Critical Race Theory?

Critical Race Theory has replaced the precious message of the gospel for far too long, and the Church must wake up.

You may not know what the term “critical theory” (CT) means, but we can guarantee you have seen it play out or someone has tried to teach the ideology to you. More recently, critical race theory (CRT) plays a major role in the way people shape their opinions on race and culture. What many masked as an analytical tool has morphed itself into a worldview that Christians must be suspicious of, avoid and never allow to replace the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, This Is Not The Case

Many evangelical institutions have been breached by critical theory ideas, which have gone in some parts undetected and encouraged, but before we dive into that problem, let’s get to the root of the evil.

In the 1930s at the Frankfurt Institute of Social Research, a new ideological way of thinking and understanding societal power structures quickly became a feeding ground for worldviews like Marxism. These worldviews analyze society through a lens of oppressor and oppressed, viewing any means of authority as the object of potential oppression. One of the theorists, Herbert Marcuse, describes CT as a “social theory supposed to analyze existing societies in the light of their own functions and capabilities and to identify demonstrable tendencies (if any) which might lead beyond the existing state of affairs.”

In the creation of CT, people like Max Horkheimer, one the original critical theorists, tried to use Marxist principles more broadly than just economic principles but rather in culture and media in his 1937 essay “Tradition and Critical Theory.”

This way of analyzing society became a foreground for other critical social theories such as second-wave feminism, queer theory and critical race theory, among others. All of these are searching for how power produces and executes domination and oppression. A majority of critical theory lies in the oppressed experiences, purposefully excluding rational thought from the discussion.

Herein Lies The Issue

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oppression, which hopes to destroy all levels of authority that is deemed evil or all levels of power that prevent in their terms “equality,” has made its way into the church’s pulpit. Now we have a case of Christians who naively WRRN Rn WhH FULWLFaO WhHRULsWs’ GHfinLtion of the oppressed rather than using WhH BLEOH WR shaSH WhHLU GHfinLWLRns anG

understanding of how to care for those Christ called Blessed in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-11).

When reading the Holy Bible and sHHNLnJ WR unGHUsWanG LW, yRu wLOO finG

numerous points (Jeremiah 17:9, for example) where the depravity of man reveals evil and deceit through sin — oppression being one of those sins. Based on current events happening in the U.S., it is no secret that the sinful nature of man is behind it. Unfortunately, people are looking for answers in a man-made worldview rather than the inherent Word of God. As apologist Neil Shenvi (not a Christian) put it, “evangelicals, who nonetheless found their views evolving as their commitment to the presuppositions (belief) of critical theory supplanted (replaced) their commitment to biblical doctrine.”

Replacing The Bible With The

Writings Of Men

Instead of looking to the Bible for supreme truth and praying for guidance, wH sHH yRunJ SHRSOH flHHLnJ WR ERRNs fiOWHUHG WhURuJh WhH OHns RI wRNH-LsP

like “White Fragility” and “Race, Class, and Gender,” which are littered with tails of standpoint epistemology (experience) and deny the opportunity of rational objective thought, calling it evil and a byproduct of the western culture. If there is no standard of objective truth, how is anything true in this world?

The Bible Is The Only Way

The Gospel of Christ is the only means to unite man, whereas the Marxist destruction of liberty and abandonment of Christian morals, found in CT, will bring about more oppression rather than abolishing it. We believe there is no better place to end than pointing back to what scripture says in Ephesians 2, showing us that Christ breaks down the dividing wall of hostility and is the only means to peace, restoration and freedom... “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flHsh, IuOfiOOLnJ WhH GHsLUHs RI WhH flHsh

and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Have You Obeyed The Gospel Of

Jesus Christ?

It is our sincere desire and prayer that you obey the gospel today and be saved. Remember the words of Jesus, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is His

Power Unto Salvation

If you are not a Christian you can be by obeying the gospel. Jesus says, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Paul said; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to HYHUy RnH WhaW EHOLHYHWh; WR WhH -Hw fiUsW,

and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). The words of Jesus teach us that to become a Christian one must:

• Hear the gospel (John 6:44-45) • Believe in Jesus as the Christ

(John 8:24)

• Repent of all sins (Luke 13:3) • Confess Christ as Lord

(Matthew 10:32-33)

• And be baptized to be saved

(Mark 16:16)

• After baptism remain faithful to God

(Matthew 10:22)

If we do just what our Lord commanded we know that our salvation is certain and we will hear Him say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21). Let us go back to the Bible, back to Christ and His church and do exactly what He commanded. Please let us help you in your obedience to the gospel before it is eternally too late.

[This material is presented by the members of the Northside church of Christ - 700 Jolly Road, NW - Calhoun, Georgia 30701. If you would like to have a Bible Study or discuss this subject further please contact one of our elders; Kent Bailey at 706629-6111 - Ron Hall at 770-548-3167 - Eddie Jones at 706-264-2651]