Recently I have heard many who are conservative theologically say that any talk of structural sin or ‘embedded’ injustice in society is Marxist and anti-gospel. As a person with degrees in Philosophy/Politics and applied Sociology can I push back and ask for more careful thought

Scripture clearly teaches sin originates in the heart but works itself out into social structures - read Isaiah 1-5 carefully and also reflect why in the OT when reform happened (e.g. Josiah cf. 2 Kings 22-23) there was individual repentance and social + structural reform

Marxism by contrast places evil originating from within structures and social relationships and therefore sees human beings at the whim of social forces and largely denies human responsibility and certainly has no concept of sin. Therefore it’s wrong to say that

a belief in structural injustice or embedded sin in society at large is ‘Marxist’ per se. It is much more about the view of where evil originates and how it is dealt with.

It seems clear that in the Bible sin must be dealt foundationally in the human heart (as its point of origin) but also needs to be addressed in the structures and social relationships we set up and inhabit.

This is also why there can be meaningful change in society even where there isn’t widescale repentance and turning to Christ, but if we truly want deep and long lasting change we must pray and work for repentance and turning to Christ