In Fault Lines: The Social Justice
Movement and Evangelicalism's Looming Catastrophe, https://a.co/1CLFiHn, Voddie Baucham, a
preacher, professor, cultural apologist, and devoted follower of Christ explains
how the social justice movement and Critical Race Theory (CRT)—revealing how it
already has infiltrated many Christian institutions and churches, leading to
internal denominational conflict, canceled careers, and lost livelihoods.
Baucham writes that “the cult of antiracism [CRT] roots
every aspect of its worldview in the assertion that everything begins with the
creation of whiteness. More specifically, the creation of whiteness with the
express purpose of establishing white people as the dominant, hegemonic
oppressors and all non-white people as the objects of that oppression”:
·
“Without confession to the sin of white racism,
white supremacy, white privilege,” contends Sojourners magazine founder
Jim Wallis, “people who call themselves white Christians will never be free…
from the bondage of a lie, a myth, an ideology, and an idol.” This sentiment is
an affront to the Gospel. “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you
free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). And again,
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). But
this is the gospel of antiracism, where there is no freedom—at least, not for
white people.
Baucham cites the author and CRT luminary, Robin DiAngelo,
who expands the definition of racism in include any white denials of being
racist:
·
“Given the dominant conceptualization of racism
as individual acts of cruelty, it follows that only terrible people who
consciously don’t like people of color can enact racism. Though this conceptualization
is misinformed, it is not benign. In fact, it functions beautifully to make it
nearly impossible to engage in the necessary dialogue and self-reflection that
can lead to change. Outrage at the suggestion of racism is often followed by righteous
indignation about the manner in which the feedback was given.”
Consequently, whites are now damned if they admit being a
racist and damned if they deny it. DiAngelo leaves them no way to escape from their
“guilt.” It boils down to this:
·
All white people benefit from racism, regardless
of intentions; intentions are irrelevant.
Guilty until proven innocent – an impossibility! What then
is relevant? Guilt by skin color and the alleged “white privilege!” However,
this is a matter of wrongly accusing the innocent:
·
“You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)
Therefore, the insistence that all whites confess to their
sin of racism is not Biblical.
Baucham cites Aaron Preston that there is a more sinister
purpose behind such allegations – the incitement to violence:
·
“Hurling the damning label ‘racist’ at people
and systems that don’t deserve it in order to incite revolutionary outrage is
exactly the kind of subversive linguistic manipulation prescribed in [the
grievance studies] playbook.”
What evidence do CRTs have for their inflammatory
allegations? None now that all of the laws supporting segregation have been
struck down! Instead, according to Baucham:
·
antiracists also cry foul when issues like
out-of-wedlock birthrates, criminality, and cultural norms enter into the
discussion. Furthermore, as we will see, it also explains why the mere reliance
on things like facts, statistics, or the scientific method are actually seen as
racist.
However, CRTs gladly make use of stats to demonstrate the
black/white disparities as evidence for systemic racism. However, Baucham
points out that disparities, by themselves, fail to argue in favor of racism, any
more than the predominance of blacks in the NBA argues in favor of systematic
racism against whites and Asians.
What then is authoritative for the CRT “antiracist?” What
should form our opinions? It is the stories of the “oppressed.” Baucham cites CRT
Thabiti Anyabwile who wrote:
·
Don’t “whitesplain.” Do not explain racism to a
POC. Do not explain how the microaggression they just experienced was actually
just someone being nice. Do not explain how a particular injustice is more
about class than race. It’s an easy trap to fall into, but you can avoid it by
maintaining a posture of active listening.
Listening can serve as an expression of Christian love and
caring. Relationships depend on listening. However, for the CRT, listening and
learning is a one-way street, a planned role-reversal, where the whites now must
learn from the “oppressed.” Whites are not entitled to speak. This means that
the “oppressed” are entitled to correct their “white oppressors,” but not the
other way around. As one angry POC explained to me, “It’s now time for a role-reversal.”
Christian forgiveness has been replaced by paying penance.
However, the Bible does require us to correct one another, but
it is not according to skin color or belonging those deemed “oppressed”:
·
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any
transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of
gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
However, an individual transgressor is to be restored “in a spirit of gentleness,” not in a spirit of moral superiority. Besides, to establish that a transgression has taken place requires witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15).
The Church is now adopting this strategy without realizing
or acknowledging its Marxist source:
·
“CRT recognizes that the experiential knowledge
of People of Color is legitimate, appropriate, and critical to understanding,
analyzing and teaching about racial subordination,” wrote University of
California scholar Tara J. Yosso in Race Ethnicity and Education. “Of
course, the knowledge yielded by the standpoint of the proletariat stands on a
higher scientific plane objectively,” wrote Georg Lukács of the [neo-Marxist] Frankfurt
School. (Baucham)
Certainly, there is much we can learn about oppression from
those who have genuinely been oppressed:
·
“The voice-of-color thesis,” writes CRT Richard
Delgado, “holds that because of their different histories and experiences with
oppression, black, American Indian, Asian, and Latino writers and thinkers may
be able to communicate to their white counterparts matters that the whites are
unlikely to know.” (Baucham)
While this is true, CRT proponents will not acknowledge that
there is anything that the “oppressed” can learn from whites. However, they are
just as subject to sin as their “oppressors” (Romans 3:10-16). Baucham also
observes that the CRT’s groupings of “oppressed’ and “oppressors” are far from
homogenous, as CRT presupposes:
·
it assumes there is a black perspective all
black people...Of course, no one will admit this since it is obviously
racist...it argues that white people’s only access to this perspective comes
from elevating and heeding black voices.
According to CRTs Sensoy and DiAngelo, truth is “socially
constructed.” In “Is Everyone Really Equal?” They question whether true
objectivity is “desirable, or even possible”:
·
“When we refer to knowledge as socially
constructed, we mean that knowledge is reflective of the values and interests
of those who produce it. This term captures the understanding that all content
and all means of knowing are connected to a social context.”
While they are correct about many values, beliefs, and even
laws, there is no way that this can pertain to all values and beliefs.
If so, then even the CRT would lack any objective standard to critique what is
wrong with this world. From their perspective, Sensoy and DiAngelo are
expressing nothing more than their own personal values and preferences.
Therefore, Baucham concludes:
·
This is why critical theorists believe that the
quest for objectivity is tantamount to a quest for white supremacy...
How then are racial divisions within the Church to be
handled? According to CRT, it takes place by listening to the feelings and
experiences of the “oppressed,” who speak from a morally superior position. However,
we all must speak the truth in love (Romans 4:15):
·
If you really fulfill the royal law according to
the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But
if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as
transgressors. (James 2:8–9)
Consequently, lacking any objective peace-making truth, for
CRT, everything is a self-interested struggle for power. This analysis can only
lead to counter-struggle to gain supremacy. However, this does not accord to
the wisdom of God:
·
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his
good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have
bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to
the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly,
unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will
be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits,
impartial and sincere. (James 3:13–17)
We know wisdom by the fruit it bears. The more CRT and
antiracism programs have entered into both society and into the Church, the
more conflict they have borne – bitterness and division. However, our Biblical
answers pertain more than ever:
“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:7–9)
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