Critical Race Theory and the UK

Short Read (5-6 minutes)

“CRT is an ideology that sees my ‘blackness’ as victimhood and their ‘whiteness’ as oppression. We are absolutely clear that the government stands unequivocally against critical race theory. Any school that teaches these elements of CRT as fact, or promotes partisan political views such as defunding the police without offering balanced treatment of opposing views is breaking the law.” 

Olukemi Badenoch -Conservative Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden

“Critical Race Theory is the most exciting development in contemporary legal studies” 

Professor Cornel West (Harvard University)

These two expressions, one from a black leader in the UK Parliament and the other an American Academic at Harvard University are strikingly different perspectives when understanding the impact that race and racism has in the context of the west.  Is Critical Race Theory a force for good or an evil that does more to separate us than to unite us?

Throughout my life, whether it be protesting with Black Lives Matter or teaching GCSE history on the British Empire or even discussing with my church small group the battles of ethnic groups in the Hebrew scriptures, CRT provides a framework for understanding history and the ability to articulate to different cultures the message of the Good News. CRT is a system that tries to understand who the oppressor is, why they act as they do and who is being oppressed because of their racial origin. It has become shorthand in politics for an approach to race relations that asks white people to consider their structural advantage within a system that has, historically, been profoundly racist.

Critical Race Theory is an ideological tool that has been debated within the UK Parliament. The Honourable Minister from Saffron Walden, (a black MP) publicly denounced CRT as something that is partisan and something that this (Conservative) government can never allow. This was a result after a 6 hour debate within the chamber of parliament about black History Month, last October.  Was this Conservative MP correct? What does the Christian faith and tradition say about CRT?  

For some Christians, CRT is an ideology antithetical to the gospel because it tries to attempt to understand the world with a racialised worldview. For others (especially black and asian Christians)  it is a helpful tool people could employ to facilitate justice and love of neighbour. CRT is a movement aimed at providing an anti-racist understanding of the relationships between race and law. CRT Scholar Dr. Nathan Luis Cartagena, an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College explains, “CRT is not a single theory, method or analytic tool, rather it is a diverse, contested, and multi-layered movement. This tool helps us to understand the racial past of oppression and attempts to change the present.” This comes out of legal studies at Harvard University from the 20th Century when scholars were trying to understand laws and move forward in the American racial landscape. Since this theory was promoted by progressive activists and evangelical intellectuals, the discourse has been: Are you for it or against it? This can be as polarizing as the word feminism.

Therefore, we must ask, “What do you mean by CRT?”. The creator of CRT, Derrick Bells says that CRT is a body of legal scholarship, now about a decade old, a majority of whose members are both existentially people of color and ideologically committed to the struggle against racism, particularly as institutionalized by law. Many of the scholars who are of white-European descent are committed to the overthrow of their own racial privilege. This theory considers voices of the oppressed as well as factual critique. 

Olukemi Badenoch provides no convincing evidence for her statement and the overall declaration of condemnation of this theory. I don’t believe Ms. Badenoch has studied the theory or interacted with the deep scholarship, to help not just her political party (often not standing up for the oppressed)  but the whole of the UK become better reconcilers of the past and to move forward into the future.

Critical Race Theory helps our society look at things like why police officers in the UK use force five times more for black people than white people Or asking the question of why is it that black people in England only make up 3.5% of the population but nearly 20% of taser incidents involve black people. CRT has been misrepresented as if all white people are evil and racist and are not a part of the fabric and solutions. In truth, CRT does not see black people as mere victims and white people as oppressors but rather it seeks to look at the worldview of both groups and uncover the bias that underpins power, racism and privilege. These are not merely party political questions but they are kingdom questions. Questions of liberation and freedom are an intrinsic part of the gospel narrative. 

Theories like feminism, intersectionality and Critical Race Theory are attempts to provoke questions, seek comprehensive understanding and lead to proposed solutions for institutions and public life.  CRT seeks to empower traditionally excluded views and see all-inclusiveness as the ideal. Egalitarianism is a key point to this theory. CRT helps us analyse and truly change our minds to act and see the world as Paul wrote to the Church in Galatia,

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 

CRT helps us look at the world with a multi-layered and intersectional worldview. This is a tool to help uplift the oppressed, set the captives free and bring liberty to those who have been abused and bruised. For christians situated on the left, we see God’s goodness and righteousness as examples to help us partner with the Holy Spirit and  make all things right with humanity and creation. The spirit of the Lord is upon and among us to bring the good news and CRT is one tool in which we enrich the earth with salt.

Guest post from Augustine Tanner-Ihm

Augustine is a charismatic African-American currently studying for a doctorate in Leadership, Culture and Theology. He recently trained for Anglican ministry at the University of Durham. He is a leader, writer, activist and public theologian based in the Northeast of England. He was the winner of Theology Slam 2020.

You might also be interested in this article on CRT featured on Premier Christianity by our good friend Dr Krish Kandiah — https://www.premierchristianity.com/home/5-questions-christians-need-to-ask-about-critical-race-theory/3543.article