The Rise of Woker-Than-Thou Evangelicalism

"Unless you have been living in seclusion somewhere, you will have noticed that a radical putsch is currently underway to get evangelicals on board with doctrines borrowed from Black Liberation Theology, Critical Race Theory, Intersectional Feminism, and other ideologies that are currently stylish in the left-leaning secular academy. All of these things are being aggressively promoted in the name of "racial reconciliation." This has suddenly given rise to a popular movement that looks to be far more influential—and a more ominous threat to evangelical unity and gospel clarity—than the Emergent campaign was 15 years ago. The movement doesn't have an official name yet, but the zealots therein like to refer to themselves as "woke." Evangelical thought leaders boast of their wokeness and vie with one another to be woker-than-thou.

In many ways, today's Woke Evangelicals are merely an echo of their Emergent forebears. The central threads of their rhetoric are identical, and many of their goals are similar—starting with their campaign to convince other evangelicals that gospel clarity alone will never reach a hostile culture. To do that, they say, we must strive for postmodern political correctness. We need to try to "make Christianity cool." Nowadays, that means race must be an issue in practically every subject we deal with. Meanwhile, diversity, tolerance, inclusivity, and a host of other postmodern "virtues" have begun to edge out the actual fruit of the Spirit in the language and conversation of some of our wokest brethren.

"Everything is Racist...or is it?"

Evangelicals who seem to speak most about race today are often the most racially charged people involved in any conflict.  I have personally witnessed places where no racial tension existed become divided over accusations of white privilege, demands of generational confessions, etc.  The follow story by Rhett Burns highlights yet another example of the current mission drift of the Church. 

"A few weeks ago, I reviewed Andrew Peterson’s beautiful new EP, Resurrection Letters: Prologue. His new full-length album will release on Good Friday, and in advance of that, The Gospel Coalition premiered the video for Peterson’s Revelation 5-inspired song, “Is He Worthy?” Soon thereafter, Peterson found himself treading the stormy waters of woke Christianity. His crime? He ran afoul the Diversity Codes by featuring an all-white cast. In a plot twist that will shock no one, people on Twitter got mad, pointing out the irony of a bunch of white people singing about every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Peterson followed up with a heartfelt apology, and the controversy abated. What are we to make of this episode? Is the video just more evidence of the latent racism of white evangelicalism? Is Peterson’s apology an example of the much-lauded racial reconciliation everyone has been talking about? Did we make progress? I don’t think so.

Andrew Peterson is a good guy, and no one is charging him with outright racism. Even his critics acknowledge his good intentions with the video. I want to acknowledge the same good intentions with his apology. He believes he hurt people—people he cares about—and he genuinely feels bad about it. Fair enough, but he should have refrained from apologizing. Apologies of this sort are weapons, forged to silence dissenters from the new orthodoxy. How can you spot a weaponized apology? First, there is mob outrage. Thankfully, in our dystopian times the mob has moved from the streets to social media, allowing the self-disciplined among us to tune it out, turn it off, and enjoy the fresh air. Second, the mob makes demands. Demands for apologies, demands to make amends, demands for silence. Demands for restitution.  But, third, no actual sin is ever charged. Feelings were hurt and triggered, the tone was bad, or one’s experiences were not adequately taken into due consideration. But a sin, as defined by the Bible, isn’t within three zip codes of the alleged offense. Fourth, a new orthodoxy is established. In this case, all Christian artists have been put on notice: comply with the Diversity Codes or else. Fifth, all dissenters are silenced. The apologizer is often enlisted in this effort as evidenced by the part of Peterson’s apology that calls for his would-be defenders to just be quiet. This essay is my willful disobedience to the decree to remain silent.

When "Politics" and "Religion" Clash

Christians today need to be aware of the "grave danger of associating the cause of Christ with a (secular) political movement.  While Shane Claiborn and many others rightly bemoan Jerry Falwell, Jr.'s Christ-ifying of the Donald Trump administration, they fall guilty of committing the same offense, giving moral and Christian endorsement of causes, leaders, movements and events that are anything but Christ-like...."

"The social justice movement in America is a political cause, not a spiritual one.  It is predicated upon grievance, is fueled by resentment, and sees worldly power structures as savior.  None of this sounds like Jesus.  What is sounds like is the racist, white nationalist garbage it claims to despise...."

"The perpetuation of race a distinguishing and identifying element in the human experience is the precise opposite path anyone who desires racial reconciliation would counsel.  Yet this is precisely what social justice advocates facilitate by going so far as to deem any white person who promotes Martin Luther King's dream of a colorblind society a latent racist.  When they should be promoting the Biblical view of "one blood, one race," they elevate racial divides and make sweeping generalizations about races that are just as repugnant as the idiotic and hateful neo-Nazi signage."

the Gospel of Peace

"In a sane a world, the church of Jesus would be boldly confronting both of those manmade movements and presenting the better way forward (Gal. 3:28; Rom. 1:16-17). Unfortunately, at least for now, a portion of the church has chosen to identify itself with those who think politics and manmade power will solve a problem only God can heal."