Thread by @da_horton

A Missiological word on Critical Race Theory from an Evangélico to American Evangelicals (Pt 4):

To me CRT is an available tool a Christian missiologist can use when performing cultural exegesis, to provide missionaries with insights on how to integrate faith & work.

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Ashford says culture = products humans produce when they interact with each other & God’s creation (Every Square Inch by Bruce Ashford).

Morgan/Peterson say exegesis = careful study of passages, foundation of all good theology, & includes historic & literary context of

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each passage (A Concise Dictionary of Theological Terms by Morgan & Peterson).

For me, “Cultural Exegesis” is the careful study of the products humans created by: finding their origin, meaning, & influence, so Jesus' followers can develop missiological methods for outreach

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Due to the turbulent climate per Evangelicals & CRT its necessary to point out, my use of CRT as tool for performing cultural exegesis, does not mean I use it when I’m am engaged in the rigorous work of biblical exegesis.

To me, CRT surfaces pressing questions

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but fails in leading to holistic solutions in-step with the meta-narrative of Scripture. In the academy CRT engages historic facts & present realities. Yet, b/c the Christian worldview is parsed out, the City of God isn't the finish line for scholars in may disciplines.

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Drawing from this reality, + the appeals for productive & rational religious thought from Habermas & Rawls (see Pt 3), CRT can serve as a passport to sit at the table of conversation, address it's pressing questions with gospel-infused solutions, without denying Christ.

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Since Habermas expanded instrumentation of Critical Theory beyond Marxism, there is no reason why Scripture can't be used as an objective standard to measure truth claims.

We can look at the 5 tenets of CRT identified in Pt 3 and biblically assess them.

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Here are my brief thoughts:
1. The Permanency of Racism - bit.ly/2N2s2Kb
2. Whiteness as Property - bit.ly/2N2GrGm
3. Interest Convergence - bit.ly/30Wfmgi
4. Counter-Storytelling - bit.ly/2AR1nO1
5. Colorblindness - bit.ly/2V7YFKQ

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As a Christian, I see humanity’s fall was total effecting the WHOLE of every human. Every human naturally sins against God & fellow humans. The potential to systematize any form of sin is a reality backed by Ephesians 2:1-3.

God's calling on my life includes working...

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as a missionary in the Academy & a Missiologist to the Church in North America. I am to glorify God, cooperate with Him by doing honorable work in the spaces He’s placed me in (Reclaiming the Biblical Doctrine of Work by Stott).

Part of this work is to have a view of...

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Common Grace that recognizes sinners are capable of having respectable opinions, accurate assessments, & beneficial contributions to humanity. This doesn't mean they're regenerate for doing so rather, image bears still marred by sin.

That said, the missionary’s work...

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includes developing a missiological method (defined here: bit.ly/2LOThui) to find in-roads for both gospel proclamation & demonstration.

Question: D.A. how are you doing this with CRT?
My Answer: Spiritual Capital.

Cultural capital (of upper/mid classes)...

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is accessible to all via education. Yet, this structure reproduces a distribution of cultural capital among the upper/mid classes, contributing to the reproduction of the social structure (Reproduction in Ed by Bourdieu & Passeron). Those centered (upper/mid class) have...

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an educational system catering to their culture while calling outsiders to assimilate for benefits. Oliver & Shapiro say cultural capital is narrowly defined by White, mid class values, & more limited than wealth (Inequality Reader)

Using CRT/LatCrit to center marginalized

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experiences of students of color + building from G. Ladson-Billings (Just what is CRT...) & D. Solórzano (Images & Words), Yosso developed the CCW revealing legitimate accumulated assets & resources they possess (Whose Culture...)

The 6 forms of capital Yosso framed are:

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(1) Aspirational - future hopes/dreams while facing barriers

(2) Navigational - skills needed to maneuver in spaces designed w/o you in mind

(3)Social - networks leveraged for resources to help meet needs

(4) Linguistic - intellectual & social gained via communication

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(5) Familial - cultural knowledge nurtured by family & close relationships

(6) Resistant - knowledge & skills used to challenge inequality

In 2009, using CCW Pérez-Huber found a theme of Spiritual Capital (SC) surfaced in her study (Challenging Racist Nativist Framing).

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She defined SC as a set of resources & skills rooted in a spiritual connection to a reality greater than oneself.

SC encompasses religious, indigenous, & ancestral beliefs/practices learned from one’s family, community, & inner self, it provides a sense of hope and faith.

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Galván argues for the inclusion of Spirituality in Higher Ed (Campesina epistemologies & pedagogies of the spirit).

Verter found gaps in Bourdieu’s research & offers pathways for it SC to be integrated in education (Spiritual Capital: Theorizing Religion with Bourdieu)

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Diulus says SC should be its own category in CCW (Exploring the Community Cultural Wealth...) & Espino says agrees (Exploring the Role of Community Cultural Wealth...).

So, my work centers on what each of these scholars is saying, SC research is needed in the field I'm in.

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In Eph 1:3-6, Paul says Christians have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places which identifies a spiritual treasury of benefits (or SC) given by God! These blessings are not found in Christians of color but the entire Church (Rev 21:24-26).

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So, I'm able to intro an entire population to how CCW can be used in evangelism/discipleship! Briefly I'll show below:

(1) Aspirational - reminds us our life is a vapor and in humility we should submit our dreams, hopes, and plans to the Lord (James 4:13-16)

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(2) Navigational - informs unbelievers God's the one who determines our steps (Prov 16:9) so we should seek Him holistically (Matt 6:33)

(3) Social - centers the social & spiritual ethics Jesus both preached and modeled and called us to imitate (Matt 5-7; 28:20)

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(4) Linguistic - center purity in our heart, which is the well we draw from to speak (Matt 12:34). If we're to embody religion God accepts we should meet the needs of others & guard our speech (James 1:27; 3:1-12)

(5) Familial - informs the Christian faith = family

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(6) Resistant Cap - is our clarion call to resist the lust of the flesh, eyes, & pride of life (1 John 2:15-17) while being transformed by the renewing of our minds so we do not live like those who don't know Christ (Romans 12)

So, I'm engaging CRT w/o denying Christ.

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Like me, there are other Christians engaged in fields (as missionaries) who are seeking to bring God glory through their "Every Good Endeavor" (cf. Tim Keller's book).

So when we're being attacked by fellow believers b/c of their lack of understanding, its disheartening.

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For years our Evangelical leaders said we need Christians in the spheres of: Art, Education, Law, Politics, etc & now that we have Spirit in-dwelt believers in these spaces yet, attack them b/c CRT, why can't we realize our friendly fire isn't pushing back Satan at all?

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No where in my work am I mandating Christians, Pastors, & even the SBC chose between CRT & Christianity.

Those who advocate this false dichotomy are working against some of the truth-telling our modern Prophets (forthtelling) are expressing about issues in the Church...

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God's people have been speaking out against since CRT, CLS, & Critical Theory were even a thought in the human mind!

God's people in America must walk in obedience to His Word together, instead politicizing it and weaponizing against one another.

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In the end, God's will, shall be done. God brings judgment to His house first (via Church Discipline/Lord's Supper).

My call to all Jesus' followers is: follow Jesus. Obey His commands. Forthtell His truth. Live out purity.

Then, let the chips fall where they may.

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*in many disciplines 😳