Christianity and Critical Theory
On "the Long March through the Institutions," and the incompatibility of critical theory / cultural Marxism with Christian faith and values.
There have been many times in recent years when I have found myself very grateful that I am no longer part of the theological train-wreck known as The Episcopal Church. It is not a happy reflection, as I have many fond memories of that body, which after all set me on the path I have been walking for almost 33 years, since 1989; but this is certainly one of those times.
I was alerted by a parishioner to the fact that the sermon at Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal), Nashville, TN, yesterday – Sunday, January 23, 2022 – by a female “priest” contained elements that led my parishioner (who happens to be female) to ask, “tell me if this is just me or am I finding a Democratic female liberal under every woman’s clergy collar? I used to think all the women ever preached on was Julian of Norwich but now…” Ah, if only they were only preaching about Julian of Norwich! Alas.
Here is a lightly-edited version of my response:
This is all too common, these days. What you describe is “critical theory” in action. (Perhaps a relatively gentle version of it, but we all know the story about the frog in the pot of water...). CT is an aspect of what some call “cultural Marxism” – look up the “Frankfurt School” (warning: the linked article contains some “language”).
Like classical Marxism, CT divides the world into oppressors and oppressed (or “privileged” and “underprivileged” / “marginalized,” if you prefer), but unlike classical (economic) Marxism, it doesn’t necessarily use the categories of “bourgeoisie” (capitalists) and “proletariat” (workers). Classical Marxism didn’t turn out to gain much traction in the West; so the reference points are cultural, rather than economic. Thus, the “privileged oppressors” may be straight, male, white, Christian, “cisgendered,” etc.; the “marginalized” or “oppressed” may be women, people of color, LGBT, non-Christian.
A major theme is “intersectionality,” in which each class may partake of several of these characteristics, gaining more approval, or more opprobium, depending on how many of the relevant boxes he, she, they, or whatever “preferred pronouns” (a concept which even some feminists realize is highly problematic) may be used, can check: e.g., person of color is good; lesbian female person of color is doubleplusgood, and transgender lesbian female person of color would be… what? doubleplusgood-ultra? And yes, I am using Newspeak from Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four intentionally.
But critical theory, and cultural Marxism in general, is seductive because it appeals to our human (and Christian) sense of fair-play and support for the underdog: the “oppressed” may be women of color, or sexual minorities, for instance; the “oppressors” may be straight white Christian males (even if they have never done a single thing to “oppress” anyone, other than existing). Obviously the “oppressed” are the “good guys” (except “guys” is oppressive, in this context), and the “oppressors” are the bad guys, right? And this is how they’ve accomplished what some call “the Long March through the institutions”: those institutions being academic, media / advertising, political, and yes, even the churches.
The problem is that this is straight-up Marxism in another guise. Are there still areas in which our society has room for improvement? Of course! But the ultimate goal of the CT folks / cultural Marxists is not incremental improvement on the basis of reasoned debate and traditional ethics, but revolutionary overthrow of the “oppressors” by the “oppressed,” unless they repent and abase themselves before the “oppressed” – constantly! – by becoming “allies.” Otherwise, should the critical theorists come to power… well, we know what happened in Communist countries: “reeducation” or death for their opponents (or, at best, a life or keeping one’s head down, and hoping not to be noticed).
And we have seen what has happened here in the U.S., these last couple of years, too. Critical theory / cultural Marxism is at the base of everything from what was preached at Christ Church, Nashville (although obviously that’s being presented in a “kinder, gentler” form), to the “fiery but mostly peaceful protests” that wracked the country in the summer of 2020, to the destruction, vandalism, or removal of statues, not only of Confederate luminaries, but of figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Francis Scott Key, Andrew Jackson, and even Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
No matter what other good they might have done, including actually founding this nation, and its ideals of freedom and equality, any connection with slavery or (in T.R.’s case) colonialism is seen by the proponents of CT/CM as just cause for “cancellation.” And if they can do it to Founders and leading historical luminaries of this country, imagine what they could – and would – do to you or me, if they were in a position to do so? Come to think of it, we don’t have to imagine: the aforementioned “fiery but mostly peaceful protests” give a pretty good indication.
You’ve heard the old saying, “it’s not paranoia if they really are out to get you,” right? Well, if you’re “finding a Democratic female liberal under every woman’s clergy collar,” it’s probably because that is the case, more often than not. Far more often than not!
And of course, this is all not only un-Christian, but downright anti-Christian. The categories of “oppressor” and “oppressed” (or “privileged” and “marginalized,” if they’re being gentler about it) replace the Christian categories of unredeemed and redeemed sinners (we are all sinners, be we “oppressors” or “oppressed,” but those of us who repent and return to the Lord are cleansed, through His grace, by the blood of the Cross – which, hopefully, will then bear fruit in how we treat each other).
And one is no longer saved by the grace of God and the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, but only by constantly engaging in actions that “prove” one is an “ally” of the “oppressed.” The Bible (except, perhaps, for a handful of passages that can be used as “proof texts”) and traditional Christian doctrine have nothing to do with it; in fact, traditional Christian morality is explicitly condemned as oppressive. It’s nasty stuff! And I’m very sorry to hear that it’s being preached at Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville, even in veiled terms. Sorry, but not surprised – it was beginning, even when I attended there in the mid-90s. The Episcopal Church has been veering hard to the Left for a long while!
P.S. A good book on what we are facing in this country, and the West in general, is Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents, by Rod Dreher. I may have to use that one for an Adult Christian Education series, at some point!
Still more on critical theory / cultural Marxism and Christianity, from the folks at The Benedict Option:
Contemporary Critical Theory Explained: Part 1 (What is CCT?)
Contemporary Critical Theory Explained: Part 2 (CCT vs Christianity)