Untangling Critical Race Theory, Ed Uszynski. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514004814) 2024.
Summary: By explaining the central assertions of critical race theory, offers constructive and critical assessment.
Until my retirement, I worked in collegiate ministry. In recent years, I increasing faced questions from concerned Christians about “Critical Race Theory” (hereafter CRT). I found it helpful to ask what my questioners meant by this term. Often, I discovered that my questioners often didn’t know what they meant but had heard concerns expressed in the media. I saw that it was important to untangle what critical race theory actually is from the media versions of CRT. As a Christian, I care deeply about separating truth from false accusation. I wish I had had this book!
Ed Uszynski describes his own journey of dealing with issues of race, from growing up in the Cleveland area, his observations of racist treatment of athletes in the sports ministry with which he worked, and his encounter with critical race theory in his doctoral studies. He describes his own attempts to parse out critical race theory in relation to his faith. This meant going back to its roots in Marxism. While Marx’s solution is disastrous, Uszynski found insightful his analysis of the ways capitalism oppresses whole classes of people. He saw the systemic realities Marx describe in the lives of his own parents.
More immediately, CRT arises from critical theory, which developed out of Marxism in the Frankfurt School. He begins by stating that “CT should be chastised for its illiberal, cynical, and unredemptive vision of the world.” Uszynski notes key themes of the insatiable pursuit of profit, the invisible influence of power, the on-the-ground conflict of politics, and the influence of Postmodernism. He observes that CT makes sense of life without God in a broken world. Specifically, it helps explain human alienation, it takes power seriously, it exposes problems with Capitalism, and it takes structural sin seriously, speaking for the oppressed.
From here, Uszynski traces the rise of CRT to Harvard Law Professor Derrick Bell in the 1970’s. Bell was asking why integration efforts weren’t working. He began to recognize how racist hierarchies and systems were embedded in American life. This work was further developed by Kimberle’ Crenshaw. Much of the work focused on how racism is embedded in social structures and reflected in laws, practices, and policies, despite civil rights efforts. Then Uszynski offers what I think is a key chapter in summarizing key tenets of CRT. You find CRT’s critiques of objectivity, of colorblindness, and the importance of the voice and experience of minorities.
Then, the discussion turns to why the varied responses to CRT. Uszynski distinguishes between CRT as a framework and as a faith. The former is helpful, and actually draws out many truths found in scripture about how sin may be systemic as well as personal (read the prophets), and how the powerful use structures and laws to their own benefit at the expense of others. The framework identifies injustices that Christians ought care for. Meanwhile, he recognizes how, for some, it has coalesced into a worldview, a kind of secular faith without the power of the gospel to bring lament, repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.
In a later part of the book, he offers two chapters addressing concerns that have been raised about CRT. He addresses the contention that CRT focuses too much on race, sees race everywhere, all the time, that all whites are racists, and that in the Marxist paradigm, all whites are oppressors and Blacks victims.] Furthermore, he addresses the contentions that CRT is divisive, judges everyone according to groups, blames us for others’ racist sins, and overplays systemic injustice and underplays personal responsibility.
For those looking for an unqualified endorsement of CRT or a merciless takedown of CRT, this is not your book. It will probably leave you angry. Uszynski moves beyond simplistic binaries to offer what is both a constructive and critical assessment. He also identifies five stumbling blocks to thinking Christianly about CRT. He recommends:
- Separate the secular culture conflict from the church culture conflict.
- Educate yourself out of crosscultural shallowness.
- Take seriously your theological myopia.
- Examine yourself for biblical selectivity.
- Confront your ethnic indifference.
As these points make evident, the book primarily addresses white Christians, and particularly evangelicals. This may sound like “wokism” to some. Instead, I read this as a serious effort to discuss what it means to be “awake” and engaged redemptively with realities of race. If you are willing to admit that you may not know what CRT is beyond the caricatures and want to dig in, this book is for you.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
