Pearcey - Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality

Liberal secularist ideology rests on a mistake, and Nancy Pearcey, in her terrific new book, puts her finger right on it. In embracing abortion, euthanasia, homosexual conduct and relationships, transgenderism, and the like, liberal secularism conceives the body not as an aspect of the personal reality of the human being, fully sharing in his or her intrinsic worth and dignity, but rather as an extrinsic instrument of the mind or psyche or selfwhich is considered the true person. This instrumentalization of the body underwrites liberal secularist ethics from top to bottom; yet, as Pearcey shows, it is philosophically as well as theologically untenable. The mental-spiritual and bodily aspects of the human person are a unity. The body truly is part of the personal reality of the human being and shares fully in his or her inherent dignity. From that, as Pearcey demonstrates, much follows for the ethics of life and death and sexuality and marriage.

Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University

Nancy Pearcey unmasks the far-reaching practical consequences of mind-body dualism better than anyone I have ever seen. This book is not only good reading for all well-informed Christians but it should be used as a textbook for applied philosophy. I heartily recommend it.

Jennifer Roback Morse, founder and president, The Ruth Institute

A great book... Nancy Pearcey knows that at the heart of todays hot-button debates lie competing conceptions of the human person: Are we rational and free beings capable of knowing the truth, or are we meaningless cosmic dust, the result of blind material forces? Are we made in the image and likeness of God, created male and female for each other in marriage, or are we ghosts in machines, disembodied selves who may use our bodies to satisfy whatever desires we happen to have? Love Thy Body shows how debates about abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, and gender identity all hinge on anthropology. Pearcey defends a sound understanding of the dignity of the whole person.

Ryan T. Anderson, PhD, senior research fellow, The Heritage Foundation; author, Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom

Nancy Pearcey models on every page how to understand secular worldviews in order to engage them effectively in post-Christian America. Love Thy Body is a must-read book.

Rosaria Butterfield, former professor, Syracuse University;author, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

Nancy Pearcey gets straight to the fundamental issue of our day: What makes humans valuable in the first place? How we answer will do nothing less than determine cultural norms on abortion, doctor-assisted suicide, and sexual ethics. For years, Ive warned pro-lifers our primary problem is a destructive worldview that defines humans by function, not nature. If you want to engage the culture, you simply must get this book. Dont just read it. Master it.

Scott Klusendorf, president, Life Training Institute; author, The Case for Life

The group of serious thinkers who speak so clearly and wisely of the application of Christian truth to contemporary society is unfortunately small. Nancy Pearcey is one of the very bright spots in that select group. Each of her books is a gem. Love Thy Body richly enhances the treasure box that is her collective work. And we all benefit. I heartily recommend it.

Glenn T. Stanton, director, Global Family Formation Studies, Focus on the Family

Nancy Pearcey has once again gifted us with a book that will be of great service to many. Writing with both deep compassion and clear thinking, she helps us to better understand the worldview that lies behind the huge cultural shifts we have recently experienced in the West. This book will equip and inspire many. Pearcey is a wonderful guide.

Sam Allberry, The Gospel Coalition; author, Is God Anti- Gay?

In this work Nancy Pearcey provides an astute but accessible analysis of the intellectual roots of the most important moral ills facing us today: abortion, euthanasia, sexual immorality, and redefining the family. Pearcey takes us beyond the thou shalt not to show why Gods ways are best. Highly recommended!

Richard Weikart, professor of history, California State University, Stanislaus; author, The Death of Humanity: And the Case for Life and Hitler s Religion

Nancy Pearceys characteristic clarity and careful scholarship take the reader through the history of our shifting perceptions on what it means to be human. She unpacks the competing worldviews that undergird central issues of human identity, such as euthanasia, abortion, the hook-up culture, and the like. With a philosophers mind and the sensitivity of a teacher and parent, Pearceys scholarship emerges holistically. Love Thy Body is highly readable, insightful, and informative.

Mary Poplin, professor of education, Claremont Graduate University; author, Is Reality Secular? Testing the Assumptions of Four Global Worldviews

In an age in which moral discussion is increasingly a shouting match of slogans and monologues, Nancy Pearcey in Love Thy Body shares penetrating wisdom regarding the role that fundamentally different understandings of the nature of reality play in our cultural debates about the painful moral choices facing us regarding life and sexuality. This readable book is a treasure trove of critical insights.