Are You An Oppressor Or Among The Oppressed? Is ‘Critical Theory’ Biblical?
Contrary to what is being claimed in some quarters, Critical Theory — the driving worldview behind the pervasive claim America is through and through a racist society ruled by “White Privilege” — is not consistent with the biblical understanding of reality.
Screenshot from Youtube.
The Bible does define racism as sin and tells us “there is neither Greek nor Jew, neither free or nor slave, there is no male or female, you are all one in Christ.” That’s about as complete an affirmation as I can imagine of the equality of the human race, without regard to skin color, nationality or any other factor.
But that’s about where the common ground ends. Don’t just take my word for it. Joseph Backholm of the Colson Center’s “What Would You Say” video series explains the three foundational differences between Critical Theory and the Bible. If you work on the Hill, this is a perspective you should hear, whether or not you agree with it:
Paul is speaking to Christians AS Christians, not the world at large. Revelation 7:9 assures us “all nations and kindreds and people” will be among the saved, but only Satan (Tower of Babel) seems to remove the diversity of humanity. Stop buying into shallow, leftist-oriented simplicity.
Critical Race Theory, as currently conceived and applied towards Social Justice activism also denies the possibility of substantive human agency and autonomy. This is why individuals are seen as culpable for oppression by the identity groups assigned to them, and why that culpability can never be expiated.by propitiatory acts.
Basically CRT holds that the social construction of knowledge, beliefs and values determines how people conceive of and view the world and also themselves in the world. This occurs because the language, symbols and social conventions we use are have been structured to replicate and justify power relationship ( i.e. social hierarchy, expected roles and obligations ). Individuals can’t help but to be complicit in oppression, because the very medium of their thoughts and expression are inherently oppressive. This is also why they can never be fully aware of how they are participating in oppression – according to CRT.
Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility is a good example of this perspective and its tenets. The funny thing is that people often don’t believe that she intends for her ideas to be taken seriously – they are rather extreme. But she does. All of the claims and concepts surrounding CRT, Intersectionality, White Privilege etc. are intended to be interpreted as they are presented. It’s important for people to understand that if they want to employ these ideas.
Thank you for what may well be the most concise and telling description I’ve seen anywhere of Critical Theory.