Worlds Colliding: Navigating CRT and Biblical Worldview Through the Lens of James Sire
March 5, 2024
Katherine Schultz
What is CRT?
Critical Race Theory (CRT), is an emerging worldview that is based on a framework specifically dedicated to dissecting and confronting issues of race and racism entrenched within societal structures.
According to journalist Gabriella Borter, “Critical race theory (CRT) is an approach to studying U.S. policies and institutions that is most often taught in law schools. Its foundations date back to the 1970s, when law professors including Harvard Law School’s Derrick Bell began exploring how race and racism have shaped American law and society. The theory rests on the premise that racial bias – intentional or not – is baked into U.S. laws and institutions. Black Americans, for example, are incarcerated at much higher rates than any other racial group, and the theory invites scrutiny of the criminal justice system’s role in that” (Reuters).
8 Questions to Understand Any Worldview from Christian to CRT
In James Sire’s book, The Universe Next Door, he defines a worldview this way: “A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundations on which we live and move and have our being.”
In addition to defining worldview, Sire presents a set of questions designed to get a basic perspective on the beliefs that shape a person’s understanding of reality. He argues that every worldview will answer each question, directly or indirectly. They are foundational questions that help individuals explore and understand their own worldview and the worldviews of others. Here are the 8 questions:
- What is prime reality?
- What is the nature of external reality?
- What is a human being?
- What happens to a person at death?
- Why is it possible to know anything at all?
- How do we know what is right and wrong?
- What is the meaning of human history?
- What personal, life-orienting core commitments are consistent with this worldview?
How Does CRT Answer the Worldview Questions?
So how might adherents of CRT might approach Sire’s worldview questions? First, we need to acknowledge the diverse and evolving nature of CRT. Individuals approaching life from within the CRT framework bring a variety of perspectives to these fundamental queries. They (like most people of any worldview) are unlikely to have tried to articulate a specific answer to each question, especially because Sire writes as a Christian, which may be a worldview rejected by a CRT adherent.
Let’s take a hypothetical look at how CRT might respond to each of Sire’s worldview questions, and at how that response would be aligned or misaligned with a Biblical worldview.
1. What is prime reality?
Sire’s first question asks what is reality, the basis of everything that exists. In CRT prime reality is shaped by the intersectionality of race, acknowledging that racial dynamics and power structures play a central role in defining ultimate reality. While this reality might line up with Genesis 1:27, that God created humans (male and female), and therefore emphasizes the inherent value and dignity of every individual irrespective of race, it misses the mark and other ways.
According Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This passage emphasizes the inherent value and dignity of every individual, but underscores the unity of believers in Christ. That unity transcends, racial, social, economic, cultural, and other identities, because we have a shared identity in Christ: we are one body. (Romans 12:5).
2. What is the nature of external reality?
Sire’s second question, what is the nature of external reality, explores the understanding of the external world and its relation to prime reality. In CRT, external reality is viewed through the lens of systemic racism, recognizing that social structures, institutions, and policies perpetuate racial inequalities and shape the lived experiences of individuals.
CRT gets it right in some ways, because it supports treating others properly. It aligns with Isaiah 1:17: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” This verse supports the call to seek justice and correct oppression, aligning with efforts to address systemic issues, including racism.
But it’s a big miss because CRT is so focused on a person’s external appearance. According to 1 Samuel 16:7, we are to look at a person’s character, not his or her appearance: “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The core basis of CRT is a person’s appearance. But 1 Samuel 16:7 cautions against making judgments based solely on external factors, emphasizing the divine perspective that looks beyond outward appearances.
3. What is a human being?
The third question James Sire poses has to do with what it is to be a human being. It examines the essence and significance of human existence. In CRT, a human being is seen as a social construct deeply influenced by race. CRT emphasizes the importance of understanding the impact of racism on individual identity and experiences.
This aligns with the Bible to the extent that every person is created in the image of God, created for a purpose beyond societal constructs and including racial identity. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do“ (Ephesians 2:10).
But it misses alignment because it continues to reject the unity of believers in Christ – a unity that transcends racial and cultural distinctions. “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11). We are all one in Him.
4. What happens to a person at death?
The fourth question asks us to consider what happens when we die. We all will. So what happens? What happens after we die? What is the ultimate fate of individuals? Views on the afterlife from a CRT perspective will vary, but the focus would be on addressing and dismantling systemic injustices during one’s lifetime, rather than a specific afterlife scenario.
Hebrews 9:27 makes clear that we will all die, and then undergo judgment: “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” To the extent, that CRT acknowledges judgment, it aligns with scripture. We are all accountable for our actions.
However, according to Ephesians 2:8-9, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” While what we do on earth is important, and should be an obedient response to God’s commands because we love him, the passage emphasizes salvation by grace through faith, redirecting the focus from works in this life to God’s gift of eternal life.
5. Why is it possible to know anything at all?
Epistemology is the study of how we know anything, and that’s what Sire’s fifth question addresses: why is it possible to know anything at all? It helps us understand the nature of knowledge, epistemology, and the basis for understanding. For CRT, knowledge is seen as socially constructed, and CRT recognizes the influence of power dynamics in shaping what is considered knowledge. It emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives and understanding truth.
According to Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This verse asserts that knowledge begins with reverence for God, providing a foundation for understanding truth. If an adherent agrees, then his or her worldview aligns with the Bible.
But there is a catch: For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:19). The Bible warns against relying solely on worldly wisdom, because human understanding will fall short compared to divine wisdom. We cannot place worldly wisdom, arguments, and viewpoints above God’s wisdom as given to us in the Bible. Our knowledge has to be passed through the filter of God’s Word first.
6. How do we know what is right and wrong?
The sixth question in Sire’s list asks about morality. We explore ethical principles and the foundation of morality when we ask questions about what is right, and what is wrong. In CRT, morality is viewed in terms of social justice, with an emphasis on challenging and changing systems that perpetuate racial inequalities. Right and wrong are often evaluated based on their impact on marginalized communities.
God gives a clear call for justice and emphasizes the importance of humility in ethical conduct. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We need to do as he commands, and CRT understands justice, with a clear call to the moral basis for justice, and opposition to injustice.
But, CRT elevates justice over other commands of God. According to 1 John 5:20, “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” Our understanding of right and wrong, even of justice and injustice, is based on Christ and God’s revelation, not human arguments.
7. What is the meaning of human history?
Question seven is perhaps the most revealing of the worldview question in pointing out the unbiblical foundations of CRT. It asks about the meaning of human history. It asks us to consider the purpose or direction of historical events. In CRT, human history is understood through the lens of racial struggles and the ongoing fight against systemic racism. The meaning rests in the pursuit of equity and justice for historically marginalized groups.
Even here, CRT gets something right: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7). We can see God’s desire for peace and prosperity (as he defines it) for those who love him. It encourages seeking the well-being of the community, aligning with efforts to improve societal conditions, including addressing racial injustices.
But it misses the foundation: according to Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” We need to recognize and value the enduring nature of God’s Word, and understand that ultimate meaning is found in divine truth rather than in human history alone. As much as God does direct human history, we should be focused on Him, not our own (or our race’s) past.
8. What personal, life-orienting core commitments are consistent with this worldview?
The last question on Sawyer’s list asks what life oriented core commitments are consistent with this worldview. Elsewhere in his book, he describes this as the orientation of the heart. It asks us to identify the central beliefs and values that shape a person’s worldview.
And CRT would include actively working toward dismantling systemic racism, challenging it, advocating for social justice, and working for creating equitable conditions for all individuals. Especially those historically oppressed based on race.
This viewpoint affirms an understanding based on Proverbs 31:8-9, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” This verse aligns with a biblical commitment to advocate for justice, defend the rights of the marginalized, and stand up for the oppressed.
But it misses a key point based on Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The apostle Paul (the author) encourages believers to be transformed by God’s truth, cautioning against conformity to worldly ideologies.
Bottom Line
As we have looked at how Critical Race Theory (CRT) responds to the worldview questions proposed by James Sire, we need to remember Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ.” This scriptural wisdom calls us to scrutinize prevailing ideologies, ensuring that they align with the unchanging truth found in Christ.
In the transformative process outlined in Romans 12:2, believers are encouraged to resist conformity to worldly patterns and embrace a renewal of the mind. We need to scrutinize and comprehend the potential implications of CRT within the framework of a biblical Christian worldview. As Keith Fong says, “CRT is fundamentally opposed to Christianity, and considers the Church to be a racist institution” (The Art of Godliness).
Proverbs 24:23, Acts 10:34, and James 2:9 remind us of the biblical mandate for impartiality and God’s impartiality. And Galatians 3:28 emphasizes unity in Christ. But as we engage with diverse perspectives, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 1 John 4:1 reinforce the biblical call to test everything, discern the spirits, and hold fast to what is good. By common grace, even those who do not hold up the truth of Scripture or the Lordship of Christ may have understood some part of Truth.
It is my conviction that CRT stands in opposition to a biblical Christian worldview. Grounded in the unchanging Word of God, the Christian perspective provides a robust foundation for addressing issues of race and justice.
Now What?
We are convinced of the immediate relevance of developing a 3-dimensional and biblical worldview in students so that they have a firm foundation of beliefs that they live out in their daily behavior as they continue with an attitude that orients their heart toward the Lord Jesus Christ throughout their lives.
- What Is the 3-D Worldview Survey?
- Take the 3-D Worldview for yourself
If you haven’t yet used the 3-D Worldview Survey with your class, check out the pdf below for some sample questions to get you started.
#3dworldview #biblicalworldview #assessingworldview
