On Not Walking Away
Earlier this week I read a critique of critical race theory (CRT) which provoked a couple of observations which I posted to social media.
Today I read a critique of critical race theory by a white Christian theologian. The article was relatively nuanced and I'm not especially interested in defending CRT, but he did two things that felt really familiar that I want to note.
First, while adequately summarizing what CRT is (from my layperson's perspective), he showed no interest in why CRT emerged as an explanation for USA racism. The author was content to deal in the realm of pure ideas; the lived experiences behind those ideas entirely escaped his curiosity. This seems like a regular move made by white critics of Black thought (theory, theology, etc.). Why?
My hunch is that because white culture is dominant and normative, white critics have been handed the privilege of thinking/critiquing/theologizing in a de-contextualized manner. We've not had to be aware of our own social locations and how these have shaped us, so we ignore these forming realities for others as well.
Second, when offering his criticism, the author didn't engage at all with any of the African American theological tradition(s). This despite the fact that the CRT representative he engaged with was himself a (Black) Christian whose faith informed his theoretical reflections.
This happens all the time! White Christians will take contributions made by Black people (authors, theologians, academics, etc.) and critically run their ideas through a white frame. This despite the fact that the traditions, theories, theologies, etc. informing the Black person are available for anyone to engage with. But most of the time this source material gets dumped at the feet of whatever the white gatekeepers have agreed is the neutral standard.
I doubt these tendencies - lack of curiosity and ignorance of other frameworks - are usually malicious. But they do indicate a pretty thick bubble, a sort of captivity to cultural homogeneity.
These sorts of things are understandable in secular cultures, predictable results of the pursuit and consolidation of power. But, given who we're meant to be, it's frustrating to see them expressed so unreflectivity in the church.
Over on Instagram, someone responded to these observations with this thoughtful reflection.
Where do we draw the line between malicious intent and willful ignorance in today’s world? When is it time to admit that in today’s world, when access to learning black views and experiences is completely accessible, that people are making an obvious choice not to… which in turn means, they don’t see those views as valuable, valid or worth their time. Which of course is also evidence of their genuine concern or lack thereof for the people who hold those views and experiences. And for how long can we claim that there is no malicious intent there? Especially when we’re talking about “leaders”?
These are not uncommon questions and they're ones I grapple personally with regularly. In the case of the author of the critiquing article, I was frustrated that he neither expressed interest in the historical origins of CRT nor engaged with the theological traditions which formed some of CRT’s originators. All that historical and theological material is readily available and I’d be surprised if the author hadn’t bumped into it during his research.
As the commenter points out, this sort of (un)intentional ignorance is a regular feature of white engagement with Black thought and experience. She rightly notes that we live during a time when access to this information is incredibly easy to access. (I’m writing this while flying to New York for the weekend. Thanks to the free messaging service, I’ve been texting with my wife who, on this very chilly day, is cozied up next to one of the radiator heaters in our apartment, working on Black History Month lesson plans. I have no doubt that her research – as a white woman teaching a very diverse classroom of first graders – will turn up all the relevant information she needs to help history come alive for her students.) So, at what point do we protest the appeals to ignorance? It can’t be benign, can it? It must be willful ignorance at best, malicious oversight at worst.
I’m very sympathetic to the instinct to write off this sort of ignorance, to mutter “Google is your friend,” shake the dust from my feet, and move on. But there are a few reasons I’m trying to restrain this tendency. First, despite how ubiquitous information is these days, cultural bubbles are real. This has always been true and while information access is greater today than ever, we all recognize our tendency to sort our online selves into the same old predictable partisan and ideological clusters. While information is more readily available than ever, a person’s awareness to search for that information may be as limited as it’s ever been.
I realize that is a pretty sympathetic take, so here’s the second reason I’m working to hang with people whose knowledge isn’t where it ought to be. As a white man, I have the choice to engage or not with those expressing their ignorance about race. I can roll my eyes, shake my head, and return to my relatively privileged existence. My well-being isn’t especially threatened by anyone’s ignorance. The same can’t be said about many of my friends and colleagues. For these women and men of color, someone’s ignorance about race can be dangerous. A society’s ignorance can be deadly. And the question about whether that ignorance is benign or willful, the product of environment or choice, is often irrelevant because the impact is the same.
Finally, I absolutely expect to look back at my 2023 self a decade from now and be appalled at my own ignorance. When I find myself writing people off or assuming their motives, I worry that I’ve stumbled into the muck of self-righteousness from which nothing good or beautiful can grow. A large part of my instinct to not write anybody off – and the instinct can be very strong – comes from how totally dependent on grace I remain. From God, sure, but also from a whole bunch of people who, despite the ignorance which continues to clutter my eyes, still to include me in their company.
(Photo credit: Bob Price.)
The newsletter has been especially intermittent lately. In addition to the usual life and ministry stuff, our church is on the verge of stepping into something pretty exciting which has required some extra time. More on that (hopefully) soon. Thanks for reading!