The Achilles’ Heel in Critical Theory: Pastor Matthew Everhard

The following video is the most thoughtful and complete explanation of CRT I have found. The initial 3 and 1/2 minutes are about conferences…then he starts his presentation.

Video HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Achilles Heel explained
  • 5 presuppositions of CRT: 1. Oppressive hierarchies, 2. Ubiquitous racism, 3. Queer morality, 4. Anti-capitalism, and 5. Social revolution [explained below]
  • Critical theory is an umbrella term that includes critical race theory, critical legal theory, feminism theory, and gender studies
  • One: all human interactions occur in these hierarchies: therein, the strong oppress the weak via their power, keeping them down
  • Examples: race relationships; gender relationships, even as low as the playground
  • Every social feature is a hidden oppressive hierarchy
  • Two: ubiquitous, that is, racism is everywhere; not only in color and race, but in society itself – in every structure, schools, governments…
  • Three: Queer morality, LGBTQ…; traditional morality is another oppressor
  • Four: Anti capitalism, it is racist, prejudiced; another hierarchy via which the rich oppress the poor
  • Five: Social revolution is the way to change all the above
  • Intersectionality: The obvious achilles heel comes in here, intersectionality is the tool by which CRT is applied.  You need to be labeled and placed in your proper category; you cannot just be you. You need to get into your appropriate line. How is that determined?
  • Subjects are categorized according to their race, sexuality, gender, class, income bracket, ability and religion
  • You are placed on a grid, labeled, tagged; You are to think and act accordingly and to stay in your line
  • Of course, some hierarchies are more valuable than others
  • Watch for the influence of CRT on the SBC, Presbyterian General Assembly, Lutheran Synods
  • In one California school, 3rd graders were required to rank themselves according to their intersectional privileges and were to line up accordingly – can you imagine the topics discussed during recess, on the bus home…?
  • Intersectionality creates divisions, hostility, resentment, mistrust, fear, phobias, xenophobia, and prejudicial behavior
  • CRT has no power to bring about true unity
  • MLK, Jr talked about color blindness in his great speech, that all people should be treated according to the content of their characters rather than skin color; CRT advocates reject MLK, Jr’s ideas because in their system they are required to consider race; also, he did not consider LGBTQ which makes him just another oppressor
  • Furthermore, MLK,JR did not advocate violence, but peaceful revolution via prayer and [fully peaceful] protests
  • In his great speech, 8-28-63, his dream [and seeming prayer] was that his 4 children and all people would be treated according to the content of their characters
  • We should be advocating the same that MLK, Jr did, not ranking ourselves
  • Bible believing Christians have the doctrine of the Imago Dei, that states all people were created in the image of God and are therefore worthy (Genesis 1)
  • That is why Christians are pro-life; pro people;
  • The Achilles Heel of CRT is seen via the Beehive Conundrum: If you take a stick and swat a beehive numerous times, the bees will be upon you, furiously stinging you; CRT is that stick; it had the power to provoke and change; it had not power to make the bees go back in the hive and experience unity
  • The Lord Jesus Christ’s gospel is offered to all who repent and trust in Him

 

The following link is to Matthew’s video library:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MatthewEverhard/videos

For other posts in this blog on CRT, see Categories: CRT / CT; Social Justice / Identity Politics