Critical race theory tenets whiteness as

For the sake of space, IвЂ™ll focus on one claim that shows up again and again: CRT insists that racism, sexism, and homophobia are all вЂњinterlocking systems of oppressionвЂќ that must be fought simultaneously. While Christians who are friendly to CRT tend to define it nebulously, there is no shortage of CRTs who have drawn up explicit lists of the вЂњdefining elementsвЂќ of their discipline. The key question in this discussion is not whether critical race theorists ever affirm anything that is true (they certainly do) or whether Christians can learn anything from reading the work of critical race theorists (we certainly can) but whether the central tenetsof critical race theory are compatible with Christianity.

In the same way, superficial agreement is no reason to think that Christianity and critical race theory are fundamentally compatible, especially once you understand what CRTs mean by words like вЂњwhitenessвЂќ or вЂњequity.вЂќ Fundamental disagreement In many cases, Mormons will even use words words familiar to Christians, like вЂњgraceвЂќ or вЂњsalvation.вЂќ Yet beneath this superficial agreement lies deep theological disagreement. For example, itвЂ™s quite possible to read books on parenting or leadership or time management by Mormon authors and agree with nearly all of what is said. However, we should not make too much of this merely superficial agreement. When people hear that, they often think вЂњwell, CRT canвЂ™t be that bad, can it? 80% certified вЂnot insaneвЂ™ sounds pretty good.вЂќ Similarly, Christians sometimes argue that CRT and Christianity are compatible by focusing on obvious, shared affirmations like вЂњrace is a social constructвЂќ or вЂњwe ought to seek justice.вЂќ For example, IвЂ™ve said before that when I read large CRT anthologies, I usually find that 60% of the articles are вЂ“on their surfaceвЂ“ unremarkable, 20% are genuinely insightful, and 20% are completely insane (see some of my reviews if youвЂ™re skeptical). Merely superficial agreementДЄ second common defense of the вЂњeat the meat, spit out the bonesвЂќ analogy is an appeal to areas of agreement between Christianity and CRT. Whatever metaphor we use needs to convey the seriousness of the errors made by these ideologies.

What IвЂ™m showing is that the вЂњmeat and bonesвЂќ illustration is faulty, unless weвЂ™re prepared to be consistent and to apply it to everything from Queer Theory to eugenics. Indeed, itвЂ™s the admixture of lies with truth that makes the lies so potent and so deadly. IвЂ™m not denying here that even the most dangerous systems of thought get some things right. W ould we tell Christians to вЂњeat the meat and spit out the bonesвЂќ of Porn Studies? Could we imagine Elijah encouraging the Israelites to mine Baalism for insight or the apostle John telling the early church to affirm the positive aspects of gnosticism? After all, elements of truth can be found even in fundamentally corrupt ideologies. The most common defense of вЂњeating the meat and spitting out the bonesвЂќ is the assertion that вЂњall truth is GodвЂ™s truth.вЂќ This observation is correct, but it cannot вЂ“by itselfвЂ“ justify вЂњeat the meatвЂќ language with regard to CRT or anything else. In this essay, IвЂ™ll suggest four reasons we should be hesitant to employ this analogy. Unfortunately, few people go beyond this slogan to ask exactly what it implies or whether it is appropriate. As debates over the compatibility of Christianity and Critical Race Theory (CRT) continue to roil the evangelical church, a common refrain among some evangelicals is that we can вЂњeat the meat and spit out the bonesвЂќ of CRT.

Critical race theory tenets whiteness as