The World's Best Book Summaries
How do you know when you’re being oppressed? Is pornography harmful? Is marriage being expanded—or destroyed? Carl Trueman asserts that Christian values in society have been impacted in destructive ways by a transformed understanding of the self. He explores two major effects on modern society: the prioritization of feelings and the rise of the LGBTQ+ movement. Keep reading to understand Trueman’s arguments.
Are the comforts of modern life keeping you from living up to your full potential? How might you embrace discomfort and grow as a result? Michael Easter’s The Comfort Crisis argues that the abundance of comforts we live with in the modern, Western world counterintuitively hurts our health and happiness. He urges us to get back to our roots, embrace primitive discomforts, and improve our well-being by doing so. Continue reading for an overview of this book that encourages you to get out of your “comfortable” zone.
Why is the Christian view of sexuality no longer mainstream? What has taken its place? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman argues that cultural developments of the past three centuries have transformed our conception of selfhood and, along with it, our conception of sexuality. He explores the ways the traditional Christian view of sexuality has been supplanted. Keep reading for this intriguing discussion of sexuality in the context of societal transformation.
How do arguments shape our connections to other people? What’s the importance of debate in society? Debating is an essential part of communication that enhances critical thinking, presentational, and decision-making skills. But the benefits of debate go beyond these skills—debates are unavoidable and expose people to different perspectives in life. If you want to know more about the importance of debate, keep reading.
Are you worried about the decline in traditional values? Can anything be done to preserve them in today’s climate? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman claims that traditional Christian views have become stigmatized as immoral, irrational, and bigoted. He considers modern cultural changes a disaster, as they undermine the traditional Christian morality that forms the foundation of Western culture. Continue reading to learn Trueman’s advice for Christians in today’s society.
How have mortgage fees changed? How will the new mortgage fees affect you? Why has the new framework come under scrutiny? As of May 1, US homebuyers may pay a little more or a little less in mortgage fees depending on their credit score—and a lot of people are unhappy about the news. New mortgage fee adjustments have stirred up a controversy and put the agency responsible for the changes on the defensive. Read on to learn about the new framework, including who the mortgage fee adjustments apply to.
When and how did the LGBTQ+ movement start? Does it spell the end of Christian culture in the West? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman analyzes how our sense of the self has undergone a revolution in the last few centuries. He discusses how the modern self shaped the LGBTQ+ movement, transgender identity, and modern understandings of marriage. Keep reading to understand Trueman’s analysis of the LGBTQ+ movement and how it came to be.
Is technology helping or hurting us? What are the best books about technology that help us answer this question? Technology is all around us, whether we like it or not. It charges our phones, cooks our meals, and diagnoses medical problems. On the other hand, it also distracts us from work and affects our privacy. Below is a list of some of the best books about technology, organized into two categories: books that cheer on the advancements and those that warn about the dangers.
Why are fewer people buying new smartphones? How has this impacted the smartphone market overall? Sales of new smartphones have been on a downward spiral for over a year and experts don’t expect this to change any time soon. Some say the softening smartphone market is good for price-conscious buyers, but others argue that buying new phones as soon as they’re released isn’t a smart move. Read on to learn what’s behind the declining smartphone market and what the future holds.
When and how did the idea of cultural gender, distinct from biological sex, come about? How does it rely on the modern sense of the self? Just a few short decades ago, the traditional biblical understanding of gender was mainstream throughout Western societies. Most people espoused the view that gender was inseparable from biologically determined sex. Carl Trueman discusses how mainstream thought is changing. Keep reading to learn about the origin of the debate about cultural gender vs. biological sex.