Critical Race Theory alarms people. For those who do not research and teach in universities, it seems to have come out of nowhere. It’s confusing. Many people have a vague sense that it is racist or unjust or has a false account of history and human nature, but they cannot put their fingers directly on what they find problematic.
Critical Race Theory is one of a family of critical theories that now dominate academic discourse in our universities. Some critical theories, such as Critical Legal Studies, established themselves in elite universities in the 1970s and now count three generations among their adherents. Others, such as Intersectionality Theory and Queer Theory, are more recent. But they were not invented yesterday.
Critical theories are no longer just matters of academic interest. Graduates from elite universities tend to lead our most powerful cultural and political institutions. In their rhetoric, critical theories are confidently marching into culture and politics. Adherents of critical theories are most likely showing up in your church, the school where your children learn, and your city council meeting. They are certainly in your neighborhood.
It is important to understand critical theories. It is equally important not to caricature them. We will get nowhere in our attempts to reason with and love our neighbors unless we respond to their actual claims and concerns.
A political movement is now afoot to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory, and many Christians support that effort. A blanket ban is seldom a good idea. The solution to bad ideas is to answer them with good ideas. This does not mean that we should tolerate indoctrination. Some practitioners of critical theories try to force their ideology on others through “cultural sensitivity” training, pronoun revelations, and other methods designed to stultify the mind. We should not submit to those efforts but should explain why we choose knowledge of truth over ideologies that obscure reality.
Continue reading on the American Anglican Council website here.
Adam J. MacLeod is Professor of Law at Faulkner University and Research Fellow at the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy. He is also a member of the Anglican Legal Society and a Trustee of the American Anglican Council.
Comment by Star Tripper on February 16, 2022 at 9:48 pm
Read the article. Not impressed that the Professor understands the line of battle. Better resource here https://shenviapologetics.com/intro-to-critical-theory/
Comment by Vivian Hiestand on February 17, 2022 at 6:33 pm
While the article provides good information its focus on the legal and theological background makes it seem as if this is an odd approach one is unlikely to encounter in any serious way. In my experience in the Pacific Northwest AC of the UMC, this is everywhere. Our bishop and DS’s are pushing it hard, doing their best to get it worked into every congregation, meeting, ministry, and program in a prominent way. Those serving in this geographical area would do well to learn about critical theory in general and then how people work it into various settings/areas in order to be prepared to discuss it.
Comment by David Mu on February 21, 2022 at 2:07 pm
This thought simply is yet a new reason to avoid the organized church. CRT is Marxism apply to skin color. No, thanks.
Comment by Hector Falcon on February 24, 2022 at 11:38 pm
“We should not submit to those (indoctrination) efforts but should explain why we choose knowledge of truth over ideologies that obscure reality.” Right, and the Marxist radicals will sit their patiently and be won over by your absolute brilliance! The problem with academics is that they have little experience with the real world of contact sports. Politics is a blood sport in which there no room for the discussion of lofty ideas. Winner takes all. One need only look at the approximate 150 million people that have been executed by their own “progressive” communist governments. But this time it will be different because my arguments are so brilliant that they will be won over! Ya right!