Christian Race Theory
Why CRT is necessarily a Christian belief
There is a lot of conversation today about critical race theory (CRT) and how it’s interplay with Christian doctrines. Many reject the notion out of hand, but these are typically based on caricatures and misunderstandings. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the basic tenets of CRT are
- Race is socially constructed, not biologically natural
- Racism in the USA is the norm, not random flukes
- Legal advances (and setbacks) made for people of colour are made for the interests of dominant white groups
- The stereotypes associated with people of colour change to suit the interests of white people
- No individual can be adequately identified by membership to a single group
- People of colour are uniquely qualified to speak on behalf of their group regarding the forms and effects of racism they experience
In general, CRT is a framework of legal analysis that says (1) the concept of race has been used to oppress people of colour and (2) racism is inherent in the law and legal structures, specifically in the USA. Whether you agree with each individual tenet as factual, it is difficult to see why any of these points are against Scripture. Let’s consider the two general claims and how to align with Christian doctrines.
Race is socially constructed, not biologically natural
Acts 17.26 — From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live…
The claim of the Scriptures is that all peoples came from a single origin point, Adam and Eve. Whether you believe in a strict single pair origin, group origin, or more flexible framework, it’s clear that the Bible says all the nations came from a single point. The claim that there are different biological races is “the idea that the human species is divided into distinct groups on the basis of inherited physical and behavioural differences”. Critical race theory proponents reject this and argue that race is created by the society you live in — that Whites are the creators of civilization, Arabs are terrorists, and Blacks are criminals are simply caricatures made up by the dominant group to justify their oppression of the “lesser” races. Rejecting this idea of biological race would mean that the only biological difference between me, an Arabic man, and my friends who are another race is nothing more than pigmentation. In fact, fundamentalists regularly bring this up (typically in opposition to evolution). This is not to say they came up with the idea, but to show how non-controversial it is to believe as a Christian. Therefore, we see the first general belief of CRT is a Christian belief.
Racism is inherent in the legal system
Isaiah 10.1–2 — Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who to keep writing oppression, turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
Proverbs 17.23 — The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
Habakkuk 1:4 — Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.
The idea that the laws of the land are inherently oppressive, get misused, or ignore all-together justice in favour of the dominant ruling class is a theme that is repeated in the Scriptures repeatedly. The Bible typically focuses on how the law is used against the poor and most vulnerable in society, but we can extrapolate this to talk about race as well. The laws of the land were written by people with agendas they wanted to impose on society, not perfect measures of moral behaviour. It is a recent phenomenon that the societal norm to say that racism is bad, so is it any surprise that people who were racist and wrote the laws before that did so with those discriminatory beliefs in mind? The legal system is held together by case laws which may be racist, and is perpetuated by lawyers and judges who themselves may be racist. Therefore, it should not be a surprise that when you inherit laws from a group of people who were racist that those laws are racist too. The prophets in the Old Testament constantly criticize the legal systems of their day as being oppressive and twisted. We see the prophets confront the kings of their day to change the law to be truly just according to God’s Word. The claim of CRT is that racism is inherent in the legal system is then not at all at odds with what we see in the Bible. Therefore, we see the second general belief of CRT is a Christian belief.
CRT and total depravity
Total depravity… teaches that, as a consequence of man’s fall, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin as a result of their fallen nature and, apart from the… grace of God, is completely unable to choose by themselves to follow God, refrain from evil, or accept the gift of salvation as it is offered. — Wikipedia
The doctrine of total depravity stemming from John Calvin has always taught that from birth all people are enslaved to the service of sin and are unable to refrain from evil. Some go as far as to say that every action that someone takes is fundamentally evil. It is a necessary conclusion from the doctrine of total depravity that the law reflects the evil in the hearts of men because if people are always inclined to commit acts of evil, it would include those in charge of legislation. This means that as Christians we are duty bound to re-evaluate the laws of the land and call out the perversions of justice within it. The person who writes the law reflects their own beliefs about what is true, and if they were racist then you would see that reflected in the law. Racism is a sin and stems from an unbiblical belief that different races have different origins. It is necessarily true from the position of total depravity that you would see this reflected in the laws of the land. Therefore, even if you don’t necessarily agree with every tenet of critical race theory, you must agree with its mission of critiquing the law from the perspective of race. There is more to sin than individual actions — the systems we live in are created by sinful people.
In conclusion, it is fairly clear from understanding the basic premise of CRT that it is at base in agreement with Christian doctrines. It is disheartening to see large Christian organizations like SBC reject it. It seems that people end up rejecting it because of (1) the nationalistic belief that their country is somehow exceptional or exempt from total depravity (2) they don’t understand how deeply and recently racism has affected peoples lives (3) the Marxist bogeyman that lives under their beds. Regardless, it is clear from the Scriptures that the fundamental beliefs of CRT are correct. In the end of the day, as Christians we need to recognize we live in a fallen world, and that includes our legal systems and laws. It is our duty to call out sin when we see it and to pray and call for justice. There is no conflict between Christianity and CRT, in fact it is a Biblical belief.
