Racial Justice Politics in the name of Jesus and the Division It Brings

For some time we have witnessed the resurgence of racial justice politics under the guise of "Gospel-centered' reconciliation taking root within the evangelical church.  Tragically, this Christianized version of Critical Race Theory is further dividing the Body of Christ.

Those who fly this flag often talk about the "systematic oppression of minorities" by white ("anglo-Americans").  Listen to Charlie Dates and Matt Chandler's "sermons" at MLK50 if you are need examples of what this article is talking about.  The call to keep politics out of the pulpit seems only to apply to those who are privately Right-leaning.

Gospel Coalition/MLK50 leaders believe racism is alive and well in America today.  The "colonizers" are often blinded by their "white privilege" we're told.  Southern Baptist big wigs, like Dr. Russell Moore, are trying to help the Church embrace these theories under the banner of the cross.  From what I can tell, the end game seems to be more power and influence for non-whites within the larger Evangelical church.  How this is going to be accomplished is the subject of great debate.

Pastors with large social media platforms regularly take to Twitter to express their personal opinions.  This would be ok (I suppose) if these prominent Evangelicals would refrain from promoting identity politics and class/race warfare as being part and parcel of living the "Gospel-centered" life.

Men like Thabiti Anyabwile need to follow the advice they give Donald Trump and stay off of Twitter.  Anyabwile has regularly blown up the blogosphere after posting Tweets where he says "Bernie Sanders is the best candidate for the African-American voter" (REALLY?) or when he rushed to judgment in the Michael Brown/Ferguson case.

Paul Tripp's pastor, Eric Mason, recently took some shots on Twitter attacking long time Christian apologist/evangelist James White (who has expressed many concerns related to the MLK50, TGC racialization of the church stuff).  The more this unfolds I keep asking myself, "Who is dividing the Lord's people today?"

The three major Trojan Horses that are sneaking into the Bible-believing Church today are: 1) Thin Complementarianism (Christian feminism leanings), 2) A modified view of sexuality (note Same Sex Attraction teaching), 3) A left leaning understanding of racial harmony and racial reconciliation (i.e. a Christianized version of critical race theory).

Thabti promotes BERNIE SANDERS on Twitter.  Sander's is of course a socialist who supports abortion, all things LGBT, etc.  The same Gospel Coalition then posted many articles that chastised for voting against Hillary Clinton (and for Trump) in the national Presidential election.  "I've long been utterly disenchanted w/ national electoral politics. But if I had to say, right now it'd be Sanders."

Charles Spurgeon once noted that discernment is not simply the ability to discern between right and wrong.  No discernment is the wisdom of understanding the difference between right and ALMOST right.  A biblically illiterate church is very susceptible of "being tossed here and fro from every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:11-16).  May God help us all!

"The reactionary voices of some people simply seeks to put a chill on the kinds of things that actually increase diversity, representation, and genuine unity so the status quo remains intact. Don't give that retrograde thinking a toehold."

Thabiti A-2018

"If there’s going to be genuine unity in the body, it won’t come thru maintenance of informal segregation while decrying what you think is public segregation. It won’t come as some maintain all-white social orbits while criticizing ppl who spend bulk of their life in mixed grps."

Thabiti A-2018

The Front Porch- "We begin today with snippets about Dr. Korie Edwards who works on issues of race, ethnicity, gender and power in the local church.'

Despite Kyle Howard's posts look at the diversity of leadership that took place after the SBC's recent national meeting.  Some critics have argued that it is now politically correct to embrace "Affirmative Action" measures within evangelical institutions.  Those who fail to get behind such efforts are labeled closet "racists."  As a non-SBC pastor I have no idea how the politics work within the SBC.

J.D. Greear, center, pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, N.C., will lead a diverse slate of officers including (left to right) John Yeats, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, recording secretary; Felix Cabrera, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Central in Oklahoma City, second vice president; A.B. Vines, pastor of New Seasons Church in San Diego, first vice president and Don Currence, minister of children and administration at First Baptist Church in Ozark, Mo., registration secretary.