On November 25th, Lighthouse Trails received a link to a YouTube documentary titled “The Stain of Albert Mohler”(1) that documents how the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) passed a resolution (Resolution 9) this past summer (2019) which adopts “Critical Race Theory” (a theory that claims to be a solution to ending racism but according to critics is actually a theory enveloped in Marxism).
A June 18th 2019 Federalist article titled “In Last-Minute Move, Southern Baptist Convention Supports Anti-Christian Racial Identity Politics,” expresses concerns over the resolution:
The largest Protestant denomination in North America, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), officially adopted “critical race theory” and “intersectionality” as “analytical tools” to be used in fostering racial reconciliation in the church. These key drivers of identity politics, however, are more likely to produce racial discord and strike at Christianity itself.
A OneNewsNow article titled “Critical Race Theory—A Bait-and-Switch Tactic Infiltrating the Church” further explains the issue:
Critical Race Theory (often referred to as CRT) teaches that American culture is rife with white supremacy and baked-in racism, and is used—often subconsciously—to hold women and people of color back. According to pastor and talk-show host Abraham Hamilton III, it’s the philosophy behind identity politics and comes straight out of the Marxist playbook.
“[CRT] doesn’t depend on your personal feeling, sentiment, [or] heart condition—it’s based on the group that you’re born into,” [Hamilton] explained recently on American Family Radio. “It completely eliminates individual responsibility, individual sin and expands it to corporate sin. And based on how you’re born, you are immediately ascribed into an ‘oppressor’ or ‘oppressed’ group.” . . .
“Jesus articulated the primary commandments: love God with your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself,” [Hamilton] concluded. “We don’t need these anti-Christ, unbiblical tools to teach us how to love our neighbors as ourselves—the scripture is sufficient for that.”
In “The Stain of Albert Mohler” documentary, Tom Buck, a SBC pastor who contested Resolution 9 at the SBC convention in June, noted that Resolution 9 acknowledges that Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality(2) alone were insufficient to diagnose and redress the root causes of the social ills they identified. Furthermore, Buck stated:
Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality are . . . 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.
In his rebuttal statements against Resolution 9, Buck quoted Colossians 2:8, then added:
When it came to worldly philosophy and human tradition, Paul did not tell the Colossians to adopt or adapt but to abandon.
One SBC pastor announced, after SBC adopted Resolution 9, that his church was withdrawing from the SBC:
At the last Southern Baptist Convention, the messengers from the churches voted to include Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality as tools to help us interpret the Bible. Now if you don’t know what Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality mean, among other things, it is the notion that if you’re born white, you’re already a racist; it doesn’t matter what you feel or how you act. You’re just a racist. All of the radical liberal progressive thought is in those terms in order to appease the culture and get along. (minute mark 3:20 of video)
Abraham Hamilton III, who has a podcast on American Family Radio devoted to exposing the dangers of Critical Race Theory, explained how some of these social justice “theories” have entered the church:
The way it’s getting into the church, you have people presenting these ideas – Critical Race Theory and other things—as something that they are not. . . . They’re not adhering to the traditional definitions and applications [so they can] get the foot in the door—and then once the foot is in the door, the applications return to the original definitions.
The documentary identifies Albert Mohler (president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) as one of the main proponents for bringing CRT into the SBC. It first shows Mohler addressing a group from a previous time and saying:
Critical Theory(3) of the Frankfurt School, coming out of the the left-wing of Marxism in Europe, was basically, and this is what is key, was a repudiation of consensual politics. So [in] this critical theory and all that came out of this horror, Marxism emerged from the idea that democratic politics won’t work. It’s not going to get to revolution. It’s not going to get to justice; therefore, there has to be a confrontation all the way down to the foundation, and that’s the critical means, taking it apart. And so they wanted to blow up the world basically ideologically. Basically it was a matter of identifying all the structures of authority and of order in society as repressive. (minute mark 5:32)
And yet, while Mohler condemned Critical Theory in the above quote, as the documentary shows through live footage, Mohler has actually embraced CRT which is an offshoot of Critical Theory.
Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory are basically “cultural Marxism.” The documentary gives this definition of cultural Marxism:
Cultural Marxism is a broad term which refers to the advocacy and application of critical theory and more generally to the cultural political and academic influence of certain elements within the contemporary Left. . . . is the creation of interdisciplinary theories that might serve as instruments of social transformation. . . .
Gender, sexual orientation, family, race, culture, or religion—every aspect of a person’s identity is to be questioned; every norm or standard in society be challenged and ideally altered in order to benefit supposedly oppressed groups. . . .
Cultural Marxism is such a conflict as existing between the oppressed and the oppressors, between those with privilege and those without. . . . Majority groups are typically defined as privileged and oppressive with minority groups accordingly labeled underprivileged and oppressed. Heterosexuals are oppressive. Cisgender(4) people are oppressive. Whites are oppressive, especially white men. Christians are oppressive. Those that do not fit into these groups are thus considered oppressed. If whites are oppressors, the solution is racial diversity. If Cisgender people are oppressors, the solution is to encourage transgenderism. (minute mark 9:15)
Author and pastor David Platt, who was President of the SBC International Mission Board for four years until 2018, was quoted on the documentary as well, showing his affinity with CRT. In live footage on the documentary, Platt says that basically the evangelical church is propagating racism rather than helping to diminish it. The narrator of the film refutes Platt’s statements:
Platt’s sermon is not based in biblical truth but in the ideology of Critical Race Theory of cultural Marxism. His basic presupposition is that white Christians are not only immersed in racism but are actually increasing the racial divide. He exhorts churches to repent of racism and to set up multi-ethnic communities in order to achieve racial reconciliation, but Scripture teaches otherwise. All true believers are one in Christ so there is no racial divide in the true Church of God—for black Christians and white Christians are one in Christ; they are reconciled in Christ. (minute mark 56:06)
The documentary draws to a conclusion with a statement by Pastor Voddie Baucham about true and legitimate racial reconciliation from a sermon he gave from Ephesians 2:
He [the apostle Paul] starts off talking about what the Gentiles didn’t have, and we end up talking about what Jews and Gentiles now have because of the Cross. Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself, being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit. That’s racial reconciliation, and it’s not something you and I have to achieve. It’s something you and I have to believe because Christ has already achieved it. It is done. It is real. We are one in Christ. You need to be reminded of your union; you need to strengthen your union . . . same thing with racial reconciliation—we are reconciled in Christ; we don’t need to achieve racial reconciliation, we just need to walk in the racial reconciliation that Christ achieved at the Cross. It’s ours. It’s real, and I don’t need sociology books in order to walk in this reconciliation. I need God’s book in order to walk in this reconciliation. (minute mark 57:00)
Countless men, women, and children, throughout the history of man, have been hurt and ostracized, sexually and physically abused, and even murdered by those who have hated and had evil and murder in their hearts. The answer in today’s world for this is socialism, social justice, changing views on gender and sexuality, New Age thought, radical feminism, and now cultural Marxism through CRT. But these are not the answers the church should embrace. These ideologies are powerless substitutes for the only viable and true solution—and that is the Cross. And any group that claims to represent that Cross (e.g., SBC) should have nothing to do with the world’s “solutions” that will never work but rather should be proclaiming the Gospel to an unsaved, lost, and hurting world. Those who embrace Critical Race Theory (which broadens the terms racist and white supremacist to include virtually all white people) believe CRT is going to help end racial tensions and create a more loving world. On the contrary, it is going to cause animosity, suspicion, anger, and all the things that are the opposite of God’s love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter).
Let us remember this too: Man’s adversary, Satan, does not care about anyone of any race, color, gender, or culture. He only uses people to propagate and accomplish his horribly wicked evil plans. And his ultimate goal is to keep people from Christ and His salvation. As utterly horrible as abuse, bigotry, rape, hate, and murder are, there is something even worse, and that is to be eternally lost without Christ.
Promoters of Resolution 9 say there is a “massive” racism problem within SBC. If that is truly the case, then SBC should take Abraham Hamilton’s advice and realize this is not a corporate sin (that would be saying every white SBC pastor and leader is a racist); rather, the problem lies with individuals within SBC (or within any evangelical group) who hate, belittle, or devalue those of different races; and it would be hard not to wonder if such individuals have ever truly been born of the Spirit for it is that Holy Spirit who puts the love of God in our hearts, giving us the desire and ability to love God and love our neighbor. What’s more, to view any individual as less valuable and worthy of hate or disdain because of the color of his skin is going completely against the God of the Bible who created man (of all races) in His image and who loved each person so much He gave His Son to die on the Cross that any person who believes on Him will have eternal life. Thus, if SBC does have a racist problem, then they have a salvation problem with too many of its members, and that is what should be focused on because when that problem is solved, the other will begin to be solved also.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (1 John 3:14)
APPENDIX
Having written an article about such a sensitive and important issue, we did not want to include more commentary than needed. However, there is an important observation we feel we cannot leave out, though we know some readers will not like it nor agree with it.
Calvinism (in particular what old-school Calvinists call neo/emergent Calvinism) has been overtaking SBC churches and seminaries to an alarming degree. J.D. Greear, the SBC’s current president, falls in this category as do many of the men who are promoting CRT. While Calvinists and Reformed would vehemently deny that Calvinism has anything to do with the infiltration of anti-biblical Marxist-leaning beliefs, we believe there is a definite connection. Many, many, many of the young men who were mentored and trained in Calvinism by the older seasoned Calvinists to become pastors have turned emergent. How did this happen? If the foundation upon which one’s “faith” is faulty to begin with, then the building itself will too become faulty. Calvinism presents a “God” who does not love every person and who wants to send the majority of people to Hell. Very likely, it’s because of this distorted unloving and unbiblical view of God that so many young Calvinists (and some older ones too) have become emergent, and maybe that’s even why they now are so compelled to turn to socialism and Marxism for solutions.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
Endnotes:
- Documentary produced by Dr. E.S. Williams of London Metropolitan Tabernacle. Documentary Link: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+stain+of+al+mohler&&view=detail&mid=D5B0FCFFAA840A49DC23D5B0FCFFAA840A49DC23&&FORM=VRDGAR.
- Intersectionality is the idea that there are people who have overlapping oppressed and “oppressor” social identities (e.g., someone who is poor, uneducated, and homosexual; or someone who is white, male, and educated).
- CRT is an offshoot of Critical Theory according to the documentary as is social justice and feminism.
- Cisgender refers to people who identify themselves with the sex/gender to which they are born.
(Illustration design of heart shaped people and cross by Lighthouse Trails; photos used for design are from bigstockphoto.com; used with permission.)
Related Articles:
“Parting With National Body, Tennessee Baptists Repudiate Critical Race Theory“
“In Last-Minute Move, Southern Baptist Convention Supports Anti-Christian Racial Identity Politics“
“Critical Race Theory – a bait-and-switch tactic infiltrating the Church“
The Dangerous Truth About the Social-Justice “Gospel”
Oneness vs. Separation Heresy “Now” in the Church
Resources:
Understanding the Gospel with Harry Ironside
Calvinism and Reformed Theology
Val. I think the left persecutes Zionists more than Jews. They see the Zionists as oppressors of the Arab peoples, that have Christians in their ranks too I might add. As I’m sure you know, all Jews aren’t Zionists including the Orthodox. But, oddly enough, if you do some research you will find that much of the historic left in both the US and Europe had a lot of Jewish ties. Still kind of a mystery to me. Jon
I agree with Andrews sentiment. Division within the church is rampant…and also, one should consider the history of the SBC. It’s origins were solidly “Calvinistic”.
Moeller is not my representative. Christ is. I hide in Him.
I do not agree with Moeller, BLM, CRT, or intersectionality. I am appalled by the thought that this has been accepted into the Resolutions of the Southern Baptist, but not surprised. They are losing multitudes of congregants, forsaking truth, and looking for a means to stop the exodus.
They seem to be relying on world’s method of attraction.
However, this does not assault Reformed doctrine any more than the lack of sincere involvement of those sitting in the pews in the majority of Southern Baptist churches suggest that the SBC teaches poor and vacuous theology. The issue is the heart and mind.
Andrew, regarding your comment, “He [Calvin] was so much more than an expositor of election. Calvin is actually widely considered to be “The Theologian of the Holy Spirit.” He definitely was so much more given that he was directly or indirectly responsible for the executions of at least 36 people. For that reason alone, we cannot consider him to be a theologian of God’s Spirit.
I’m a little late to the game on this blog post, but the issue has been resurrected and magnified in recent days. I so greatly appreciate the thoughts on CRT and the church. This article should stand as a helpful resource to many believers.
However, keep in mind that you are, ironically, quoting a reformed Calvinist preacher and theologian in Voddie Baucham. I myself am a believer who affirms the scriptural compatibility of the doctrines of grace and much of what Calvin taught (yet, I do not call myself a “Calvinist.” I take 1 Corinthians 3:4 very seriously). And I, with equal conviction, also affirm that CRT has no place in the Christian worldview or Church.
Please keep in mind that soteriology was only one aspect of Calvin’s teaching. He was so much more than an expositor of election. Calvin is actually widely considered to be “The Theologian of the Holy Spirit.” Respectfully, it is a bit flippant to connect Calvinist theology with the acceptance of CRT.
Just as Pastor Hamilton rightly condemns CRT for assigning corporate sin to groups or categories of people, I wonder if it’s fair to say that your appendix is, in essence, doing the same thing among the brethren.
Thank you Lighthouse for this warning for all Christians. The Black Lives Matter movement is right out of Satans playbook. Karl Marx called Religion the opium of the people. Marx was a satanist who hated God. All of our Government workers that have been kneeling down these last few weeks are showing submission and agreeing with B.L.M. That Racism comes from white privilege in America and Europe. Do we understand Christians? I am a Born Again Christian. The Lord Jesus Christ washed away my sins. I trusted Him as my personal Savior. The Bible taught me to love all people. Jew and Gentile alike. Dark or light skinned. All People!!! The Bible is clear about this. I would not bow the knee because what B.L.M. Is telling us is a lie. Remember to a Marxist truth is a lie and a lie is truth. We live in the last days. Even so Come Lord Jesus!
A beautiful testimonial Dawn. Thank you for sharing that. You found your satisfaction in Him and in His Word. The true food (and living water) for a soul.
I am a born again believer. I remember the day God called me to him in the backyard of my home in rural Texas. My faith must be very simple because I believe in the literal interpretation of God’s Word. He reveals so much to me through His Word. I do not understand Calvinism or CRT. I am not sure how I managed to get through college without being tainted by Marxism, Darwinism, Nietzche or all the rest. Based on my faith in God and in His Son Christ Jesus I could never make any sense of the other stuff. It seemed trivial and useless to me. I don’t understand why people are enthralled by it, embrace it or believe in it. I don’t even understand Oprah’s philosophy.
I am 74 years old. I prefer my theology Bible based. I had Rick Warren shoved down my throat several years ago and others have tried it since. No, it is fake. I used to teach Bible classes to adults but they were not really interested in what the Bible says. They were enthralled with what Beth Moore, Rick Warren and Hybell had to say. I have pretty much given up on the mainstream church. I still belong to an SBC but … only because out of the 3 churches in my community it seems to stay closest to the Word. The Disciples of Christ Church’s Lesbian pastor lives with her significant other openly and boldly. The Methodist Church is now embroiled with the LGBTQ controversy and the embargo movement against Israel. The SBC went off the tracks about 3-4 years ago full-blown Rick Warren. We tried 2 other Baptist churches in nearby towns (rural area) and discovered they were also infected with the Rick Warren dogma.
Since my husband is disabled, we mainly stay at home. I share my thoughts/beliefs/observations on blogs like this one or in emails to my friends and family and on my FB page also friends and family. Pray for those of us who are being driven away from the church by those who refuse to read the Word and abide in it. I have been a Christian since I was 7 years old.
Excellent article and I agree, this Obamaism (Critical Race Theory) has stretched far and wide in churches. And within the church context, it appears to be accepted through the false god John Calvin who was a humanist and antisemite.
You notice, these race agitators never mention Jews by name, they mainly focus on blacks and a minute portion on brown ethnic groups, though excluding Jews. The Jewry is the most persecuted people on the planet and always have been, outside of Christians. Reformers take Jews out of the picture in Scripture and it appears from Christianity as a whole. And is it any wonder, Russell Moore built a mosque for Muslims? This pseudo ethics’ movement is one with Islam which is about eliminating the Jewish race.
Within liberal Christiandom, it holds a desire to remove strong believers who believe in the Scriptures from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 from these fellowships. Behind the scenes, they implement their own “hate” agendas to do so.
Love to all the discerning ones, Val Lee
Keep up the GREAT work Lighthouse Trails!!
You are standing for TRUTH!!
Mike, you said, “For the first time I feel that LHT was not completely fair in using this one thing to explain the other. It seemed really forced to me.” We have been writing about Calvinism for some time now, and have at times tied it in to the issues at hand. This wasn’t the first time and definitely not the most in depth. For instance, in our article about Josh Harris’ announcement that he was departing from the Christian faith, we connected the dots to show how the influence of Calvinism played a role. https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=30549.
From the article:
Bold, mine.
I agree, but the problem with “proclaiming the Gospel” is that the majority of “gospel” preachers today do not know the meaning of “repentance” as it pertains to salvation.
As long as repentance is taught to be “turning from sin” instead of what it really is–a change of mind causing one to turn from any means of salvation other than believing in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross–the false gospel of lordship “salvation” (LS) will dominate, and the many attacks on the true Gospel will continue. This CRT business is only one of many attacks.
As for “Reformed” Calvinism, LS is one of its many components. It’s no accident that Calvinists are staunch promoters of LS (though not all LS-ers would call themselves Calvinists).
I am not a Calvinist but I do believe in God’s sovereignty in saving souls. I think the bible teaches it. I couldn’t do a good job of explaining what Calvin says about it. And so you can see why I was taken back by your addendum. You did a great job with the CRT issue. It would have been good to stop there in my opinion because it seemed really far reaching to say the CRT issue is related to Calvinism or Lutheranism or Catholicism, or Hinduism. Marxism, yes. Just like it would be really strange if you connected Calvinism to any other thing like contemplative prayer (that you rightfully denounce) or mysticism, or anti-Semitism. For the first time I feel that LHT was not completely fair in using this one thing to explain the other. It seemed really forced to me.
If you really feel this way then you should have left it for another article where you could explain the connection in greater detail.
You helped me greatly when I needed to get out of a church that was leaning into contemplative spirituality. With this article you could just as easily said that CS was due to the Calvinist doctrines of some churches. That’s how out of place your connection felt to me.
Sorry, I think it was a mistake
Oh, the calvinists and their (militant?) warnings are so predictable. Lighthouse Trails, you carry on; you’re on the right track.
I have mentioned, in private correspondence to Lighthouse, that there are born-agains everywhere, also alluding to the fact that it is so despite the specific organizations’ “belief” systems. Calvinism is a false gospel, and it’s becoming clearer as we go towards the end of this age; like it or not.
And Lighthouse, you are right. Not to warn (in love and with compassion for souls) against evil is much worse than playing on a “hobby horse.” Pass my lasso.
Another comment came in this morning from another reader regarding Calvinism, but she mistakenly posted it on another post.
Mike,
We have earnestly and wholeheartedly become convinced that Calvinism (especially with this younger generation of Calvinists who are virtually leading the way now) is indeed very connected and related to much of the apostasy coming into the church. We believe it is one of the main causes (not the only one) because of its very nature. Many have turned against us because of our stand on this, but we are convinced and convicted that this is what we are supposed to do. Thus, it would be negligent and wrong to not write about it when we do believe it is very much related to what is going on. This is much much more serious than a “hobby horse.”
I think we should all stick to the topic (CRT) and not attempt to link it to something else (Calvinism). I’m disappointed to see this kind of connection made just because there are some who are Calvinists and are proponents of CRT. These are totally separate issues.
It really comes across as a hobby horse. And by the way, there are many solid believers who understand and believe the scriptures from a reformed perspective and only tie their understanding to the scriptures with no influence from or thought about Calvin. And they too believe CRT to be a dangerous road to go down.
I’ve been a supporter of LHT for many years and I hope you’ll not be tempted in the future to use every opportunity to use hot topics of the day to fight unrelated battles. That’s what the other side does.
yes, it is history that Calvin had people executed.
Can anything good come from SBC? Didn’t Graham and Warren, the two most destructive people of Biblical Christianity come from SBC?
Unless I am wrong, I read that John Calvin had a few dissidents burned at the stake for heresy. That sounds militant and violent to me.
The original sin of the SBC was unfaithfulness to the Word. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and other denominations cherry-picked the Scriptures (accepting verses that seemed to allow slavery, but ignoring verses that forbade kidnapping and slave trading and refusing to help fugitive slaves). The Southern slaveholder also gave precedence to science over the Scriptures, embracing polygenism (the theory that said the different races had more than one parent—which conflicted with Acts 17:26, that all nations came from “one blood.” They also embraced the false teaching called the “curse of Ham.” The abolitionists argued against them using the Bible, but then they were mocked, rejected, and even mobbed and tarred and feathered. The SBC seems to be repeating the same mistake. They are embracing an ideology which conflicts with biblical teaching—again. It can only end in division and suffering. The root sin of the SBC wasn’t racism—it was unfaithfulness to the Lord and his Word —which produced the rotten fruit of racism and slavery. They need to repent for adding an “analytical tool” (the bitter Marxist view of the world: oppressor group v. oppressed group) to biblical truth which holds individuals accountable for their sin. Why are God’s people always being seduced away from being faithful to God’s Word?
I was wondering about Albert Mohler as I was reading this article. It does become understandable that such a repugnant doctrine as T.U.L.I.P. could descend into more false doctrine.
Elizabeth, what you are seeing is Calvinism’s real face. It’s so ugly that it can’t hide any longer. To be continued. . .
Oh. My. Problems in the Calvinist’s little stronghold, the SBC? Calvinists like Mohler, Platt (the social gospel pusher) and Voddie Baucham are having it out. Oh. My. Well, anything to help Calvinism fall upon itself, I say. Light has nothing to do with darkness. Years ago, a learned PhD (well, I guess one has to know something to have a PhD) born-again Christian philosopher warned against Calvinism and its latent militancy. Search, and you’ll find it, and at the time I agreed. I still do.
Well? Anything to let this evil fall upon itself.
I am horrified to see what Albert Mohler and his co-horts are doing to the Southern Baptist Convention. I guess this is the natural outcome from Emergents. This takes away individual responsibility and what it means to have a new life in Christ, irregardless of social status, race or gender. Arrogant so-called intellectuals think they know more than the Bible. Will there be faith left on the earth when Jesus returns?