Tom Buck, First Baptist Church, Lindale, Texas.…
…to the committee on this. It’s a difficult topic, and since it is a difficult topic there are a couple of areas that I’m greatly concerned about.
The third “whereas” reads, “Critical race theory and intersectionality have been appropriated by individuals with worldviews that are contrary to the Christian faith.” The truth is they weren’t merely appropriated, but originated with those who would hold unbiblical worldviews. It’s fundamentally flawed, that worldview.
Secondly, in the seventh “whereas,” it states that “Critical race theory and intersectionality alone are insufficient to diagnose and redress the root causes of the social ills that they identify.” They’re not merely insufficient; they’re incapable of diagnosing man’s problem and incompatible with the biblical gospel.
Critical race theory is based upon Marxism—a godless intellectual foundation, and both include a praxis contradictory to the gospel of Jesus Christ. These views do not complement the gospel; they completely contradict it. Paul wrote in Colossians 2:6-8, “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up and established in your faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition.”
Therefore, when it came to worldly philosophy and human tradition, Paul did not tell the Colossians to adopt or to adapt, but to abandon.
Dr. Curtis Woods, Chairman of the Resolutions Committee, responds.
First of all, let me say first of all, thank you for the statement. He quoted from Colossians chapter 2, and in that quote he had Colossians 2:9 as well.
The reason why you see this resolution on critical race theory is because we as a committee believe that we have the responsibility not to be taken captive to vain philosophies or alien philosophies that seek to exalt itself against or above obedience to Jesus Christ. When you read this resolution you see a resolution that says that we must keep the gospel of Jesus Christ above all, and any theory or epistemology has to be subordinate to Scripture. And this resolution is very clear in the way that we have approached the discussion of critical race theory and intersectionality.
There is not one member of this committee who would consider himself or herself an apologist for critical race theory or intersectionality. We have been called to defend the faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints [Jude 3]. And you can believe that the seat that we’re most concerned about in terms of evaluation will be the bema [judgment] seat of Christ [2 Cor. 5:10]. And this resolution stands strong to teach individuals how to engage the culture, keeping the gospel above all.
The audio portion of the entire debate on Resolution 9 is available here.