a good political leader?

A Christian’s Response to the 2024 Presidential Election

Well, the people have spoken, and we now know who our president will be come January. We will have to wait to find out whether Donald Trump’s election to a second term is God’s sovereign blessing, judgment, or something else.

There are, however, a couple of things that are clear.

While the Democrats and Republicans differ on which social and political issues are more important to each, money is most important to both. The evidence is strong that those Democrats and Independents who voted for Donald Trump did so because of the economy.

Jesus was obviously right–He’s always right by the way–when He said where one’s treasure is, there his heart will be also. That applies equally to one’s vote when that treasure is money.

What Christians and LGBTQers Must Agree On

It is becoming clear the defining moral issue of the younger generation is sexual identity. It is also clear that Evangelicals are finding themselves increasingly marginalized on this issue. Their resistance is equated with intolerance, and their opinions are increasingly reserved for hushed conversations with other Evangelicals.

The reality is there is common ground for conversation, though I doubt either side recognizes it. That common ground is found when one recognizes that even most in the LGBTQ community believe pederasty, pedophilia, and bestiality are wrong. In other words, like Evangelicals, the LGBTQ community believes there should be limits on sexuality.

The difference between the two is a disagreement over where to draw the line. Thus, for the LGBTQ community to insist that only they could be right about where to draw that line makes them as intolerant as they accuse Evangelicals of being.