What is Critical Theory? The following column is indebted to the article, Critical Theory and the Frankfurt School by Peter Goeman.
You may have heard of the term Critical Race Theory (often CRT). It is inexorably connected to what is commonly referred to as Woke. I’m not an expert. But I’m assuming the exclusion of the word Race is likely because the author is intending a broader use of the idea—race being just one of many applications.
Presumably you become “Woke” when you apply Critical Theory to race. According to Goeman, Critical Theory concerns itself with social issues such as injustice and rights. That sounds like a good thing—right? In fact the concept has an overarching scope. It affects culture in various ways: the visual arts, movies, comics, diversity quotas, education, politics, church, preaching etc.
So, what’s the problem?
There are a number of issues associated with CT. Here’s an important one which Goeman identifies,
Critical Theory assumes that if someone belongs to a marginalized group, they are oppressed, and if someone belongs to the dominant group they are an oppressor. Individual actions or motivations are largely irrelevant to the issue. Ethnic minorities cannot be racist, and women cannot be sexist because they are a part of the marginalized group. The biblical idea of individual accountability is largely absent from such a picture, and one’s group identity excuses one’s actions or condemns one’s actions without regard to context.
…In other words, experience is the only way one can know something. As an example, since I am a straight, white male, I cannot determine whether an action is racist, sexist, or homophobic, because I am biased and blinded by my whiteness, maleness, and heterosexuality.
Destructive tool
Goeman points out that Critical Theory is the destructive tool of the Neo-Marxist. He notes that Critical Theory: “is concerned with the transformation of culture, mapping out and implementing a way to accomplish that.”
He further observes that, the goal is to “destroy the oppressive structures of Western culture” and “to pave the way to a creation of a world which meets the needs and powers of everyone equally.” But one problem (among other things) is that it is solely focused on dismantling and destroying an existing structure. It does not provide an alternative.
My take is that the dismantling of a society (by CT), especially one with a Judeo-Christian foundation, will invite something demonic to replace it. Do take a look at the World Economic Forum. Listen closely to it.
I’ve borrowed freely (and unabashedly) from Peter Goeman’s article. But I recommend reading the entire thing as it’s a great introduction to a complex and important topic affecting Western culture, and the church.
Maranatha!
Further reading
Blessings Associated with our Union in Christ
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