Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been in the news nonstop for a couple years now. The secular justice theory is making headlines most recently because of the wave of states introducing legislation to ban CRT in the classroom. How should parents navigate volatile school board meetings and contentious social media posts?

On this episode of All Things we look at five things to consider. Here is just a glimpse of all five—tune in to hear each point in greater depth and detail. First, know that parties on both sides benefit from making this a polarizing debate, based on anger and fear. But we don’t have to give way to tribalism and be exploited by this conversation turning divisive. Second, we need to acknowledge that CRT has grown in popularity because of a vacuum created by our unwillingness or inability as a nation (or church) to engage our deeply racist past and how that has adversely affected our present. Third, if you think CRT is impossible to define, you are not alone. The conversation requires patience and grace because terms are used without consensus. Even the way segments of the church have used terms and engaged in the conversation has greatly shifted over the last 5-7 years. Why is that? Fourth, we should be so engaged with justice as described and called for in the Bible that CRT pales in comparison. Biblical justice is beautiful, worship-inducing, and able to provide healing and a future for our communities. Christians ought to pursue it with joy, tenacity, and hope. And fifth, practically speaking, all education options will fall short. Whether your child is educated in a public school, private school, or homeschool, each method has its benefits and its deficits. Do not outsource cultural and justice issues to someone else, rather engage them as you disciple your children.

In the final analysis, CRT falls short and asks too little of us, while the Scriptures call us to joyfully surrender all we have in our love for God and love for others. Unity in diversity is God’s design for the church. Are we pursuing both? Biblical justice allows Christians to offer warmth, repentance, reconciliation, and goodness to our hurting communities. It’s our path forward. May we engage.

Resources that were helpful in creating this episode:

All Things Episode 46: What is Biblical Justice? - Jen Oshman

A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory - Timothy Keller

Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just - Timothy Keller

Theology in the Raw: Race, CRT, and Evangelicalism - Dr. Ed Uszynski and Preston Sprinkle

A Christian Pastor Tells Hist Story of Rejecting the Social Justice Gospel, with Edwin Ramirez - The Alisa Childers Podcast

Episode 15: “CRT Series Part One: Response to the Culture War with Isaiah Thompson” - Southside Rabbi

Critical Race Theory: What Christians Need to Know with D. A. Horton - Christianity Today, Quick to Listen

On the Use and Abuse of Critical Race Theory in American Christianity - David French

Anthony Bradley on Twitter

IS THERE A THEOLOGICAL FAULT LINE BENEATH OUR NOSES? - Chrys Jones

Critical Race Theory - John Piper, Ask Pastor John

You Say You Want Social Justice? Review: ‘Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth’ by Thaddeus Williams - Justin Dillehay

Why Wokeness is a Christian Heresy - John Stonestreet, Breakpoint

Critical Race Theory Is Making Both Parties Flip-Flop - Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic

The Conservative Case Against Banning Critical Race Theory - Aziz Huq, Time

13 important points in the campus & K-12 ‘critical race theory’ debate - by Greg Lukianoff, Adam Goldstein, Bonnie Snyder and Ryne Weiss, Fire

Let America Be America Again - Langston Hughes

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