Critical Race Theory does not claim to be theological nor does it claim to want to replace theology. What it will do is show you how your Christian faith looks more like anti-blackness than it does like Jesus and the ways your theology devalues, harms, and needs to be rethought.

Critical Race Theory is compatible with Christianity. Critical Race Theory is not an enemy of Christianity. Critical Race Theory is not trying to replace Christianity. Critical Race Theory helps Christianity. Critical Race Theorist are also Christians.

Critical Race Theory has become the new enemy of the religious and political Right to mask their fear of the dismantling of white supremacist power, place, and privilege. The political and religious Right needs “enemies” to feel like they matter and maintain power.

It should not be lost on us that the political and religious Right wants to make inclusive, revolutionary, visionary, and progressive faith, political, and social values and voices the enemy of Christianity and the country. They really believe both must be and remain white.

They actually don’t care about “helping” us or actually working for a society and church that’s more whole, inclusive, loving, just, and equal. They never offer alternatives that don’t deny, justify, or evade the history and present power of white supremacy and anti-blackness.

For those who claim to love us and want to protect us from such “dangers”, it is quite ironic that their solutions never take seriously our lives or that we actually know what we’re talking about. So yeah, they can keep their white supremacy.

Just say it slowly so we can be done with it: I hate Black people and don’t believe they are fully human and worth fighting for.

Because this whole this is a sophisticatedly racist way of saying this same statement in as many ignorant, divisive, and hateful ways possible.

And let’s be clear:

1. A theoretical, methodological-interpretive framework is not a worldview.

2. Theory is a set of tools that lead us into inquiry, exploration, and grasping. (like atonement THEORY)

3. Stop disrespecting the work of Black people and people of color.

These books not necessarily on Critical Race Theory but Lord, have mercy, let’s do better in talking about the intersections of texts, theory, and theology. These books are good intros to theory and theology and offer better ways of thinking about faith, experience, and society.

And while we’re at it. Here are four more good books that do a great job at taking a multidisciplinary integrative approach to theory, theology, and praxis. They integrate multiple perspectives on history, tradition, and the scriptures. You will LOVE these if that’s your thing.

It would also be terrible of me to not include @drchanequa, @jkameroncarter, @ashoncrawley, and @irobyn in this. They are doing such great work at these intersections. Such good work. Like if I was ever teaching a class or small group, these would be in the rotation easily.