Thread by @lisasharper

Dear six Southern Baptist seminary presidents that denounced #CriticalRaceTheory last week without defining what it is (@DannyAkin @JamieKDew @AdamGreenway @Jeff_Iorg @albertmohler and @PreachingJKA): Let's talk.

#CRT #SBC #CriticalRace

baptistpress.com/resource-libra…

First, Questions:
1. What is your understanding of #CriticalRaceTheory? You never explain that--not in one word of your statement. Instead you say it stems from Marxist or secular thought and that's why you are denouncing it. I find that literally ignorant and ironic. 2/

That #CriticalRaceTheory was born of Marxist thought is ignorant. It came from African-American legal scholars in 1980s post-Civil Rights era. In wake of assassination of Dr. King, scholars like #DerrickBell #PatriciaWilliams examined impact of race on law. #CRT #CriticalRace 3/

You claim the secular nature of #CRT makes it unbiblical. That's a non-sequitur. Simply because scholars in secular context see something and theorize around it, does not mean that what they see is "unbiblical". It means they see it in their context, too. #CriticalRace 4/

I am an evangelical who has spoken, trained, written and lead groups forward in racial healing for 25 years. Over past 15 years my growing understanding of the impact of the legal/political constructs of race on our nation and BIPOC has clarified much. #CRT #CriticalRace 5/

My #nextbook chronicles impact of legal/political constructs of race/gender on 10 generations of my family on American soil (1682-present). My research confirms definitive impact of race/gender laws on course of my family. #CRT #CriticalRace 6/

Yet, I read my first book on #CriticalRaceTheory THIS YEAR--to figure out what all the #hoopla is about.

My response: Wow! They see it, too!

In other words, legal scholars are on it. Good. More evidence for what we've been talking about for decades. #CRT #CriticalRace 7/

It is not lost on me that ALL SIX Southern Baptist presidents that condemned #CTR are white, men, from the South (or have roots in the South) who's denomination was born to protect institution of slavery and led creation of Jim Crow laws. #CriticalRaceTheory 8/

Question #2 to the 6 #SouthernBaptist seminary presidents that denounced #CTR:

Do you realize that YOU denouncing #CriticalRaceTheory is like a bank robber denouncing laws against stealing?

You have NO AUTHORITY AT ALL--IN ANY UNIVERSE to utter a word about #race. 9/

If you are interested in doing the actual scholarly work of reading, I recommend these four books to start.

1. The Color of Law. For a raw look at how racial hierarchy influenced the crafting of law and its impact. #CRT 10/

goodreads.com/book/show/3219…

2. Critical Race Theory. For a survey of key writings on the topic from first hand sources. #CRT 11/

amazon.com/dp/1565842715/…

3. Critical Race Theory: An Introduction.

#CRT #CriticalRaceTheory in the #SouthernBaptistConvention #SBCCHAT 12/

amazon.com/dp/147980276X/…

4. The #VeryGoodGospel. Grounded in scripture. Centers the Biblical concept of shalom and its implications on policy, law and social structures. Written years before I ever read one word about "critical race theory." 13/

amazon.com/dp/1601428588/…

Question 3: Timing of statement not lost. Why release statement so hastily crafted, anti-academic and ill-informed on #CRT now?

Here's what I think. You (or @albertmohler, who seems to have recruited you) wanted to impact #GeorgiaRunOff. Two words: No shame. #CriticalRace 14/14

*#CRT

PROOF: @albertmohler tweeted this tonight. #CRT #CriticalRace #Georgia 15/14

https://twitter.com/albertmohler/status/1335771837494677505