Why critical theory attracts meaning

One of the most pressing and contested topics on college campuses today is social justice, and many Christians are confused about how to understand it through a biblical lens. I hope this conversation will clear away some of the confusion.

I’m joined by Dr. Thaddeus Williams, a professor of theology and philosophy at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. Dr. Williams is the author of Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth.  In it, he argues that Christians are called to care deeply about justice, but that not every version of “social justice” reflects a biblical understanding of truth, human dignity, or the gospel.

Instead, he invites readers to recover a vision of justice rooted in Scripture, the character of God, and the dignity of every human being made in the image of God. In our conversation, we explore how Christians can think carefully and faithfully about justice, truth, identity, and cultural engagement—especially in the context of higher education.

In this podcast we discuss:

• How Thaddeus came to be interested in this topic and write Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice.
• Why social justice is such a central topic on campus and in our culture.
• Defining “Social Justice B” and its underlying philosophy, Critical Theory.
• Why these ideas now provide ultimate meaning for many (becoming their religion).
• How students can understand and affirm biblical justice as true social justice (and how John Perkins helped clarify the four guideposts of correct social justice).
• How our culture’s understanding of social justice (“Social Justice B”) actually leads to further injustice, making our culture cruel and uncaring.
• Why understanding the Image of God helps us think well about issues of social justice and equality.
• How to distinguish between “Social Justice A” and “Social Justice B” in conversations, papers, and class discussions.

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• Thaddeus Williams, Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice
• Thaddeus Williams’ Podcast “The Shed & Beam”
• J.P. Moreland, Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul
• Hellen Pluckrose & James Lindsay, Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody
• Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer, Critical Dilemma: The Rise of Critical Theories and Social Justice–Implications for the Church and Society
• Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer, Pose Woke: Asserting a Biblical Vision of Race, Gender, and Sexuality
• Stan Wallace, “How Should Christians Understand Critical Theory?”