by John Ellis
As I’ve continued to study Critical Race Theory (CRT), my appreciation and respect for the complex system of theories has deepened. As a Christian who believes in the Fall and the subsequent Curse, I understand that relationships between humans are now a gross perversion of God’s original design. Sin is malignant, and like cancer it spreads, leaving chaos, hurt, and destruction in its wake. And the consequences of sin are far and long ranging. There is no such thing as an action, including sin, in a vacuum. An overly individualistic doctrine of sin is reductionist and fails to understand the Bible’s holistic teachings on sin, anthropology, and, subsequently, the gospel of Jesus Christ. CRT, at times intentionally by its theorists, has a better doctrine of sin than many white evangelicals.
For me, as I’ve been exposed to the data and research ungirding the theories of CRT, I see a natural connection between the Biblical doctrine of sin and CRT’s understanding of power dynamics and the continued destructiveness of the systemic racism that is a rotten fruit of those power dynamics. This is one of the reasons why I believe CRT has much to offer Christians who desire to like holy lives that glorify God while attempting to love our neighbors in ways that see God’s justice enacted.
Sadly, my appreciation and respect for CRT puts me at odds with the majority of my fellow conservative white evangelicals. The virulent denunciation of CRT and angry dismissals of anyone/anything deemed “woke” is common rhetoric in white evangelical spaces. Not surprisingly, then, it’s incredibly rare to hear voices in my communities that defend and promote CRT as an insightful tool and helpful framework for God’s people in our obedience to love and serve our neighbors. By God’s grace, I will continue to be a voice encouraging fellow white evangelicals to stop listening to the demagogues in our midst who are misrepresenting and even lying about Critical Race Theory.
However, my objective with this article is not to center my voice. I want to point readers to the excellent, illuminating, and winsome Footnotes with Jemar Tisby podcast episode titled “Christianity and Critical Race Theory.” In the episode, Dr. Tisby interviews Dr. Robert Chao Romero and Dr. Jeff Liou. Both men are CRT scholars working as professors. They are also Christians and ordained ministers. The podcast episode is focused on the thesis and content of their recently published book Christianity and Critical Race Theory: A Faithful and Constructive Conversation.
Now, in the issue of full disclosure, I haven’t read Dr. Romero and Dr. Liou’s book. Yet. It’s scheduled to arrive at my house this Saturday and will immediately jump to the top of my to-read list. Based on the podcast, I’m assuming the book will be great; I’m looking forward to learning more about CRT and its relationship to Christianity from Dr. Romero and Dr. Liou. It’s a book that the esteemed CRT scholar Dr. Daniel G. Solorzan of UCLA says, “Romero and Liou provide the first comprehensive, insightful, and timely story of the connection between Christian theology, Scripture, and Critical Race Theory.”
But I can’t offer my full-throated, ten toes down endorsement of the book just yet, because I haven’t read it. I can, and do, offer my full-throated, ten toes down endorsement of Dr. Tisby’s interview of the book’s authors. I can’t recommend it highly enough (I provide a link at the bottom of this article). To help whet appetites for the episode, I offer a few thoughts.
Not long into the episode Dr. Jemar Tisby accurately and succinctly nails it when he says, “When it comes to CRT, we’ve got a lot of people weighing in who ain’t got no clue what CRT is.”
A whole litany of names scrolled through my brain when he said that, but I want to briefly highlight one: Christopher F. Rufo. I mention him because he fits squarely in Dr. Liou’s observation, “There are folks who have no excuse for the kind of misrepresentations that they’re making.” Dr. Liou goes on to describe the misrepresentations as “breathtaking” adding, “it matters to me that Christians tell the truth.”
Just over two years ago, Christopher F. Rufo tweeted, “We have successfully frozen their brand – ‘critical race theory’ – into the public conversation and are steadily driving up negative perceptions. We will eventually turn it toxic, as we put all of the various cultural insanities under that brand category.”
Rufo is a professing Christian and is one of the supposed experts on education the part-time governor of my state has appointed as a trustee for Florida’s New College. What Rufo says matters because he has immense influence and he is positioned to affect public policy. Sinfully, his influence and position are being used for evil and deceit. Christopher Rufo does not represent CRT in good faith. Unfortunately, his voice is echoed by the majority of voices discussing CRT that are being consumed by my fellow conservative white evangelicals. Like Dr. Liou, I too believe that Christians should tell the truth. This is the underlining reason why I encourage you to listen to the podcast linked to below. As Dr. Romero sadly explained, “The current discourse [about CRT] is a stumbling block to people receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ.” He further confesses, “My main passion is that I want people to know Jesus.”
Dr. Romero and Dr. Liou are two brothers in Christ whose academic credentials and expertise position them as voices that we should seek to center in the discourse about CRT. Don’t believe me? Listen to the podcast and judge for yourself.
In listening, you’ll get a basic definition of CRT as well as an understanding that it is not a monolithic theory but contains much diversity of thought, even divergence at some points. One of their concerns with the book, and the podcast, is to help people understand where CRT came from and what its implications are today, especially for Christians. Dr. Jeff Liou claims that, “CRT became one of those emblematic places that Christians need to speak into and they need to listen to CRT.”
In the podcast, the two men, along with helpful commentary and insights from Dr. Tisby, touch briefly on the doctrine of sin and its relationship with CRT. In one of my favorite parts of the podcast, the faith of the widely acknowledged founder of CRT, Derrick Bell, is discussed, particularly pertaining to how his faith informed his work. As the episode wraps up, they define resistance capital and voices of color thesis in ways that are accessible and entertaining. In conclusion, they encourage us to embrace an eschatological vision that glorifies God and seeks the salvation of our neighbors. For my part, I eagerly anticipate learning more from Dr. Romero and Dr. Liou about how to do just that when their book arrives Saturday. I encourage you, especially if you believe that CRT is antithetical to Christianity, to listen to the podcast episode.
Listen to the podcast episode by clicking here.
Soli Deo Gloria
Practically Known Theology 