What is Critical Race Theory and Why do Southern Baptists Hate It
Conservative leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, aka old white men, are condemning an intellectual field called Critical Race Theory. They cling to their own version of history and reject any other version. They claim to be against racism but also against any intellectual inquiry as to why the SBC was founded as a racist Christian institution.
Critical Race theory can be summed up as simply the application of the social sciences to religion including the Southern Baptist Convention. From the social sciences we know attitudes of white people about black people comes from the culture into which white people were born. Racism was here before we were born and, without some critical thinking, we come to believe what those around us believe.
When I use the term "old white men" I'm fully aware some who hold their views are neither old, nor white nor male. The old white men of the Southern Baptist Convention recently issued a statement I summarize in this way: "We are against racism. We reject Critical Race Theory."
These two seemingly opposite positions are held for this reason. Going back to the time of slavery, Southern Baptists claimed slavery and later segregation were endorsed in the Bible. The old white men now say this was an incorrect reading of the Bible. They simply replaced it with a new reading, the Bible says racism is wrong.
If they open the door to Critical Race Theory, even just a bit, trouble spills out. If the explanation for slavery and segregation was not the Bible, it had to be that the culture favored the self interest of white people. They made money. They had better schools. They held all the elected positions and spent more tax money on themselves. White parents thought this was a good deal and taught it to their children. This is a far different cause of racism than the Bible.
Opening the door of Critical Race Theory opens the door to Critical Gender Theory, that prejudice against homosexuality, gay marriage and transgendered people is not there because it is condemned in the Bible but because of long standing prejudices in society. White people, especially men, benefited. They could scoff at gender equality and could condemn women as clergy. They could insure men held superior standing in marriage. Better to hold onto the notion the status quo is Biblical than to say it is self serving.
Old white men are trying to close the door on Critical Race Theory and bolt the lock. If people realize religion is merely a reflection of the culture, religion is done.
Jon,
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure the quote below is relevant to the topic.
“The gospel preached by evangelicalism is one of the most brilliant subversions in the way it has disconnected justification by faith from justice, salvation from economic and ecological wellbeing. Its subtle but radical diversion from truth and justice promises heaven without a personal investment in the destitute in the world.”(1)
To the “disconnects” of justification by faith from justice and salvation from economic and ecological wellbeing, we might add disconnecting racism from institutionalized white ascendancy and privilege.
You say Southern Baptist’s found biblical support for slavery and segregation as well as scriptural condemnation for racism. That confirms for me once again how bloody equivocal the Holy Bible is for spiritual and moral guidance. It’s noisy. Too many testaments, too many books, too many verses, and too many versions. Listening to the biblical revelations of some evangelists-cum-oracles makes me think someone has bottle and sold them the vapors of Delphi.
Maybe some radical simplification of the Bible is in order. How about paring it down to Genesis 1:1 and John 3:16? What more would a good Christian need. They can fill in the rest by example with the life they choose to lead.
(1) https://www.patheos.com/blogs/tippling/2020/12/03/on-atheism-and-beyond-a-brief-reflection/
Ardy B Thank you for a great post.
DeleteEspecially, "...disconnected justification by faith from justice." That is perfect for explaining the excuse of "religious freedom" to practice discrimination against people of color, gay people and women.
And I liked "...disconnected...salvation from economic and ecological well being." So many examples of that. Anti abortion supporters disconnect what happens to a fetus from both the economic well being of the woman and the sometimes dangerous man she finds herself with and needs an abortion to escape. And the disconnect between salvation and climate change. The disconnects of some in religion would take pages to list.
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ReplyDeletetsm "..sails under the flag of postmoderism...BTW, I have read a bit about CT and find it..obnoxious...it has gone quite a ways toward wrecking literary studies..."
DeleteYou are correct. That is why I do not take seriously much of what you present here. It is years out of date. I am reading a book right now that scoffs at the classic library of philosophy.
could you please give me the name/title of your scoffing book. off hand I think that scoffing indicates either ignorance or intellectual laziness. or both. it's easy to scoff, it is hard to think. as to your "years out of date" remark: it has a name, chronological snobbery. not something to be proud of.
ReplyDeletetsm "could you please give me the name of your...book."
DeleteI'll probably discuss it later. It is not a book about philosophy directly--only brought up the old theories to make another point.
Since there are many new books published every year I don't have good suggestions. Feminist philosophy and critical philosophy are discussed on Wikipedia and there are lots of books mentioned there. I've found textbooks the best way to grasp overviews of academic fields.
I agree new ideas are not necessarily better. If new ideas ultimately defeat old ideas it is healthy to acknowledge that. My impression of the vast field of philosophy is a lot of the oldest material was written to justify religious beliefs and to justify the status quo of male domination and class distinctions. Attacks on the philosophy of "old white men" by black, feminists, critical and gender theorists have added many new perspectives to the field. I can't say the latter have "won" the argument, but it is my impression they have at least fought to a draw.
My guess is if you went to the philosophy departments in Catholic research universities, Notre Dame, Holy Cross, etc. you would not find today's professors of philosophy teaching that "abortion is morally wrong" or "homosexual relationships are sin." These ideas have been wrestled to the ground and defeated.
I happen to have a textbook used by the critical theory folks to indoctrinate college level students. have read it. don't know of any serious catholic writer that says abortion, etc. are OK. your comments about old white men and oppression is clearly right out of the cultural Marxist playbook. and, among other things, the cultural Marxists distort history, trying to fit everything into their theory of constant oppression, nothing but oppression. all that said, I am left wondering as to why you are reluctant to provide the title/author of the book that you claim to have read.
ReplyDeleteif history, as the cultural Marxists seem to think, is an endless round of oppression by one group/class by another, what happens when one cycle is complete? yesterday's oppressed then become tomorrow's oppressors? delightful scenario, that.
ReplyDeletetsm "...as cultural Marxists seem to think..."
DeleteYou toss our your favorite word "Marxists" casually. I don't know who you are referring to. Marx himself did not write about future cycles of history as far as I know. The workers would take over but he didn't tell us how the workers would run things after they took over. In real life they start fighting among themselves--but I don't see why that can be called Marxism.
cultural Marxism is a well known aspect of the thought of today's radical leftists. I think that we been through this before. anyway, it is Marxist thought filtered through such folks as Gramsci, Marcuse and others. it may not be exactly what Marx himself taught but the idea of class warfare and oppression as a historical theme is still very much a part of the ideology. I have simply extended the class conflict idea to a notion of perpetual war by some oppressed group against an oppressor. BTW please note the question mark behind my comment. I was raising a question, not making an assertion. BTW a little time on the internet could tell you a lot about cultural Marxism.
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