It’s clear that some leaders in the SBC (and other white evangelicals) have deemed any attempt to address, remediate and destroy systemic/institutional racism in pursuit of love, justice & equity as CRT. This in turn allows the labeling of things as CRT to be used as a cudgel..

To silence any and all discussion of racism and discrimination that is taking place in and outside of the church. Also, for the statement from the seminary presidents to say “any version of critical race theory” (what does that even mean?) is also ridiculous because..

This allows the “any version” to be classified as anything that they themselves classify as CRT without any standards in which to hold their own classification to. This is troubling due to the fact that the term, when used by members making accusations, is usually ill defined

Sometimes it’s actually not defined at all or when it is defined it is not in line with how any actual scholars define the term (which there are scholars who define it differently but the general idea is the same). However, my point isn’t about how CRT is defined.

My point is that it is very clear that there are leaders who are seeking to maintain a status-quo and that status quo is one that doesn’t challenge white supremacy and seeks to silence all discussion that will challenge racism outside of their own caricatured understanding of it

To be clear: this is not really about CRT. This is about challenging and exposing racism outside of their own understanding of it - an understanding that sets them safely outside of guilt/responsibility. CRT is used as cover to silence uncomfortable discussion re these issues.

By convincing everyone that these discussions re systemic racism and discrimination is all CRT—Neo Marxism-liberal-secular garbage, they ease all the consciences of those who would like to dismiss the issues by giving them a label to use in order to dismiss it in one fell swoop

It empowers those who like to pejoratively call us “woke” and insulates them from self examination and critique re what may be their own racism and discrimination. It also sanctifies lack of compassion and humility and fools some into thinking they’re fighting for orthodoxy.

And let’s not get it twisted - Some have back-peddled or kowtoed in order to keep the money flowing and secure a future of career advancement and/or their current position. The white evangelical industrial complex is real and some are scared to lose support and security.

^^ this also speaks to the problem with power and how it can be used to silence folks or be a temptation to shirk responsibility to neighbor in order to embrace security.

How many are “rich young rulers” when it comes to social and cultural power and capital but want to hold on to those riches instead of seeking to give it up to help the vulnerable? Many are going away, yet, I don’t think they are going away with much sorrow