I begin by contrasting cultural Marxism’s critical race theory understanding of race with biblical teaching. Then, I will compare classical Marxism with cultural Marxism.
Race Defined by Critical Race Theory
The Encyclopedia Britannica defines critical race theory as “the view that the law and legal institutions are inherently racist and that race itself, instead of being biologically grounded and natural, is a socially constructed concept that is used by white people to further their economic and political interests at the expense of people of colour [sic].”[1] Critical race theory’s perspective makes race merely a social construct to promote white supremacy. Critical race theory (CRT) sees racism (white supremacy and privilege) present in every interracial interaction and relationship. Therefore, the question, according to CRT, is not whether racism is present, but instead, the question is, how is racism present in this situation? Importantly, cultural Marxism (of which CRT is a modified component in the US), like classical Marxism, espouses a materialistic view of humans and divides humans rather than uniting them. This view, as I will demonstrate, is the opposite of Scripture.
Race Defined Biblically
All people belong to the human race, and therefore, all are equal, being created in the image of God (Gen 1:26–28). God later created multiple languages and dispersed the people into different geographical locations (Gen 11:7–9). Out of this scattered, geographically diverse, multilingual human race developed different biologically common traits for the various groups, more languages and dialects, and subcultures, which became known as ethnicities, nationalities, and races. These are often associated with language, skin color, and geographical origin. Accordingly, all races and ethnicities are understood in the sense of Gen 1:26–28, Gen 11:7–9, and other biblical distinctions such as tribe, people, tongue, and nation (Rev 7:9; 11:9). We may, therefore, note five essentials that unite all human beings.
- All people belong to the human race (Gen 1:26–28).
- All people are created in the image of God (Gen 1:26–28).
- All people are fallen in sin (Gen 3; Rom 3:10-11).
- Christ salvationally loves and died for all people (John 3:16).
- The saved are reconciled to God and each other and forgiven of all their sins (Rom 8:1; Eph 2:10–20).
Race defined biblically necessarily rejects actual racism. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines racism as: “A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race”[2] (italics added). Genuine racism is the sin of partiality, which is condemned in Scripture (Lev 19:15; Jas 2:1–9; 3:13–18). Accordingly, the biblical perspective of race necessarily rejects race as defined by critical race theory or as popularly used in American culture, which reduces it to a weapon to divide and silence anyone who disagrees with progressive or Marxian-socialistic policies.
Classical Marxism Defined
Classical Marxism proposes a clash between the proletariat (the working class) and the bourgeoisie (property and business owners). The problem to be resolved is the elimination of economic oppression. The fundamental evil in the world is the oppression of workers by those who have capital— capitalism. It is the tension that arises from the haves subjugating the have-nots. In Marxism, the haves or “sinners” are keeping utopia from arriving, but the have-nots are free from the sin of the haves or anything else that stands in the way of bringing in utopia. The have-nots cannot be oppressors in the Marxist sense. Therefore, the haves need to repent but cannot, so long as they are the haves, and the have-nots need no repentance.
The solution is to eliminate the free market, capitalism, and private property through the expansion of state ownership by taxation or even confiscation of the capital of the bourgeoisie. This resolution permits the state to redistribute the wealth of the bourgeoisie to the proletariat so that all people (both groups) are equal; equal means all experience equal outcomes regardless of such things as personal merit or work ethic. The acquisition of wealth from the bourgeoisie can be accomplished through such devices as graduated income tax or outright seizure through anarchy or other means, so that the just society (utopia) can begin. But Marxism failed to produce the promised utopia. Moreover, it can never create a just society because it is based on a fatally flawed, materialistic view of man and his world, reality.
Classical and cultural Marxism promote the idea that either you cannot, or it is highly improbable that you will, usher in the utopic state with consensual democratic politics. Marxists contend that the problem is systemic. Consequently, every structure, whether religious, legal, business, or familial, or available opportunity, is inherently corrupt. Therefore, everything, including all structures of norms, order, and authority, must be critiqued (destroyed) and ultimately replaced, which will usher in utopia. Understanding this aspect of Marxism will help you make sense of the violence and anarchical behavior by some in their quest to bring about change, which is also either excused or minimized by many who do not physically participate in the anarchy.
Although the accusation of systemic racism is everywhere, we should not accept its reality as a given. It is up to those who charge its presence to prove it exists. Speaking of events in the past or anecdotally does not confirm systemic racism. The claim of systemic and structural racism throughout the very fiber of America is severely undermined by the millions of successful blacks and black-owned businesses. I reject the idea that America is systemically racist, or, as some say, that racism is in our DNA, thereby signifying that America is a pervasively racist country.[3] In truth, there may be no other country in the world that has done more to correct the injustice of racism than America, except Great Britain. Notably, it was only the Western hemisphere, led and heavily influenced by Christianity, that later developed a moral consciousness against slavery, ultimately leading to the end of slavery in most of the world. This movement to eliminate slavery was led by Great Britain.
Biblical Evaluation of Marxism
Biblically, the problem is sin. Scripture is clear that all humans are infected with and purveyors of sin (Rom 3:10–18). The solution for all humanity’s ills is found in trusting Christ as Savior and living for him, which God desires everyone to do (John 3:16). God responds by making the repentant into a new creation (John 3:1–4, 16; 2 Cor 5:17), and the redeemed are to walk according to his Word (1 John 5:3) by the power of his Spirit (Eph 5:18).[4] If all humans in society lived according to God’s Word and his strength, we would experience the most just society possible in a fallen world, which will be surpassed only in the new world where sin is no more (Rev 21).
The biblical picture is the opposite of classical Marxism because Scripture confirms creation, whereas classical Marxism believes in materialism. Consequently, Marxism does not recognize the real source of man’s problems, which is sin, nor does it know the real source of help, which is God and salvation. Therefore, Marxist analysis and liberation are irreparably flawed. Biblically, sin is defined as a breach of God’s holy standard and is against God first, rather than wrong being defined as the oppression of the working class. It is not a political revolution that ushers in the utopia. It is the King of Kings ushering in his righteous kingdom (Rev 21).
Cultural Marxism Defined
Cultural Marxism proposes a clash between the oppressed (minorities) and the oppressor (majority). The problem is that the “majority groups are typically defined as privileged and oppressive, with minority groups accordingly labeled underprivileged and oppressed.”[5] In the USA and most of Europe, this means that white people are the oppressors, white supremacists, and the oppressed are black people–people of color. But the paradigm is broad enough to include other minorities as well.
Because the problem is systemic, and wealth is viewed as a zero-sum game, the solution is the redistribution of wealth, privilege, and power by challenging and dismantling (critiquing) all structures of the current society. The majority (oppressors) are seen as the evil source of oppression who must be punished. Majorities can include such groups as white people, Christians, and heterosexuals, but predominantly, it is directed toward white people. The oppressors must be repudiated, and their power and privilege transferred to the minorities (oppressed). The result will be a just society. This change may come about through peaceful means, such as changing laws, norms, and elections, as well as graduated taxation, but it probably will not. Consequently, there will need to be the seizure of wealth and power by other means, such as anarchy or a revolution; this will ultimately result in a new government of Marxian-socialism. The use of anarchist tactics serves several purposes, one of which is to demonstrate that American capitalism is a failed system that needs to be replaced with socialism.
Significantly, whether through taxation, revolution, or mixing capitalism with socialism as Stalin did and China and other communist regimes still practice, socialism relies on others to create the wealth for it to manage. We can trace this pattern to Marx himself. Some of Marx’s contemporaries characterized his relationships with other people as self-serving. For example, while Marx did work at various jobs, he lived primarily off of others. First, he lived off his father, who was a lawyer, baron, and capitalist. After his father died, Marx lived off his mother’s inheritance until she cut him off. Later, he continued his upper-class lifestyle with continued financial help from Friedrich Engels, who worked for his capitalist father’s company.
Marx always lived beyond his means at the expense of others. This lifestyle eventually resulted in him, his wife, and his children (his wife came out of the aristocracy) living in squalor for twenty years. Even then, he continued spending more than he had and refused to live in proletarian housing. His three daughters also married men who could not support them. Fortunately, Engels also provided considerable help to them from the resources he obtained while working for his capitalist father.[6] Marx’s life was a great illustration of the former prime minister of England, Margaret Thatcher’s, summary of socialism when she said, “Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people’s money.”[7]
Privilege, “white privilege,” includes the idea of white supremacy of all white people, and all white people should feel guilty and repent for living privileged lives. But they cannot remove the stain of living racist, privileged lives, or their guilt because they are white (white supremacists). According to cultural Marxism, white people are racists, white supremacists, even if they reject every form of real racism from a biblical perspective.
Cultural Marxism is the source of identity politics, and critical race theory and intersectionality serve as the means of its promotion. Consequently, the left continually calls people racists because they base their understanding of racism on critical race theory or weaponized racism, neither of which is actual racism. James Lindsay summarizes the ubiquity of being called a racist well. He says, “Critical Race Theory proceeds upon a number of core tenets, the first and most central of which is that racism is the ordinary state of affairs in our society. It is not aberrational, and therefore it is assumed to be present in all phenomena and interactions.”[8]
Truth claims by the oppressors are always suspect. In contrast, truth claims made by the oppressed are always credible until proven false, which intersectionality makes almost impossible since the privileged oppressors do not understand the real truth. This philosophy turns innocent until proven guilty on its head. It also exchanges individual identity and responsibility (as exemplified by Christianity) for group identity and responsibility (as exemplified by Marxism). This exchange is true whether we are referring to classical or cultural Marxism. If you belong to the majority, you are an oppressor by that fact alone.
This is also where standpoint epistemology weighs in. Epistemology is the study of what we can know and how we can know. Standpoint epistemology stresses that a person’s ability to know is always socially situated. Resultantly, a person can only know based on their experience in society as an oppressor or an oppressed. However, according to CRT and Intersectionality (INT), only the oppressed can know reality or the truth. The oppressor is blinded to the truth of reality by his privileged societal position. While some talk as though there is no objective truth, it is necessary to understand that some critical theorists say there is objective truth, but the oppressed are the only ones in a position to know the actual truth; the oppressor cannot. Even truth claims made by the majority are seen as oppressive. Here again, we find social justice in absolute opposition to Christianity, wherein the Scripture is the truth (John 17:17) and judge of all truth claims, and anyone can know the truth (John 8:32; 19:35; 20:30–31) and the one who is the Truth (John 14:6)!
Virtually everything in postmodern social justice is seen as a conflict and a result of power. It is all about power. The success that anyone achieves is attributed to the power they have. That is why social justice is not just about opportunity, equality before the law, or wealth, but the redistribution of power, wealth, and privilege. Little, if anything, is acknowledged to come about through hard work and competency. They view accomplishment and success as the product of oppression. Whoever has the power will have success.
While it may be that some who succeed have power, success cannot be reduced to that. People succeed because they contribute to society by offering products or services for which others are willing to pay. For example, plumbers do not make money because of power but because of hard work and using their skills and competency in ways that benefit others. People see paying for their help as more beneficial than keeping the money that it costs them. Postmodern cultural Marxism reduces everything to power except when they need help (such as a plumber, doctor, or accountant). Then, they choose the most skilled person they can find; thus, the hypocrisy of postmodern social justice is exposed. Like all of us, the wildest postmodern Marxist wants the most competent pilot flying the plane he is on and not the most powerful; he hopes his pilot was not chosen based on power.
Contrary to cultural Marxism, differences in opportunities and outcomes can be due to a variety of things, such as personal irresponsibility or responsibility, family dynamics, socially inherited attitudes, work ethic, geographical location, physical ability, cultural value system, and intellectual or physical ability. Also, there can be non-racist systemic conditions such as a cultural breakdown of the family, rampant crime, lack of emphasis on education, no good educational options, and devaluing those who break out of a broken family or a limiting culture while making heroes out of drug lords and criminals.
For example, many blacks who should be viewed by black people as role models, such as Justice Clarence Thomas, Ben Carson, Condoleezza Rice, Larry Elder, and countless others, say they are called Uncle Tom, coon, or told that they are not even black by other black people. Candace Owens contends that since becoming a conservative, as a black person, she has been called a white supremacist. Blacks who seek to be successful in education, career, and life are often derogatorily described as trying to be white. Thomas Sowell says, “All across the country, there are heartbreaking stories about young blacks in schools who condemn those among them who try to be good students as ‘acting white.’”[9] Conservative blacks tell of simple things like punctuality, striving for good grades, doing homework, and speaking proper English that will bring the charge of “acting white.”
Actually, that is acting American, or even human. In America, much privilege is tied to hard work and economics, which all Americans can aspire to without selling out their heritage. Some of these same black people elevate the status of some of the most violent rappers and wronged criminals. Successful blacks who learned the English language of the culture (as every immigrant and white person has to do to succeed) are said to have sold out to the white man. Even though in any culture, not just America, everyone has to integrate with the dominant culture regarding language and work ethic to succeed, this does not include all their immoralities. Thus, if a person sees unequal outcomes as the sure proof of systemic racism, they either are a Marxist or have adopted Marxist thinking.
Given the reality that unequal outcomes do not demonstrate sure proof of racism, we can know that unequal outcomes do not necessarily make the one who has more the oppressor and the one who has less the oppressed.[10] To assert that unequal outcomes always demonstrate racism is to speak as a Marxist. We know that families and cultures that emphasize hard work, personal responsibility, and education, and have both a mother and father in the home, do better than those who do not. This is true whether it takes place in the home of a white or black family. We know that generally speaking, those who get an education, get a job, marry, and have children (in that order) do better than those who do not. This reality has nothing to do with racism, but the Marxists disagree.
The cultural Marxist argues that virtually every disparity of wealth and opportunity is the result of racism–oppression. They often do not even consider such things as personal responsibility, systemic fatherlessness, familial experiences and structures, the value placed on education, socially inherited attitudes, or geography.[11] To fail to recognize or give due consideration to other systemic hindrances and deterrents that are not racist is Marxian. This reality is true even if some do not like the label Marxist, which is not surprising given its history and the postmodern disdain of logical and descriptive language that the postmodern mind views as too limiting.
For example, Walter E. Williams was an American economist. He was the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He distinguishes between material poverty and behavioral or spiritual poverty, saying, “The latter . . . refers to conduct and value that prevent the development of healthy families, a work ethic, and self-sufficiency. The absence of those values virtually guarantees pathological lifestyles that include drug and alcohol addiction, crime, violence, incarceration, illegitimacy, single-parent households, dependency, and erosion of the work ethic . . . For the most part, material poverty is no longer the problem it once was.”[12] He continues to probe these topics on the following pages and throughout his book.[13] Here again, we are reminded of the fallacy of reducing the cause of black poverty (or any group living in a culture such as ours) to only one cause. To do so is a tragic and unjustified error that harms and degrades black people.[14]
Black people made some of the most impressive advances one can imagine, even while in the shackles of slavery and the one hundred years following the end of slavery, when many substantial impediments still stood in their way. These impediments were the precise result of actual injustices imposed on black people by white people. Their successes in some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable remind everyone they are created in the image of God.
Yet, as with cultural Marxism, progressivism blames the failure of minorities to succeed not on cultural or behavioral shortcomings but on societal structure and racism. In academia, even the mention of cultural or familial values being the culprit can bring the wrath of the woke elite. Heather Mac Donald, Thomas W. Smith Fellow of the Manhattan Institute, says, “The founding idea of contemporary progressivism is that structural and individual racism lies behind socioeconomic inequalities. Discussing bad behavioral choices and maladaptive culture is out of bounds and will be punished mercilessly by slinging at the offender the usual fusillade of ‘-isms- (to be supplemented, post-Charlottesville, with frequent mentions of ‘white supremacy’).’”[15] Additionally, this is a reminder that the ideas of cultural Marxism can be found under various leftwing labels, which does nothing to disassociate them from cultural Marxism.
Biblical Evaluation of Cultural Marxism
Biblically, all are privileged in some way over others. This includes the reality that many blacks, in one way or another, are privileged over other people, including blacks and people of color. Those who are underprivileged in one way are often privileged in other ways; consequently, most people, including blacks, are both privileged and underprivileged, depending on what is being compared. Privilege is not a sin in Scripture, but it can lead to sin (Luke 12:16–22; Jas 2:1–6). Privilege does not equal oppression or make a person an oppressor. Abraham was wealthy (Gen 24:35), Israel was privileged by being God’s chosen nation (Rom 3:1–2), and Paul was privileged as a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37–38; 22:28).[16] God gave these privileges. The truth is that virtually everyone experiences privilege in comparison to someone else, and most experience a lack of privilege that others enjoy. These privileges can include things such as living in America, having a good family, having both father and mother in the home, wealth, health, geographical location, proximity to certain opportunities, and physical or mental abilities. For example, black people from around the world seek to come to America and become American citizens because it is the best place for black people. Listen to the words of Ayaan Hirsi Ali.[17]
All true blessings and privileges are ultimately from God and only require thanksgiving and good stewardship (Matt 25:14–30). But they are not sins, and, therefore, do not involve guilt or require repentance. In the parable of the talents, one man received one talent, another man received two, and the last one received five talents. Christ did not promote nor accuse the ones of supremacy or sinful privilege based on having more talents, thereby, opportunity and privilege. Instead, as a matter of stewardship, they were judged on how they used their blessings, privileges. The same is true of how God judges each human, whether we are talking about spiritual blessings, privileges (Eph 1:3; 1 Cor 12:1), or common grace blessings (Matt 5:45). Biblically, blessings and privileges do not suggest repentance or guilt but stewardship before God and thankfulness (Luke 17:11–17).
Privilege and receiving blessings are not sins, nor do they make a person an oppressor, nor does the lack of them make one oppressed. But ungratefulness is a sin (Luke 6:35; Rom 1:21; 2 Tim 3:2). Using blessings and privileges to treat others as less than one created in the image of God is sin (Matt 7:12), as is treating one as not salvationally loved by God (John 3:16). Privilege and blessings require humility, thankfulness, and stewardship toward God, not repentance and guilt. Again, we see cultural Marxism and Christianity in absolute conflict. Therefore, relying on such an antithetical flawed theory and considering it a valuable analytical tool, as the promoters of Resolution 9 did, is an egregious and dangerous error.
[1] Encyclopedia Britannica, “Critical Race Theory,” by Tommy Curry, https://www.britannica.com/topic/critical-race-theory. In between the time when I originally cited this entry and now, the Encyclopedia Britannica’s definition of the term “critical race theory” evidently changed, providing an interesting insight into the terminological fluidity regarding our time and this subject. Here is the original: “Race, instead of being biologically grounded and natural, is socially constructed; and that race as a socially constructed concept functions as a means to maintain the interests of the white population that constructed it.”
[2] See Merriam-Webster’s definition of “racism,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism. Defined by Cambridge Dictionary, racism is “policies, behaviors, rules, etc. that result in a continued unfair advantage to some people and unfair or harmful treatment of others based on race: harmful or unfair things that people say, do, or think based on the belief that their own race makes them more intelligent, good, moral, etc. than people of other races.” “Racism,” https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/racism . The definition from Cambridge Dictionary was changed at some point. Here is the original: “the belief that people’s qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races.”
[3] Sometimes, systemic and structural racism are used interchangeably to refer to processes or procedures that disadvantage blacks. Institutional racism is sometimes used to speak of things that block black people from accessing services, goods, and opportunities of society. Regularly, all three are used interchangeably, which is the way I use them in this blog.
[4] I use repentance and faith as two aspects of the same act. Repentance is, by God’s grace, turning from sin, and faith is turning to Christ. In other words, true forgiveness does not leave us where or what we were. We embrace Christ and abandon who we were; therefore, we turn from something, our sin, to someone, Christ. The turning in repentance is in the mind, which is evidenced by commensurate following actions.
[5] Thenewcalvinist. “Stain of Mohler 3.” YouTube, November 25, 2019, 9:36–44, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlnLU-vt_g.
[6] Byron, “Thomas Sowell: Marx the Man,” YouTube, August 3, 2018. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=heGapg-08yE
[7] Llew Gardner, “TV Interview for Thames TV This Week,” Thames Television, February 5, 1976, https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/102953., 78. This is popularly known as “The trouble with socialism is that eventually, you run out of other people’s money,” Margaret Thatcher, “Margaret Thatcher 1925–2013,” https://www.oxfordreference.com/ view/10.1093/acref/9780191843730.001.0001/q-oro-ed5-00010826.
[8] James Lindsay, “For Racial Healing, Reject Critical Race Theory,” Roca News, September 4, 2020, https://www.rocanews.com/blog-posts/for-racial-healing-reject-critical-race-theory.
[9] Thomas Sowell, Controversial Essays (Stanford: Hoover Institution, 2002), 82.
[10] Even the birth order of children growing up in the same home results in significant differences in their level of success in certain areas, which cannot be due to racism.
[11] See Walter E. Williams’s argument that it is not racism or the legacy of slavery (victimhood) that is wreaking havoc in the black community. It is issues such as the decline of the black family, the lack of educational excellence, the high illegitimacy rate, the decline in marriage, the increase in divorce rates, and Great Society programs. Walter E.Williams, Liberty Versus the Tyranny of Socialism: Controversial Essays (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 2008), 340–41, 354.
[12] Walter E. Williams, Race & Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination? (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 2011), 6.
[13] Williams, Race & Economics, 6 and following.
[14] Williams, Race & Economics and Thomas Sowell, Wealth, Poverty, and Politics (New York: Basic, 2016).
[15] Heather Mac Donald, The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2018), 207.
[16] For example, Roman citizens could not be crucified.
[17] Peter Robinson, “The Case against Revolution with Ayaan Hirsi Ali,” Uncommon Knowledge, June 30, 2020, https://www.hoover.org/research/case-against-revolution-ayaan-hirsi-ali.
