A look at “Christianity and Critical Race Theory, Part 2” - Scott Reeve

In this edition of “Theology & Culture”, we are doing “Part 2” of our look at “Christianity and Critical Race Theory (CRT).”  In a previous writing, we discussed some of the elements of CRT and noted the fact that it has infiltrated our culture on many levels.

Let me give a quick summary review of what CRT is.  People have defined this issue in different ways, but basically CRT (which I believe is a worldview) sees the world and the problems we see around us through the lens of what we could call “power dynamics.”  It sees certain minorities (race and otherwise) as oppressed and held down by others, specifically the white race being the culprit.

It plays the oppressor-oppressed card and does away with personal responsibility.  It focuses so much on suppression that it could be argued that it takes away personal responsibility and the desire for people to rise above any supposed ills that they face or have faced because they feel held back. The only answer they believe is viable is to dismantle society and reconstruct it to supposedly end the problem.

Many of the issues in our society are based on racism according to CRT.  Certain people are racist, pure and simple.  Even if you think you are not, because you are a particular skin color or race, you are part of the problem whether you yourself are actually racist.  This approach wrongly lumps    everyone together and sadly, it is geared to divide people.  You are actually profiled based on the view that if you are a different race, you are part of the problem, pure and simple.

CRT attempts to make someone feel guilty for the sins or bad behavior of others simply because you happen to be of the same race as those whose actions were wrong at some point in time.  This is ludicrous at its core.  To blame everyone for things that may have happened because of the color of one’s skin is racist in itself, and judges others without knowing the true heart of each person.

CRT has infiltrated many churches.  White Christians, black Christians, or any Christian that holds an opposing view of CRT is called out and questioned if they hold a different view regarding issues of the past or present.  In other words, churches are bowing to CRT beliefs.

According to proponents of CRT, systemic racism is prevalent in our culture and is the cause behind most of the problems we face.  No doubt, there are people of different races who have felt the sting of racism, regardless of skin color.  The root problem in any society is, and has always been, sin.  This is the issue at the heart of everything that is wrong.

We said it in the last article.  Racism is wrong.  Slavery was and is wrong.  It is still happening in some places around the world, regardless of race or religion.  Lying, cheating, and stealing are all sins.  Sin is the root of anything that goes contrary to God’s Word and is the problem in our world.

For any issue to be addressed, we must deal with the fact that we are all born sinners separated from God who are in need of a relationship with Him (Romans 3:10-23).

The answer for mankind’s struggles is the Gospel of Jesus, not the deconstruction of a society based on strawman arguments and the constant leveling of charges against other people as being part of the problem because of their race.  This is faulty reasoning. 

A child of God recognizes that God has a concern for all people.  If someone has been wronged, or is being wronged, we must speak up and say something.  We must also teach forgiveness.  CRT has no place for forgiveness, in my opinion.  And reparations, which many in the CRT movement promote and expect, is not the same as forgiveness. 

Forgiveness lets go of the past and moves forward.  When Christ forgave us, our sins were wiped away.  To continually hold on to the past and never move forward is not healthy nor helpful.

It is also wrong to claim that everyone’s past family lineage is to blame as well.  The argument that anyone associated with the founding and growth of our country was a racist, or supported the concept, is lacking facts.  To say that my lineage, from my descendants to myself, are part of the problem, is to claim to know my heart and yours as well and assumes that every descendent was complicit or supportive of things in the past that were wrong.  CRT, because of its baseline belief that everything stems from racism, easily goes down that road.

It ignores the truth that not everyone is a racist, knowingly or unknowingly.  Christians, of all people, regardless of race, should be color blind. We all came from Adam and Eve (Acts 17:26).   

Christians are called to love God and love their neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40).  Any believer who has an understanding of their relationship with Christ will treat people as God expects them to,  period.  They will desire to show them the love of God as they have experienced it in Christ.

This is not to ignore that some people have gone through difficult times in their lives.  The problem is that CRT says that there is no way for certain races to understand what other races have gone through and thus, we really have nothing to bring to the table unless we bow to the demands of this unbiblical worldview.

CRT is destructive and divisive.  It has its roots in Marxist thinking (this information is available).  It teaches, again, that, in general, a race (usually white) has oppressed minorities and thus, we must flip things around in our country to fix the situation. 

As we wrap up this look at CRT, we must ask ourselves as followers of Christ, “What should we do in response to this prevailing worldview (it is a worldview) that is capturing our culture?”  In our last issue we suggested three things we could do and here I would like to suggest a few more.

1) Stay the course as a follower of Christ.  What we mean is that if we are Christians, treat    people as the Lord expects us to.  Speak out when we need to but also challenge the faulty thinking that permeates our world today.  Point people to the life of Christ and how He treated people.  We all need salvation to deal with the issue of sin.  Christians who have experienced new life in Christ will look to Scripture as their guide for how to live and treat others. 

2) Keep CRT out of the church.  This does not mean we are blind to problems in our culture but CRT has a faulty foundation.  Churches have felt the pressure to accept certain tenets of CRT.  We are called to teach the Word of God which is transformational (Hebrews 4:12).  True change in any society and individuals within it comes as we follow the Word of God as our guide. 

3) Educate ourselves.  Be aware of what is being pushed on society, whether the issue is abortion, gender identity issues, CRT, false doctrine.  Compare all that is said with Scripture. 

Lovingly share the truth of God’s Word as it relates to what we see happening in the world around us.