Other Social Change Narratives to Consider
Last week I linked to an article that said that the dominant narrative about race is flawed, at least theologically. This week, I offer two articles that essentially say the current narrative about the police and race is more complicated than it seems. The third is a short reflection about social change and truth.
· “On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs: If you want to be a sheepdog, you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.” Author Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is scholar and soldier, who studies human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime.
· “Stories and Data: Reflections on race, riots, and police.” Author Coleman Hughes is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He is an African-American. He appreciates how Black Lives Matter has made us all aware of racial injustice, but he doesn’t think they have the whole story.
· “How to Change the World Properly.” This is an excerpt from Jordan Peterson, who points to Jonathan Haidt, who has argued that universities need to choose between social justice and truth. Then again, maybe it’s a both/and world.
Critical Sin Theory
“What anti-racism really means and how to talk about it” is a critique of Critical Race Theory, which is the rage these days:
In Critical Race Theory, ‘racism’ means ‘systemic racism’, which is said to be ‘the ordinary state of affairs’ in the United States. Systemic racism is believed to be the explanation for every disparity in outcomes in which some minority groups, especially blacks, have worse outcomes than whites (or Jews and Asians). The academic definition of ‘anti-racism’ includes ‘working to identify internalized racial dominance if you are White’ or a ‘Person of Color’, ‘joining organizations working for racial justice’, and ‘seeking out continuing education’ in the theory of ‘anti-racism’. It is described as a ‘lifelong commitment to an ongoing process’ that includes social activism to end what it calls ‘racism’, which has an equally peculiar definition.
There is indeed much to critique, but from a Christian point of view, one has to admit that proponents of CRT have it partly right—they just don’t go far enough. Christians have traditionally believed that not only is there systemic racial prejudice but also systemic greed, systemic lust, systemic coveteousness, and so forth. The human heart is “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17) and part of the work of the Christian is a “lifelong commitment to an ongoing process” of discerning our sinfulness and seeking God’s grace for forgiveness (a theme lacking in CRT), as well as wisdom and strength to battle our darker side.
What the State Really Believes Is Important
We might also say there is systemic anti-religion in our secular society. This also is not news to Christians. A number of COVID-19 articles have pointed to the hypocrisy of the state forbidding, among other gatherings, church services, while encouraging and applauding large gatherings of protesters against racism. Noah Rothman at Commentary notes this and other inconsistencies. To me this is not something to whine about as much as it is an occasion to ponder the state’s priorities. (Like its preference for big business over small business—why could Walmart sell flowers and not your local florist?). Let me clear: I think the race protests were very much essential, and I’m glad Home Depot was open during the lockdown. But in permitting some activities and not others—well, this tells us the state is not always “following the science” but has biases that make themselves known in times of crises.
Where Did This Meal Come From?
I don’t think the creators had this in mind, but I think this video is a kind of visual grace before a meal—thankfulness for what it takes to get a meal on our plates.
Grace and peace,
Mark Galli
markgalli.com