One of my former churches (strongly "left") offered an online class in, I believe, early 2021, that turned out to be an introductory CRT class. I had been joining in with their online Bible study classes as a "conservative" participant, but I couldn't see any reason to become involved with this particular class. But then several people invited me, and I attended the first session and the beginning of the second. At the second session I stayed only long enough to explain why I was exiting.
In the short time I was there I identified two major problems with the class and curriculum. First, God was hardly present in the discussion, being found only in a prepared prayer at the beginning. Second, a range of "wrongs" was being introduced and discussed, but completely outside the context of sin. You can't meaningfully talk about these things without understanding sin. But they did talk that way, and did not understand sin.
As I was leaving, after pointing these things out, something was said about God being introduced into the discussion later on. That was clear enough. There, God is down the list somewhere. Since then, that church has continued on that path with additional classes, and I have changed focus to other outreach activities and for the most part lost contact with them. I still pray for them, but I am not aware of anything else left that I can do.
I was with that church for 3 years, and a member and trustee for 2 1/2. I soon saw the problems there, but I had hope for it. It's still challenging. These are people I knew. But they didn't change; I did.
I appreciate hearing this side of the argument. Reminds me of a saying my dad says often: backwards never, forward ever. God is in control!
He surely is!
One of my former churches (strongly "left") offered an online class in, I believe, early 2021, that turned out to be an introductory CRT class. I had been joining in with their online Bible study classes as a "conservative" participant, but I couldn't see any reason to become involved with this particular class. But then several people invited me, and I attended the first session and the beginning of the second. At the second session I stayed only long enough to explain why I was exiting.
In the short time I was there I identified two major problems with the class and curriculum. First, God was hardly present in the discussion, being found only in a prepared prayer at the beginning. Second, a range of "wrongs" was being introduced and discussed, but completely outside the context of sin. You can't meaningfully talk about these things without understanding sin. But they did talk that way, and did not understand sin.
As I was leaving, after pointing these things out, something was said about God being introduced into the discussion later on. That was clear enough. There, God is down the list somewhere. Since then, that church has continued on that path with additional classes, and I have changed focus to other outreach activities and for the most part lost contact with them. I still pray for them, but I am not aware of anything else left that I can do.
That's certainly a sad thing. I'm sure it was a challenging experience.
I was with that church for 3 years, and a member and trustee for 2 1/2. I soon saw the problems there, but I had hope for it. It's still challenging. These are people I knew. But they didn't change; I did.
Well done, Jameson. Here is the entry I did on CRT. https://drstephenphinney.substack.com/p/critical-race-upside-wrong