Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield with forward by Kevin DeYoung. 2023. Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois. 344p.
Book report by Charles Krueger – January 2025
For some people this author is controversial, but I liked this book as helpful in understanding the changing viewpoints of sexuality, gender roles, and transgenderism. I also thought the chapter on modesty was thought provoking. I continue to try to dissect and analyze why we are where we are culturally in this country. As such this book was helpful to me.
The remarkable philosophical shift in our country that has occurred in terms of what is deemed morally acceptable has been incredibly swift in our country – only 20-30 years. The speed of this shift, I think this is because back in the 1980s (40 years ago) people generally gave up in believing in any common Judeo-Christian code and via promotion by the public media adopted the idea of ethical relativism (situational ethics). The logical extension of the new ethic now in 2020’s is believing in nothing, providing little if any guidance in life, and making anything morally justifiable.
Who was this book written for? Who is its audience? – “This book is for Christians – especially Christian women.” (p. xix). At the book’s conclusion she notes “This is a book about dismantling the idol of our times – the world of LGBTQ+ that I in my sin helped build” (p.316). If you don’t know Butterfield’s background, I suggest you read her autobiography The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. What are the five lies? (1) Homosexuality is normal. (2) Being a spiritual person is kinder than being a Biblical Christian. (3) Feminism is good for the world and the church. (4) Transgenderism is normal. (5) Modesty is an outdated burden that serves male dominance and holds women back.
Butterfield attacks and refutes these lies in an unapologetic Biblical straight-up way – “this is what God says sorry if you are offended” approach. Christians infected with the world’s philosophy of feminism, even slightly, easily may take offense with her Biblical approach. The text is rich with Scripture citations and quotations. She is blunt about sin and its consequences and about the Biblical roles of men and women (p. 156-157). I found her discourse on the subtle differences between empathy and sympathy (p. 99-101) helpful. She provides a thoughtful discussion on the fundamental role of envy as a motivation behind sexual sin with Biblical examples “Envy is the predatory longing for that which is not rightfully mine …” (p. 207-208). Envy as a sin problem was not something I had thought much about. Butterfield asserts that homosexuality and transgenderism are fundamentally sins against the order of creation by God as first established in Gensis 1:27-28 and that this theme consistently proceeds throughout the Bible. The text promotes that the church must Biblically care for, encourage, exhort, and love those beset with homosexuality and gender dysphoria. She also notes the important role of the church’s shepherds to watchfully nurture and guard the flock, and encourage righteous Biblically based living (e.g., p.290-291).
Rosaria Butterfield (Ph.D. Ohio State University) is an author, pastor’s wife, homeschool mom, and former professor of English and Women’s Studies at Syracuse University, New York.
