Christianity and Critical Race Theory: A Faithful and Constructive Conversation

by Robert Chao Romero, Jeff M. Liou

"People interested in critical race theory and Christians concerned about faith integration and social justice will find this book to be very helpful."-- Library Journal

Critical race theory has become a lightning rod in contemporary American politics and evangelical Christianity. This irenic book offers a critical but constructive and sympathetic introduction written from a perspective rooted in Scripture and Christian theology. The authors take us beyond caricatures and misinformation to consider how critical race theory can be an analytical tool to help us understand persistent inequality and injustice--and to see how Christians and churches working for racial justice can engage it in faithful and constructive ways.

The authors explore aspects of critical race theory that resonate with well-trod Christian doctrine but also that challenge or are corrected by Christian theology. They also address the controversial connection that critics see between critical race theory and Marxism. Their aim is to offer objective analysis and critique that go beyond the debates about social identity and the culture wars and aid those who are engaging the issues in Christian life and ministry. The book includes a helpful glossary of key terms.

Genres: Theology, Race, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian, Faith, Politics

208 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2023

About the author

Robert Chao Romero (PhD, University of California at Los Angeles; JD, University of California at Berkeley) is associate professor in the Departments of Chicana/o Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles. He is the author of the award-winning The Chinese in Mexico, 1882-1940, Jesus for Revolutionaries: An Introduction to Race, Social Justice, and Christianity, and Mixed Race Student Politics.

Reviews

[AddyF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the past few years I’ve been deeply disturbed about the cultural conversation surrounding Critical Race Theory and, more specifically, the Christian response to it. So many lies and distortions have been ignorantly consumed and repeated by Christians. It’s been a tragedy, really. I’ve spent a lot of time learning about the lingering effects of racism in America, and I’ve also spent a good amount of time learning about CRT, so I have greatly anticipated books like this one coming out to set the record straight. While this book was very good, I’ve been anticipating this type of book for so long that I think my ideas of what it should be and what it should cover may have clouded my judgment a bit and left me just a bit disappointed. But, it’s probably just me. There was much I loved.

In the Introduction, the authors give a foundation for approaching CRT. How you approach psychology or sociology will probably be an indicator to how you will approach the study of CRT. From page 18: “From the listening I have tried to do, my sense has been that one’s posture toward other academic disciplines makes a big difference. This book is our attempt to model a way of engaging an academic discipline (CRT) by integrating Christian faith and theology. Someone who wishes to ‘take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Cor. 10:5) must avoid unfair oversimplifications and false dichotomies. There are historical examples in which integration of Christian theology and other disciplines has caused alarm for some Christians. As Christianity grappled with the discipline of psychology, for example, “integration” was proposed in the 1940s and 1950s. But some found the tension with psychology’s secularity too problematic, so the “biblical counseling” movement emerged in the 1970s. There are many related examples: the tensions endure between theology and philosophy, theology and sociology, theology and science, and so on. However, all people–including Christians–in some way benefit daily from insights in all these fields. Furthermore, Christians in the workplace, scholars, clergy, activists, and students work coram deo–that is, before God–in all these fields and their associated industries. So instead of compatible/incompatible, endorse/renounce, or accept/reject binaries, we have chosen to hold the tension and point to ways that biblical theology can help us frame some of the key ideas in CRT. If someone decides that the tensions are too great to hold, I hope they come to that decision after having grappled in good faith.”

So good.

The authors believe that CRT is helpful and that “a faithful and constructive engagement with CRT illuminates significant overlaps with Christian theology,” and so do I.

This is where I wish the authors would’ve gone point by point through the tenets listed by Delgado and Stefancic in Critical Race Theory and shown the common grace and any valid criticism of each tenet. (If someone else wants to write that book, I’m here for it, and I’ll even help!) :)

I do like the authors’ approach, though. Instead, the chapters are Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation, which really is a beautiful way to frame the conversation, even if it doesn’t hit every single subpoint of CRT.

The CRT tenet that “racism is ordinary” gets the most attention because it so directly relates to the fall of man and the ordinariness of sin. In the introduction, the authors say “From the standpoint of the Bible, sin is ordinary. It is our natural bent, apart from God’s transformative work in our hearts and lives….(Romans 3:23-24.) I'm always amazed that the ordinariness of the sin of racism could even be debated among Christians.

The authors talk about the meaning of racism. While some believe that racism only relates to personal hatred toward a person of another race, the authors explain that there is a second type of racism that has to do with structures and systems and who upholds and benefits from those systems. They acknowledge that this is where much of the division comes in our current cultural climate.

While the authors find much agreement with CRT, they do have some criticism from a biblical standpoint: “...a valid criticism of CRT is that, though it offers effective tools for smoking out racism in structures and institutions, it does not offer a larger eschatological hope for change. Seeing and analyzing all the systemic racism that lingers in our churches and religious institutions can easily cause one to become trapped in despair or locked into cynicism” p. 130. The authors warn Christians about that cynicism with a quote by Henry Nouwen: “Many peacemakers, overwhelmed by the great threats of our time, have lost their joy and have become prophets of doom. Yet anyone who grimly announces the end of the world and then hopes to move people to peace work is not a peacemaker. Peace and joy are like brothers and sisters; they belong together. I cannot remember a moment of peace in my life that wasn’t also very joyful. In the Gospels, joy and peace are always found together…The Gospel of peace is also a gospel of joy. Thus, peace work is joyful work” p. 153.

That’s a good word.

There are 5 beautiful pages in the conclusion that read like an essay. These are powerful words that summarize the politicization of this topic, the weaponization, knee-jerk reactions, and the dysfunction, disruption, hurt and harm that have resulted in families and churches over this topic.

Lord, help us to cut through the lies and reveal the truth. Thank you to Robert Chao Romero and Jeff M. Liou for bringing some light to this topic.

[Kristjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There has been a lot of discussion about Critical Race Theory (CRT) recently, and much of it starts with an inaccurate understanding of what it actually is and how it is used. Having just finished a course on Catholic Social Teaching, I was very much interested in a book that talks of the intersection of Christianity and CRT. This book begins with an introduction where the two authors share a little of their experience as BIPOC with regard to racism in the US and the church. It is important to note that as a member of the current majority, I do not share anything close to their experiences and recognize that most of what they talk about is very nearly invisible to me without closer examination. Ultimately that is where CRT comes it … to highlight those areas where our laws and institutions facilitate (sometimes unintentionally) the disparate socio-economic conditions between the dominant majority and the disadvantaged minorities. Simply put, CRT is a useful tool, that has of late been abused by critics and proponents a like to avoid having what amounts to a painful discussion on both sides. Here is how the authors define CRT:

"Critical race theory examines the intersection of race, racism, and US law and policy. In other words, it looks at how US laws and public policy have been manipulated and constructed over the years to preserve privilege for those considered “white” at the expense of those who are people of color. […] That being said, CRT represents a diverse body of theory and reflection, and I do not agree with it all. For that matter, not all CRT theorists and practitioners agree with one another."

The book only has four (4) chapters; each starting with an introduction, discussion and conclusion. The chapters are well organized and generally written in easy to understand everyday language, avoiding the specialized vocabulary that I have typically found in philosophical/theological text. The points are clear and well supported and amazingly non-judgmental for the most part … highlighting trends and [hidden] bias without directly attacking any individual or group. Most of the discussion ties to help the reader understand their specific experience, and both authors do a very good job of this.

"Chapter 1 explains how community cultural wealth, a CRT concept deployed in educational scholarship, resonates with the theology of creation in the image of God. Instead of a “deficit view,” which has been used to paint student populations in a negative light, educators—and Christians—can look at God’s children as bearers of the image of God.”

“Chapter 2 wades into the contentious discussion of CRT in the media and in the pews. Somewhere near the center of the ideological disagreement is the doctrine of sin. How one understands the nature and scope of sin, it is argued, has a direct impact on one’s view of the nature and scope of racism.”

“Chapter 3 uses institutions of Christian higher education as an example of the ways in which the tools of CRT can make a redemptive difference. The voice of color thesis encourages students and faculty of color that they are in the best position to understand their own racialized experiences and needs on campus.”

Chapter 4 “explores the difference that Christian hope in the consummation of all things makes for the ethics of the pursuing racial justice.”

Overall I found a lot to like in each chapter, with good balance of bulleted lists summarizing basic principles, personal vignettes highlighting example experiences, scriptural references to support general concepts and solid discussion tying them all together. In particular, I found the last chapter to be particularly hard hitting and poignant. Strongly recommended.

Introduction: Critical Race Theory in Christianity

1. Creation: Community Cultural Wealth and the Glory and Honor of the Nations
2. Fall: Sin and Racism — the Ordinary Business of Society
3. Redemption: Critical Race Theory in Institutions
4. Consummation: The Beloved Community

Conclusion: Made to Be Image Bearers

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#ChristianityandCriticalRaceTheory #NetGalley

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in the third century, Tertullian asked "What has Jerusalem to do with Athens?" In many quarters today, something of a paraphrase of Tertullian is being asked. This time the question has to do with what Christianity has to do with critical race theory. In the minds of many, or so it seems, Christianity and critical race theory are completely antithetical. In fact, for many, critical race theory is a threat to Christianity. The problem is that along with words like "woke," critical race theory (CRT) is more of a catchall term for actions and efforts that make certain people, mostly white, uncomfortable. The problem is that when people are asked to define CRT (and Woke) they find it difficult. They just know it's bad. In fact, it's probably Marxist. But what if critical race theory has something to offer Christianity? What then?

Robert Chao Romero and Jeff Liou are evangelicals who have discovered that CRT has something important to offer Christianity, though it may need some additional resources to make it more fully helpful to the church as it addresses the reality of racism in the United States and in the church. Yes, racism is still a problem and the appeal to color blindness is not a solution.

Romero is a professor at UCLA, teaching in the departments of Chicana/o, Central American, and Asian American Studies. He is also the author of the excellent book Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity. Romero has Mexican ancestry on one side of the family and Chinese on the other. He has faced significant discrimination in the course of his life. His coauthor is Jeff Liou, who is of Taiwanese ancestry, holds a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary and serves as the national director of theological formation for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. Both of them are involved in the life of Fuller Seminary. In other words, these are not far-left anti-Christian enemies of the church. Yet, they find something of value in CRT.

I offer this review on the basis of an advanced reader's copy, so some changes might be made to the text, but I'm assuming nothing substantial, and nothing that would change my review.

Both authors begin the book by introducing themselves to the reader, so we know up front where they're coming from. From personal experience and study, they know that the racialized experiences they describe in the book are not isolated experiences but are "part of larger structures and systems that have been supported by centuries of law, policy, and even theology" (p. 5). What CRT provides is a lens by which these realities can be examined. So, what is CRT? Romero helpfully defines it as a lens through which scholars examine the "intersection of race, racism, and US law and policy." He writes that CRT "looks at how US laws and public policy have been manipulated and constructed over the years to preserve privilege for those considered 'white' at the expense of those who are people of color" (p. 7). This theory emerged among legal scholars beginning with Derrick Bell.

While CRT provides a useful lens to examine the legal and cultural dimensions of racism, the authors also find that it lacks a "hopeful eschatological vision of the believed community of all." In this book, they want to bring the two together so that the analysis can lead to a change of hearts and society.

They note that the basic tenets of CRT include the premise that "racism is ordinary" It's not an aberration, it's part of the normal way things are done. Secondly, it lifts up "interest convergence or material determinism." This principle notes that racism gives advantages to both white elites (materially) and working-class whites (psychically). So there is little interest in a large portion of society to eradicate racism. Third, it offers a social construction thesis, such that race is a social construct, not a biological/genetic reality. Forth, they speak of the "voice of color thesis," such that people of color, due to their own experiences with racism and oppression are the best equipped to share with whites realities whites might not be in a position to know. In other words, as a white European American I don't know and can't know what it means to be black, except that I learn from those who are black. There are other elements to CRT that include intersectionality, white privilege, etc. Why is this important to the church? As Romero notes, a large number of persons of color are being forced to choose between their God-given cultural treasure and white Christianity. Here it might be worth noting the challenge of assimilation, which often restricts the gifts people of color bring to the church and to the nation as a whole. So, while God might not have ethnic favorites, neither is God color-blind.

Their belief and the reason for this book is that "a faithful and constructive engagement with CRT illuminates significant overlaps with Christian theology" (p. 21). With that in mind, they invite us to join them in exploring the connections between the two. They do this using a classic biblical narrative schema beginning with creation. Chapter 1 explores creation, that is, what they call the "community cultural wealth and glory and honor of the nations" Here they lift up the premise that every culture and nation has cultural wealth that needs to be honored. In other words, European culture is not superior to others, such that Latino culture or African culture is deficient in comparison. They address the problem of the efforts to erase cultures through "assimilation." CRT helps us see the cultural wealth present among people of color. It's important to understand that when we hear about education focusing on Western Civilization, those proposing it envision European culture at the expense of other cultures which are seen as deficient. In exploring this concept they reveal the realities of racism in the United States, which continues to this day. So they conclude by asking us to reimagine churches and ministries so that the cultural wealth of diverse communities can be integrated into the larger body of Christ.

Chapter 2 is titled "Fall" and it deals with the sin of racism. Jeff, who is Taiwanese, opens the chapter by taking note of the anti-Asian racism that emerged as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020. Here they again turn to the concept that racism is ordinary and not an aberration. It's personal but it's also systemic. It's the latter that seems to be at issue. Many of us, especially those who are defined as white, find this uncomfortable. We want to believe we're not racist, so how could the country be racist? Yet, this is the way things are. Theologically, we know that sin is defined as both personal and systemic. Whether we embrace a full-on Augustinian perspective on original sin, we know it's there and it forms us.

But we're not left without hope. The structures may be infected but there is the hope of redemption (chapter 3). We see this in the browning of the church, even as we see it in the browning of the nation. Again, that may make some uncomfortable, but it may have redemptive qualities. Here is where the voice of color thesis comes into play. According to this thesis people of color are in the best position to understand their racialized experiences and then craft solutions. They want to make sure that we readers understand that their "perspectives are not better than others, yet flowing from our experiences as unique children of God, they are distinct" (p. 109). We're all distinct members of the body of Christ who need each other. It is in this chapter that they deal with what they call "reactionary colorblindness," wherein the majority culture says they don't see color of the skin, but at the same time are not interested in the perspectives and gifts that people of color bring to the table, including in the church. The expectation is that people of color essentially become white so they can fit into the already dominant cultural dynamics. This idea of color blindness ultimately leads to perpetuating racialized structures of inequality. This section on colorblindness is really important to understand! But again there is hope, and that is where eschatology comes in.

So, we find ourselves at consummation in chapter 4. Here the authors speak of the vision of the beloved community --- the eschatological goal. It's important to note that when we're speaking of eschatology, it is an inaugurated form. That new reality, the realm of God, does not wait for a new world but begins now. It is thus a reflection of the already/not yet vision. They write that "in the cross and resurrection, the power of God has already broken into the world, and Christians enjoy the hopeful promise of resurrection power in this life" (p. 139). Where does CRT fit in? It fits in because it gives us tools to discern the obstacles to that resurrection vision and begin to dismantle them. What a Christian vision does for CRT is move it beyond the gloomy outlook of the future. Yes, there are many obstacles out there, but change can happen. What is does not have to be the way it always is. Eschatology provides CRT with a specific ethical vision of the desired community, which includes the legal and legislative efforts but pushes further on. As for the benefits accrued to the Christian community, this is not just for it but rather enables the church to fulfill its calling to be a blessing to the nations.

This is a book whose time has come. With all the anti-CRT rhetoric in the water, especially within white Christian communities, this provides an important tonic. For one thing, it explains CRT and its purposes while at the same time showing how it aligns with a Christian vision of God's work in the world. If, as they note at the beginning, that all truth is God's truth, then if there is truth in CRT (and I believe there is) then we need to embrace that truth as a gift from God.

[Joel Gustafson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Super academic but very insightful!

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come. Probably.

[Jaz Boon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good and thoughtful read on how CRT and Christianity overlap and are, in large part, consistent. The authors are far better than I with their humble and gracious approach to the anti-CRT Christian crowd. Mind you, they are not let off the hook, but treated very well throughout. There were times in the last portions where I was a little lost. I understand pointing out differences with CRT as it pertains to Christianity, but I would have appreciated how that is a function of one being a legal framework and the other a religion. It’s there, but could have been more prevalent. In addition, even though CRT’s eschatology may be more pessimistic and Christianity more hopeful, I appreciate how the authors use the “beloved community” to tie it all back together. As Christians, we can learn and use tools that come from outside our tradition and vice versa to create a better and more just world.

[Tyler Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romero & Liou offer a charitable engagement with Critical Race Theory, running it through the grid of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. This work represents what is usually lacking in online conversations about this topic: charity and critical engagement. I doubt those who pick up this work wanting a dismantling of CRT will be satisfied. But for those who prefer an approach that is more constructive, it won't disappoint. For me, the most helpful parts were those that gleaned from the category of "cultural wealth" and connecting it to the "glory and honor of nations" from Revelation 21.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to inject some life into the CRT conversation...

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Two academics with pastoral experience process the potential help that Critical Race Theory can bring to the church.

If you are "very online" and active on social media, you likely have encountered discussions about Critical Race Theory. Similarly, if you are active in local school board meetings, you have likely seen community comments about the dangers of critical race theory in education. If this is true for you, you likely already know Christopher Rufo's work opposing CRT, which seems to have prompted Trump's executive order on CRT. And it is even more likely that you are aware of Rufo's tweets where he is explicit about rebranding CRT. One of those tweets says, "The goal is to have the public read something crazy in the newspaper and immediately think "critical race theory." We have decodified the term and will recodify it to annex the entire range of cultural constructions that are unpopular with Americans."

Rufo was late to the concern about CRT. Christians like Neil Shenvi started raising concerns about the related but different Critical Theory more than two years earlier, which resulted in a resolution from the SBC around Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality in 2019. And all of this was following the backlash to the increasing interest in addressing racism within the Evangelical Christian world. In 2018, The Gospel Coalition and the SBC public policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, jointly hosted the MLK50 Conference on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This was closely followed by the Together for the Gospel Conference (T4G) giving significant time on the program to addressing racism, like this talk by Ligon Duncan.

Looking back, it appears that 2018 was the high point of the Evangelical church's willingness to speak publicly about race, and since that time, race has become a more complex topic to address publicly. However, even the 2018 conferences were too late because a month before the MLK50, the New York Times had an influential article about the Black exodus from predominately white Evangelical churches and institutions following the overwhelming support of Donald Trump by White Evangelicals.

This is probably too long of an introduction, but I think the context is essential to how I am reading Christianity and Critical Race Theory. I am no one important, but I have been involved in discussions around racial issues and the evangelical church for a long time. And I was active in those early online discussions about Critical Race Theory. I watched MLK50 and took my (then) three and four-year-old kids to the 50th anniversary of MLK's funeral in Atlanta. I spent years trying to get my predominately white church to more directly address racial issues more and have small groups and training on race. (I have been leading a small group that started as a Be the Bridge Group and continued for several years.) I have read books and articles by Derrick Bell, Richard Delgado, Kimberle Crenshaw, and others.

I think many will not come with my background in Christianity and Critical Race Theory, and I can't read the book as if I did not have the background that I do. Christianity and Critical Race Theory's authors are particularly well positioned to write this book. Robert Chao Romero and Jeff Liou are both pastors. Both of them have an academic background that is relevant to the book. Romero has a Law degree and Ph.D. and is a Chicano/a and Central American Studies professor at UCLA. Jeff Liou is the director of theological formation for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and is a professor of Christian Ethics with a background in political theology, race, and justice. These authors are Christian Evangelical insiders with academic backgrounds involved in Critical Race Theory long before the recent interest. Romero has a good history of Latino Theology published by Intervarsity. And Liou's position with Intervarsity also shows his insider status.

The format of the book is a traditional reformed structure. The four main chapters examine how Critical Race Theory looks at Creation, Fall (sin), Redemption, and Consummation (Eschatology). There is a significant introduction and conclusion as well. But this is a brief book. As complicated as Critical Race Theory is, this is a good introduction in only 180 pages of the main text.

Like the authors, I think the real strength of Critical Race Theory, in its relationship to Christianity, is in identifying wrong (sin). Of course, CRT does not identify everything Christianity does as sin and vice versa. But that would be asking more than any one sociological approach could accomplish. But the fact that sin is identified, I think, is one of the most directly Christian things about CRT.

The first chapter (creation) is oriented toward diversity as a created reality of God, which will also be part of an eschatological reality. The main point of this first chapter is that all cultures and ethnicities have honor and, in some (limited) sense, reflect God's glory because they are made up of people who are created in the image of God. What is being pushed back against here is a hierarchy of culture as being part of the created order. CRT suggests that race is not a biological but a sociological reality. The creation of race was partly about creating cultural hierarchy, and the church largely embraced that understanding of culture. CRT can help see why that understanding is harmful and theologically wrong.

Chapter three, Redemption, is mainly about how as Christians, we need to see institutions as part of the created order. The authors do not phrase it this way, but Curtis Chang of the Good Faith Podcast regularly talks about institutions being made in the image of God, not just individuals. And I think CRT, because it is oriented toward institutions and systems, not individuals, fits in with Chang's description. This chapter mainly discusses Christian colleges and other Christian institutions and how they can help and harm. But, again, CRT is primarily a diagnostic tool and can help identify how our Christian institutions harm people of color, women, and other minority groups.

The final main chapter is about escatology and the Beloved Community. This is when the authors think CRT has the least to offer Christianity because they view it as lacking hope. This reminds me of Thabiti Anyabwile and Ta-Nehisi Coates's conversation about the role of hope back in 2015. I came away from that conversation thinking that while I theologically mostly agree with Thabiti, I think Ta-Nehisi Coates won the day because he suggests that he does not think that race relations in the US will fundamentally change in either his or his son's lifetime. However, he still works toward change even though he does not think the change will happen. Working toward change that you think will not happen in a hundred years is a type of hope that I think is undervalued. I believe theoretically in the eschatological end where Christ makes everything right. But similar to how I came away from the linked conversation, this chapter feels like it places too much value on the expectation of a future as being a particularly Christian ideal. In many ways, secular and religious people that are not Christians also have hope, even if it is not expressed in the same eschatological language.

I was on board before I started reading Christianity and Critical Race Theory. This book primarily reflects what I believe. I think the message should be read widely, especially by those who are overtly for a Christian view of social justice but have been influenced by the anti-CRT discussion. I have quibbles, but I think this is a book that does well reflecting orthodox Christian belief and an excellent academic understanding of Critical Race Theory.

The publisher provided me with an advance (PDF) copy of the book for purposes of review.

[Jared Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a helpful contribution to the ongoing discussion about CRT and its relationship to the Christian faith. It is written by two faithful Christian pastors with professional academic training in history, law, theology, and ethnic/racial studies. The authors do well to allay the unnecessary alarmism that typically attends evangelical conversations about CRT. They acknowledge the ways in which CRT functions as a helpful tool for diagnosing systemic injustices; but they also fairly critique the ways in which CRT decisively departs from a proper Christian worldview. Their primary critique is that CRT lacks the robust eschatological vision of the Christian faith—and thus, it is more susceptible to cynicism, despair, and in extreme cases, “rhetorical violence.” Nevertheless, CRT also presumes key biblical and theological principles—like the ordinariness of sin, and its pollutive nature.

The authors concede that *some* CRT analysis “skews Marxist”; and they agree that this is a legitimate criticism. But they also rightly dispel the notion that CRT is inherently or even predominantly Marxist in form. The popular Marxist scholar Mike Cole, for instance, has heavily critiqued CRT, and has argued that Marxism and CRT are fundamentally incompatible (see Cole’s book, “Critical Race Theory in Education”). Co-author Robert Chao Romero recounts that his family was forced to flee China because his pastor grandfather “was threatened with death for his religious leadership and convictions.” He states in no uncertain terms that he is “not a Marxist” (p. 9). Nevertheless, Romero rightly submits that “prophetic criticism of economic and racial injustice does not mean that one is a Marxist”; an appeal to Scripture is sufficient to ground that assertion (ibid.). While many seem to assume that all scholarship within CRT is essentially homogenous, and that CRT is a single, monolithic ideology, the authors of this book do well to show that there is great variety of thought among adherents to CRT.

All in all, I thought this was an insightful and well-written volume. I was impressed by the authors’ interdisciplinary prowess; and the abstract nature of their scholarship was made far more tangible through their sharing of relevant stories and personal experiences. While this book is sure to elicit some controversy, I was encouraged by the authors’ irenic and pastoral tone throughout. It is clear that both authors have a hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness—and that this hunger and thirst is informed by the profound eschatological hope of “the glory and honor of the nations” being brought into the city of God (Rev. 21:26).

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: A critical and constructive engagement with Critical Race Theory in light of the Christian faith.

The fallacy of the excluded middle seems present in most conversations I’ve observed concerning Critical Race Theory (CRT). Either someone is utterly dismissive saying things like, “You’re a Marxist, divisive and if you don’t like the United States, you should leave.” Or there are those who are so wounded by their experience of racism that they have withdrawn, believing the United States as incorrigibly corrupt and that Critical Race Theory not only describes what was and is, but also will always be. Sadly each set of voices often feeds off the other, often without real understanding of what Critical Race Theory is and isn’t. There is no middle ground.

For Christians like the authors, who come out of a Reformed background fond of saying “all truth is God’s truth,” the question is whether there is truth in Critical Race Theory, even if, as in so much of scholarship, there is an admixture of error. Are there insights which ring true with scripture? Perhaps more tellingly, as is sometimes the case, are there truths that open our eyes to truth in scripture, that have been cultural blind spots? And are there insights from scripture that correct what is in error or supply what is missing? The subtitle of this book is “a faithful and constructive conversation.” And this is what I found the authors doing. Beginning with the Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation framework of a Reformed Christian faith, they assess key ideas of Critical Race Theory for where these resonate (or not) with scripture. Furthermore they bring their own racial background helpfully into this discussion as an Asian-Latino American (Robert) and an Asian-American (Jeff).

First of all, they offer a brief introduction to the history and basic tenets of CRT. It arose among legal scholars who asked why there was a failure of racial progress despite advances in civil rights. A key insight is the recognition of racism as ordinary, baked into the way we do business as a country, that it advances the interests of the white majority, that “race” is a social construction not based on biological realities, and the “voice of color thesis” that says that people of color may be able to communicate with white counterparts about realities not a part of white experience (if whites are willing to listen).

They begin with Creation and the CRT concept of “Community Cultural Wealth.” This idea contends that rather than some cultures having deficits vis a vis other cultures, that every culture has cultural capital. This recognizes the cultural mandate and blessing of Genesis 1 to fill all the earth, reflected in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 and God’s judgment against the mono-culture of Babel. This diverse wealth is reflected in the glory and honor of the nations brought into the new Jerusalem of Revelation 22. The writers also observe that Jesus as a Galilean was also part of a marginal community, not considered to have the cultural capital of Judean Jews, and as today’s Galileans, they bring a richness to our understanding of Jesus from their own experience.

The Fall is evident in the analysis of racism as the ordinary business of society. A true understanding of the doctrine of the fall understands that sin is more than our individual sins. Sin pervades the human order and how things are done. Even when we say we do not have hatred toward a person of another “race,” sin manifests itself in a system which is set up to benefit some over others, whether in real estate deed restrictions and redlining, differentials in property tax education funding, policing patterns and practices and more. The good news of the gospel in this is that the effects of the fall are remediable, contrary to the beliefs of many secularists. But we have to see it first, and CRT helps us with this.

Turning to Redemption, the “voices of color thesis” offers hope of understanding the realities to which those of us identifying as white may be blind to. More than that, this thesis reflects the idea of the body of Christ in which every part is needed for the health of the whole body. We dismiss voices of color to our own loss. A major part of this chapter focuses on how one of the authors was the lead candidate for a top diversity, equity, and inclusion position at a Christian university, which would have meant leaving a recognized role at a public university. Sadly, top leadership at the school subverted the search committee, choosing an internal candidate who was not a person of color. The author reflects on how his secular institution seemed to recognize the worth of his voice of color more than the Christian institution. He writes tellingly of the role “color blindness” played in this decision and the model Acts 6 of recognizing minority voices, with the resultant flourishing of the church.

Under Consummation, the authors argue for the one of the distinctive contributions Christians may make to CRT. They contend that CRT offers no grounds for an eschatological hope. And sometimes, the resistant response of dominant culture results in deepening alienation, a critique that only envisions divides with no hope of healing. Instead, the authors point to King’s idea of “the beloved community.” In contrast, the authors identify the “gloomy eschaton” of CRT. Christians with a biblically informed eschatological hope live toward a vision of a diverse multitude worshipping a common Lord in Revelation 7:9, sustained by the resurrection of Jesus as the foretaste of his final victory.

Sadly, “Critical Race Theory” has become a rallying cry of our political right. The phrase, unfortunately, lends itself to this, even though few who rail against the theory understand what they are railing against. And because of political alignments, many dominant culture Christians join them. The writers of this book occupy that neglected middle ground, appraising CRT fairly, recognizing both the way it reflects biblical insights into the human condition as well as its shortcomings. They denounce any association of CRT with Marxism, one of the author’s parents having fled the Marxist revolution in China and seeing the havoc it wrought. Perhaps their most original contribution is the recognition of the hope of the gospel rather than the counsels of gloom that prevail in some CRT circles. CRT exposes the insidious character of racism beyond our personal acts, the ways it has been woven into society. The scriptures understand that this, too, is sin. As God’s people, we know a remedy for sin. But we have to face it and repent and lament and confess and turn away, finding pardon and restoration in Christ. That’s painful, but that is often the way it is with healing, whether of our own lives or our nation’s soul.

_______________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Authors Robert Romero and Jeff Liou argue that much of the public controversy over critical race theory is due to knee-jerk reactions against what the media and people at the opposite extreme (pro or con) are saying without a full understanding. The authors, who seem sympathetic to the confused, show how much of the secular theory is supported by biblical teaching when historical and cultural settings are taken into account. One need not assume that secular and ecclesiastical interests are inherently opposed. Most Christians live in both worlds, and it seems obvious to this reader that reconciliation and healing can occur when differing viewpoints are discussed openly and respectfully in the hope of finding common ground. Romero and Liou can help us toward that end.

Both authors are pastors in academic environments who identify as persons of color, Jeff a first-generation Asian-American, Robert of mixed Latinx and Asian heritage. They write from personal experience of racial "microaggressions" in daily life as well as from their knowledge of scripture and political and cultural history. They have given me a clearer understanding of CRT and perspectives that I had not personally experienced as a white mainline Christian female. This book sharpened my growing awareness that the racial strife and divisiveness today is driven by fear of loss of one kind or another and from the mistaken assumption that life is a zero-sum game.

It was a difficult read for two people who left academia 50 years ago (I read it aloud to my husband). It is well organized with subheadings and bullet lists, but long sentences and theological jargon — telos, eschaton, epistemology, hermeneutics, etc. — made our eyes glaze over and sometimes caused us to stop and laugh — as when they quoted a legal scholar's paraphrase of a CRT viewpoint prior to pointing out its shortcomings, all in two sentences totaling 80 words. Huh?

The authors were writing primarily for academia (Baker Academic), and in the end they address church leaders directly. While Jeff's closing paragraph, addressed to "family and friends adrift and longing for welcome," is prayerful, hopeful and heartening, how many drifters (or anti-CRT readers, for that matter, will have the patience to read that far? We need another book bearing the same message in everyday language.

[Dennis Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review from Eleutheria, Liberty Divinity Journal (vol. 7, no. 2)

Robert Chad Romero graduated from law school at U.C. Berkley and holds a Ph.D. in Latin American history. He currently resides in the departments of Chicana/o, Central American, and Asian American Studies at UCLA. Jeff Liou is the National Director of Theological Formation for InterVarsity Christianity Fellowship/USA and is an assistant professor at Fuller Seminary. Romero has authored the award-winning Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity, a watershed work concerning Latina/o justice and religious history. The main contention of Christianity and Critical Race Theory is that Critical Race Theory (CRT) is helpful to Christianity. Many of its basic tenets align with and can provide insight into Christian life and theological reflection. Romero and Liou outwork this thesis in six chapters: Introduction: Critical Race Theory in Christianity, Creation: Community Cultural Wealth and the Glory and Honor of Nations (exploring the cultural treasure that students of color bring to an educational environment, which corresponds to the “glory and honor” of the nations in Rev. 21:26), Fall: Sin and Racism-the Ordinary Business of Society (examines the normal and regular occurrence of racism and its relation to a nuanced understanding of social hamartiology), Redemption: Critical Race Theory in Institutions (race-consciousness and color-blindness in Christian higher education, where effort should be focused on listening to student’s professed racialized experiences and needs), Consummation: Made to Be Image Bearers (how Christian eschatology in relation to the beloved community can offer a unique redemptive disruption and hope to justice efforts). Romero and Liou have constructed an impressive work that should be mandatory reading for any Christian institution. Its significant contribution is to offer a sympathetic framework and method for engaging CRT, which has been unjustly lambasted within many conservative circles.

[MG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kudos to the Baker Academic for publishing this. This listing fails to note that this book is actually cowritten with Jeff M. Liou, who deserves his due. I can't think of a better book to give an open and curious Christian who seeks to understand all the controversy surrounding "critical race theory," considering how it has become a weaponized term in politically conservative circles. Romero and Liou argue that as Christians they have found CRT very helpful and deeply consistent with Christian teachings. Yes, they note that there are Marxist and other radical treatments of CRT that are not as helpful and there are some proponents that lack hope and so serve to perpetuate divisions rather than be in service to bringing people together. Still, at its heart, CRT reveals the many sinful dimensions of racism and how our culture has perpetuated the idea that "white culture" is the norm and ideal. One aspect that I found very helpful is that the authors share stories mostly about discrimination against Asian-Americans and Latinos, which broadens the standard polarities of black vs. white so many treatments use. Getting American Christians to understand how they have perpetuated a sinful system should not be difficult considering their willingness to defend "original sin" as an essential belief. But such are the devious ways of the human heart.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

They do a fabulous job of responding to Christian rejection of CRT by defining what it is, and then showing some of the ways it gives us helpful terminology that fits well with Christian theology, but then also showing that it lacks an eschatological vision, a strong appropriation of the beloved community that provides hope and a vision for the future. And along the way they show the problems with colorblindness and leadership that isn't serious about making changes. I will note that while I felt that Chapter 4 (Consummation) included lots of important information, I struggled a bit with what felt to me like a lack of linear progression.

One of my favorite things about the book is the way they bring Rev 21:26 into the discussion. They talk about the glory and honor of the nations as the cultural resources God has bestowed on every culture, and the ways that multiculturalism isn't just putting people with a variety of skin colors up front, but rather it is leaning into a sketch of the coming kingdom by building places where people from every race and culture can be our full selves and benefit together from all of our different cultural resources. I love the way that vision of the Beloved Community is fleshed out with Revelation.

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. A demonstration of the fact that far from being "antithetical" to the Christian faith, there is actually quite a bit of overlap between the insights of Critical Race Theory and the core tenets of Christianity. The book takes as its framework the basic "Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation" framework and shows how CRT has resonance with the Christian faith at each one of these points. Of course, we are comparing two very different things--an analytical framework mainly used in legal studies, and a religious faith, so *of course* the two are not identical, nor are the resonances 1-to-1. Romero and Liou also show at a number of points where Christianity supplies answers (eschatological hope!) that CRT lacks--this is not an uncritical book.

Nevertheless, having (finally!) started to read some CRT (Delgado & Stefancic, Derrick Bell, Robert Williams), I agree with the authors: "CRT is *helpful*."

Just say no to the Anti-Wokeness Crusaders and take up some of the most penetrating and honest critiques of American structural racism -- it's the only way forward.

[Marleny Rothans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many books written by prominent Christians today (from Jackie Hill Perry to Allie Beth Stuckey) usually present their own experiences/anecdotes as irrefutable data with skin-deep references to the Bible as validation for their opinions, prejudices, and overall worldview. Those works often result in readers labeling societal issues with misnomers, preventing them from coming to terms with a deep understanding of scripture. What Robert Chao Romero accomplished with this book is exactly what the title says: a faithful and constructive conversation. Romero allowed his opinion on critical race theory to be informed by the Word of God, pointing out that while its uses outnumber its drawbacks, it is still a cultural and thus imperfect framework that must always be held against scripture. As a professional in the world of academia, Romero's book is filled with citations from the Bible, peer-researched social and scientific studies, and possesses an undertone of humility throughout. In my opinion as both a Christian and biracial woman, it is worth the read.

[Bethany Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start this review off by saying thank you to Robert Chao Romero and Jeff Liou for writing this book. It has become not just another book for me but a resource that I can use to help in my own writings on different topics regarding race and the “whiteness” of Christianity in America. This book stands as a powerful testimony of not only the authors’ lives as BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) Christians but includes stories of people that the authors know very well - some students, some professors, some family members.

Although the book is written by two very intellectual men, it is not hard to read and understand. Romero and Liou do a great job at breaking down the term Critical Race Theory very early on in the book and continue to reiterate the importance of it throughout the text. I was hesitant that this book would read more like an academic text without too much biblical context included but I was proven wrong very early in my reading. I spent a lot of time highlighting different lines in the book that discuss racism and the excuses people use for it.

After reading this book I realize that, as a country, America has come a long way from where we once stood but we still have a LONG way to go. Romero and Liou provide some insight as to how we can continue to move toward a nation in which Christian people claim their BIPOC brothers and sisters in Christ as just that - brothers and sisters in Christ - and not look at them as any “different” than their white counterparts. After all, God created all men and women in His image. Whenever we look at our fellow Christians, we should see Christ and not the color of the skin they’re in.

[Nancy Peifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I’ve been wanting someone to write ever since CRT became a hot topic, because the way it is being used as something akin to Marxism does NOT line up with my experience reading about CRT in my graduate work. CRT is being misused as an excuse to not deal with our current racial issues by much of the “Christian” right and that is wrong on so many levels. This book, by two true Christians who are qualified by their academic studies to speak about CRT, shines a bright light on this very murky misuse of a valid tool. It is definitely an academic read, but worth it and not too far beyond the reach of us non-academics!

[Jon Bauman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a helpful book for the church to understand CRT, and to see where it aligns with the scriptures, where it is often misunderstood, and where Christianity can allow for it to present hope to the world through the beloved community of every tribe, tongue, and nation. I found the personal stories, and the breaking down of actual CRT theory to be very helpful. However, I was admittedly wanting more from the concluding arguments.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info here and some helpful references to Scriptural basis for the work of CRT. I’m put off by the blatant and abrupt dismissal of Wesley’s Christian Perfection, especially since I’ve always believed this is a helpful tool for understanding our identity as image-bearers. But alas, there’s no discussion, just a brush off.

[Justin Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume on actual-CRT is accessible, careful, and deeply Christian, and I hope it will be widely read. See my podcast conversation with one of the authors here: https://inallthings.org/podcast-demys...

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sure-footed and sensible book, Robert Chao Romero and Jeff Liou cut through the noise and foolishness of contemporary culture wars to generate a theologically sound and pastorally sensitive conversation. I am thankful for their much-needed contribution!

[Joel Wentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super-readable and well-researched consideration of points of overlap between historic Christian doctrine and academic CRT.

See full video review here: https://youtu.be/HOpOZmnTn4k

[Denise Sudbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this the possible common ground between evangelicals and everybody else?

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a good, but very basic, introduction to CRT, and an interesting take on how they believe Christianity and CRT can work together.

[Deb Handrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Antioch podcast is offering an 8 week deep dive with CRT and this book is part of their discussion.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot. It is clear, understandable, and very well written. For those Christians who have issue with CRT, please give this a read.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really thoughtful theology. The focus is more on theology than on CRT, though helpful concepts highlighted by CRT help illuminate Biblical themes.