What Is critical race theory?

Critical race theory is becoming increasingly popular in our culture. Critical race theory (CRT) is an outgrowth of Marxism. Karl Marx taught that capitalism is based on the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie. In other words, the owners oppress the workers.

Critical race theory goes far beyond Marxism. Society, many believe, is organized upon systemic racism. It is not simply owners versus workers. It is white versus black. It is men versus women. It is rich versus poor. CRT believes that society is inherently racist. It divides the world into white oppressors versus non-white victims. The goal is to remake society so the oppressed become the new ruling class.

CRT leads to intersectionality. A person’s life experiences bring greater or lesser authority. A Hispanic, female, lesbian, disabled person has great authority. A white male Christian living in Alaska (the northernmost and westernmost part of Western culture) has no intersectionality.

Yuri Bezmenov served many years with the KGB. He defected from Russia to America in 1970. Bezmenov said that the first stage in destroying a nation is demoralization. A nation must be convinced that their history is bad. We see this today. Many teach that our founding fathers were racists who built a society based upon oppression.

Critical race theory is antithetical to the Christian faith. Salvation is found not in wokeness but in Jesus Christ! The Bible certainly condemns the sin of racism. Racism involves hatred, favoritism and partiality. The greatest commandment is to love God. The second greatest commandment is to love others- not to hate them (Matthew 22:36-39). There is no room for hatred or favoritism or partiality in the life of a believer.

Romans 5 teaches that the entire world is divided into two groups of people. A person is either in Adam (Romans 5:12) or in Christ (Romans 5:17). Adam got us into this mess. He sinned and plunged the world into disaster. The good news is that everything we lost in Adam is more than regained in the Lord Jesus.

This Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Our fight is not against each other. The devil always desires to divide us. Our struggle is against sin, Satan and death. On the cross Jesus defeated Satan. He paid for our sins. He overcame death. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The resurrection of Jesus proves that everything Jesus said was true. The resurrection demonstrates that Christ’s payment to the Father for our sins was perfect. The resurrection shows that God the Father accepted the sacrifice of His Son. The resurrection reveals that Jesus overcame death. Just as Jesus passed through death into life so will every follower of the Lord Jesus.

Let’s not be distracted by critical race theory. Let’s repent of the sins in our own lives but we must move forward. The enemy is the devil and our sin- not those around us. Death is the great equalizer. We overcome death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ethan Hansen is a pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.