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In this talk, John Stevens provides a biblical critique of CRT. Some evangelicals have dismissed CRT, and wider social justice ideology, as a false gospel that imperils the church and society. Others have argued that it sheds light on the reality of sin in our fallen world. We examine the arguments and assess their validity. This is part 4 of a 5-part series on Evangelical Responses to Critical Race Theory.

In recent years the Black Lives Matter movement has reignited the debate about racism in contemporary society, highlighting racial disparities and appalling abuses of power that have been directed at the black community. It has brought Critical Race Theory, which asserts that Western societies are institutionally racist by their very nature, to greater public and evangelical attention. Concepts such as ‘white privilege,’ ‘micro-aggressions,’ and ‘intersectionality’ dominate the discourse, and anti-racism training has become mainstream in many institutions.

The Ecumenical Movement (comprising the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church) is a significant player advocating for Christian unity. After working hard to find a sufficient doctrinal ground, in recent years the EM has majored on “spiritual ecumenism” (e.g. common prayer, local fellowship) and more recently on initiatives like the Global Christian Forum and “Season of Creation”. This talk critically assesses the theological basis for “spiritual ecumenism” and approaches issues like: What is at stake when we pray publicly in an ecumenical setting?