The sexual revolution: a resource guide
Four recommendations from The Public Theology Project
The following are recommendations by The Statement hosts, Will and Robert, for Christians interested in reading more about the Sexual Revolution, its ramifications for society and the church, and defending the biblical sexual ethic in our time.
Our recommendations are not endorsements of every thought and argument presented by the authors. Nor are we trying to be exhaustive, as if our list represents every valid opinion on the subject matter. However, we believe curious students of our cultural moment will find these resources valuable, accessible, and provocative (in the good sense).
Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman. Crossway, 208 pages, $17.99
A condensed version of his longer work, Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Strange New World is a helpful resource for understanding the world we inhabit. Have people always thought of themselves as they do today? Where did our modern conceptions of humanity come from? Trueman addresses these questions and more in this book. He acts as Virgil as we make our way through the dark and murky anthropological wood of contemporary life. —Will
Adam and Eve After the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution by Mary Eberstadt. Ignatius Press, 175 pages, $17.95
Eberstadt starts with a fairly straightforward question: Has the sexual revolution been an unqualified improvement for mankind? Even asking the question out loud is taboo in some circles. But investigating the revolution’s legacy reveals uncomfortable truths that many of its advocates would rather ignore. Are women really better off? What’s become of male-female relationships and the children they usually produce? Has demystifying the sexual act led to more meaningful romantic encounters for young adults? This book issues frank answers with the data to back them up. —Robert
Conscience and Its Enemies: Confronting the Dogmas of Liberal Secularism by Robert P. George. Regnery, 336 pages, $18.00
These essays and articles from one of America’s preeminent legal scholars convincingly argue for the value of traditional marriage and a pro-life ethic. Thoughtfully engaging each issue, the author provides the reader with a treasure trove of thoughtful arguments for the Bible’s teachings on sex. —Will
Protestant Social Teaching: An Introduction edited by Onsi Kamel, Jake Meador, and Joseph Minich. Davenant Press, 271 pages, $26.95
While this fantastic volume covers a wide breadth of topics, part two features insightful essays about procreation and children, sex, marriage, divorce, and abortion from an explicitly Protestant worldview. Oftentimes, it seems as if Roman Catholics are the only ones with stuff to say on these matters. But the authors of this section demonstrate Protestantism has something to offer as well. —Robert