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Is There A Theological Fault Line Beneath Our Noses?

3/31/2021

This post has been updated from the original. After reading Marty Duren's reviews here and here along with Stephen Feinstein's own words regarding SBC Resolution 9 here and here, I decided to make some edits to my original post.

The CRT and social justice conversations are still in full force in evangelicalism. For years, the war was waged via Youtube videos, sermon clips, discernment blogs, and social media threads. I’ve longed for long-form writing on these matters, and finally, books are being written discussing these matters from various places on the spectrum. One of those books is Voddie Baucham’s which is set to be released on April 6th. While some consider this book to be a Hiroshima-like death blow to CRT, others are likely to be skeptical.

As a Christian who has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from a liberal arts university, I have both seen and rejected much of what has come out of the secular social justice movement. I recognize racism, even in the systems of this nation. I recognize racial and class struggles. I acknowledge race-based, ethnic partiality. But I can’t align myself with the “woke” because I disagree with many of their so-called solutions to the problems of inequality in our society.

I recently read Voddie Baucham's Fault Lines and walked away with mixed feelings. I am thankful for an exhortation for Christians to consider the worldview and dangers that occur with CRT and its advancement in popular culture. While I don't think it's evangelicalism's greatest danger in the past 200 years, I do think we need to be informed about it. It was good to hear Dr. Baucham's story and understand his background. While he does highlight some of his—and others concerns about CRT and social justice—I want to share some concerns and confusion I saw in the book.

I Tread Cautiously

I tread lightly and cautiously when critiquing a man of Voddie Baucham’s stature for three reasons:

I am a theological featherweight compared to this man who has written, preached, and served as a missionary in America and Africa for most of my lifetime.
Dr. Baucham’s ministry has greatly blessed my soul and the souls of many of my friends. I continue to reference his writings and sermons because he is biblically and theologically sound in his teaching and writing. Furthermore, he is a black Christian voice in white Christian circles, and I have made a similar choice to remain in these circles to try to be a voice of reconciliation.
I neither fully disagree with all of his arguments nor do I have my perspective of race, justice, and the gospel fully formed. I find myself both saying and “amen!” and shaking my head in frustration at times.

I don’t consider myself to be an authority on CRT and secular social justice, so reading and listening to Dr. Baucham is always insightful, even if I disagree with his trajectory or conclusions at times. Reading Fault Lines was no exception. I was fully expecting this book to point out a problem in evangelicalism—namely CRT and its impact on Christians. Dr. Baucham covered numerous errors and issues that have arisen with the popularization of critical race theory in the culture. I appreciated the depth of his knowledge on the topic and found myself resonating with a lot of his concerns, though some of his sources have a notably conservative slant to them. He has certainly done his research, but I wish he could have spent more time on some issues and given his opponents a more charitable reading—especially those in the church. Duren's review shows how some quotes were cut off without full context, a fact that I mentioned in my original review, as well.

Faulty Expectations?

I was also expecting Fault Lines to give a robust biblical solution to the problems addressed by CRT and its advocates. This is where I was disappointed. There were a TON of references to secular social justice and how it is wrong. He showed how many social justice proponents were unbiblical in their understandings or diagnoses of the problems in society. However, I did not see much exegesis or interpretation of Scripture. There were Scripture citations throughout, and many of them were helpful. But in many ways, Dr. Baucham did not offer detailed explanations for addressing the social ills and injustices felt in American society.

He mentioned forgiving people who are guilty of racism. Many of the Christians he associated with Critical Social Justice do too. He mentioned waging war against spiritual attacks on the faith. So do many of the people he categorized as Christian social justice. I understand from the book that Dr. Baucham doesn't believe racism is a major problem in America. He says that he believes there is racism in America and that there is injustice in our society (and possibly in the church), but he stops short of calling those perpetuating these sins to repent. It seems that the book is an apologetic against CRT rather than a thesis for biblical justice. Perhaps, I should go elsewhere for that.

Confusion About Labels

He lists names like Shai Linne, Trilia Newbell, John Piper, David Platt, Jarvis Williams, and others as Christians who have been duped by the “cult” of secular social justice. Cult is the term Dr. Baucham uses to describe secular social justice. If CSJ (critical social justice) is an unbiblical cult that eisegetes Scripture, departs from the gospel, and represents a fault line that will divide the church, I would've expected him to brand these people as false teachers and unbelievers. Ultimately, he says they are brothers and sisters who land on the other side of a discussion. This is confusing.

Fault Lines left me asking, "Which is it? Are they brothers and sisters, or are they false teachers?". I ask this because labeling groups like T4G, TGC, and Desiring God as CSJ (proponents of critical social justice) brands them as perpetuating a false worldview—he calls CRT a worldview in the book. How long will we call them brothers and sisters in Christ if that is the case? Shai Linne is a fellow Christian rapper and personal friend of mine. Not only does his discography prove his track record of remaining faithful to the gospel and sound doctrine, but his most recent writing and upcoming book The New Reformation will prove that Shai is far from leaving the gospel or reading secular social justice into the Bible.

I was also disappointed to see "Woke Preacher Clips" and private conversations cited in the footnotes of a scholarly resource. That simply doesn't cut it. Woke Preacher Clips is akin to discernment blogs and takes controversial snippets of sermons without the full context. Furthermore, I was disappointed that Dr. Baucham used a blog post by Tom Ascol (an anti social just ally) to state the new SBC Resolution 9 of the 2019 convention was a "grotesque misrepresentation of what he submitted originally”. Rather, he should have quoted Feinstein (the original author) who said, "I would have been irate had Resolution 9 actually stated what its critics accuse it of". This isn't an anti-work Youtube channel or his friend's blog, this is Feinstein's own words. I expected more from a book as serious as Fault Lines.

The Anti-Social Justice Perspective on CRT

At the end of the day, Fault Lines represents one Christian conservative’s view on social justice. There is nothing wrong with being politically conservative or writing a book against CRT and social justice. I just don't feel that it added anything new or beneficial to the conversation for those who regularly listen to Dr. Baucham, Founders, Alpha and Omega Ministries, and others. I think there is value in their concerns for CRT and how it impact the church, and I benefited from considering some of the implications of CRT in the church. However, I saw little to no engagement with the sins and errors of people on the anti-justice side of the conversation.

Other authors, like Shai Linne in his upcoming book The New Reformation, humbly admit that they don't have all of the answers and that they may get some things wrong. I didn't get that sense from Fault Lines. In fact, it seems like this book is an "all or nothing" approach to the conversation. I expected that as I’ve seen anti-justice pastors and authors calling for excommunication for members who disagree with them on these matters. I’ve seen their social media tirades. Sadly, this is a trend on both sides of the race and justice spectrum.

Fault Lines is a book I'd recommend with caution. I caution readers to be wary of slapping a label on other believers for statements that may line up (or seem to line up) with or resemble secular CRT. I believe there is common grace and lost people have the ability to see sin in the culture, even if they don't have biblical answers. Dr. Baucham uses atheists throughout his book to prove this point. Further, I would caution readers not to read only this book and walk away with a full and firm stance on race and social justice. Don’t use social media and books like these to create an echo chamber where you only listen to voices you agree with. Even in this book, Dr. Baucham advocates for reading broadly. Take his advice.

Bold Statements From a Bold Leader

Dr. Baucham makes some bold statements regarding the reality of racism in recent current events. He makes strong statements like "I believe America is one of the least racist countries in the world". I obviously disagree, but, as Dr. Baucham stated in the book, there is not a single "black view" of these issues. Remember that as you read Fault Lines. Dr. Baucham is one (black) man who represents one side—namely, the politically conservative side—of the spectrum on these matters. This perspective bleeds through on every page, including the footnotes. Remember this.

Dr. Baucham has similarly strong views on homeschool vs. public school, youth ministry, the integration of children into corporate worship, the cause of black crime and disparity, etc. He is not only free to have these perspectives, but he is also a sound and trustworthy voice in evangelicalism on many social issues like abortion, homosexuality, etc. He has stood boldly in the face of secular media to represent the gospel. Let us not forget this in our disagreement.

A Sociological Resource, But I Was Hoping For More

I don't agree with everything in Fault Lines, but I don't disagree with everything, either. As stated early, I just wish Dr. Baucham would have spent more time laying out a robust view of biblical justice that counters secular social justice. I wish he would have been more cautious in labeling people who disagree with him. I wish he would have been more fair in quoting others, especially believers. I fear that more division may come from this book, though Dr. Baucham states that this isn't his desire and calls those who agree not to harbor animosity, either.

I don't disagree that secular social justice lacks biblical answers. I don't expect that from the world. I'm not sure that Shai Linne, David Platt, John Piper, Tim Keller, or others do either. Saying they do would contradict their own words and preaching. I know Dr. Baucham doesn't. That's why I expected that one among the best and brightest voices in politically conservative evangelicalism would bring their biblical and theological knowledge to the table to not only refute CRT and secular social justice but to also offer a biblical alternative specifically to the issues being propagated by such groups. While Dr. Baucham pointed out some of the folly of CRT early in the book, he used other (usually conservative and sometimes atheists) sociological and political voices to answer those claims rather than Scripture. I was hoping for more.

There may be a fault line beneath us, but social justice advocates—secular or Christian—aren't the only ones in danger of falling in. As Dr. Baucham shared from Scripture, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him." (Proverbs 18:17). Don't just take his word for it. Read broadly and read with discernment.

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