How Christians Can Guard against the Cultural Milieu

Read Widely and Ground Yourself in Theology

To any Christian who is starting to be persuaded by the arguments of the LGBTQ+ movement, I would suggest a number of things. First of all, I would suggest reading widely. Don't just read one angle on these things, and read the critics of the LGBTQ+ movement. Advice I give to students all the time is to never read the second best book on any subject. Instead, read the best of the critics. Don't get the potboiler that somebody knocked off in 30 seconds before breakfast and then self published. There are reputable, thoughtful, deep thinkers out there, so make sure that you are comparing like with like. When you start to find yourself being drawn away by the arguments of one side, make sure that you're comparing with good arguments from another side.

Secondly, I would say ground yourself well in biblical and systematic theology. The question of sexuality is ultimately a question of anthropology, and the question of anthropology is ultimately one that has to be answered relative to a Christian doctrine of creation. There is a lot of controversy about Genesis 1 and the timing of the days, but that's not my interest on this particular point.

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Carl R. Trueman

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.

The notion of human beings created in the image of God is of critical importance to understanding all aspects of human behavior and human morality, and sex, and the function of sex, and the status and nature of sexuality. Is that even a legitimate category to use as a Christian? Those questions can only be answered with a thorough Christian doctrine of anthropology grounded in a thorough Christian doctrine of creation. So, go back and look at Genesis 1–3.

Ground yourself well in biblical and systematic theology.

One of the best writers on this happens to be Pope John Paul II. His work on the theology of the body draws deeply on creation and on our human anthropology as a way of thinking about sex—not as an identity, but as an activity. So I would suggest Genesis 1–3 and the great commentators and thinkers in the history of the church on the anthropological implications of that. That's where you need to go intellectually for your answers.

This article is adapted from The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman.

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.

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