By What Standard prepares you to deal with Cultural Marxism, Ethnic Gnosticism & the Cultural Revolution tearing America apart and threatening the unity of the church.
By What Standard? God’s World…God’s Rules, edited by Jared Longshore with chapters by Tom Ascol, Voddie Baucham, Timon Cline, Mark Coppenger, Jared Longshore, Tom Nettles and Chad Vegas. Available from Founders Press, $19.00 on sale for $11.00.
As a Neo-Marxist Cultural Revolution spreads across America, the church stands in a precarious situation. The culture’s worldview is spreading into the church—weakening disciples. There are many Evangelical Elites teaching the godless ideologies of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality to the folks in the pews. The only way to fight this is for pastors, teachers and members to prepare for battle.
As this is a theological battle and a political battle, one must prepare themselves in both realms. To understand the threat of the Social Justice attack on the Gospel, Founders Press new book is a welcome resource.
The book is readable. The average pew-sitting Christian will find the book accessible and useful. This is a huge benefit when topics descend into academic quagmires where average folks get lost. This book introduces and explores concepts like Cultural Marxism, Social Justice, Racial Reconciliation and more from a biblical worldview.
Each chapter is short. It is to the point. The Appendix features an essay by Timon Cline that runs 71 pages. This is much longer than the other chapters; however, it features extensive footnotes that will provide the reader direction to advanced readings on these topics.
In fact, that is one area of improvement Founders should consider at the end of each chapter: suggested readings for readers interested in further exploring the topic from trusted, Christian sources.
Ascol’s opening chapter establishes the tone of the book. You feel in his words a pastor’s passion to protect the flock. It infuses the work with purpose by highlighting how the Devil wages his spiritual war on the church. This book battles dangerous ideas. We need it now more than ever!
Ethnic Gnosticism
The most valuable part of the book is Voddie Baucham’s chapter 8 on Ethnic Gnosticism. Baucham argues that Ethnic Gnosticism is a concept “rooted in Cultural Marxism” that bases a person’s identity or essence is determined by your group. Your group could be based on “your ethnicity, sex, or your so-called sexual orientation.” And that your identity is determined by one’s group “struggle.” All of this is based on the key tenet of Baucham’s view of Cultural Marxism which “divide(s) the world between those who establish and benefit from cultural hegemony and everyone else.”[1]
This is very good.
However, I would like to explore and refine this definition of Ethnic Gnosticism for the sake of clarity. It appears that Ethnic Gnosticism describes how certain groups (the oppressed) have special knowledge inaccessible to other groups and that knowledge is inaccessible based on group status.
This is a huge problem in modern discussions in the secular culture and within evangelicalism. It is what drives calls for white evangelicals to sit down and humbly listen to people of color. It is how Evangelical Elites use Christian virtues like humility to intimidate and then spread Neo-Marxist messages.
This leads me into another consideration: Cultural Marxism or Neo-Marxism. In general, these terms mean the same thing. However, Baucham adopted and uses Cultural Marxism. I prefer Neo-Marxism. Despite what some Evangelical Elites claim (see Joe Carter, etc.) both are useful terms with long academic history that dates back to the Cold War and even prior to it. Note: Joe Carter lied about the term being recent and did an inept Google Search history to prove it. Here is a Google search that shows the history of the term.
In any case, my preference is for Neo-Marxism because it avoids getting bogged down by liars like Joe Carter and Wokevangelicals. Yet, the only reason the Woke are upset by conservative use of the term Cultural Marxism is because it is effective. It communicates the truth in an understandable way to the general public. So, there is a very good case to be made to use the term. In fact, Baucham has an entire chapter on Cultural Marxism (chapter 2) that is helpful.
Baucham warns that Christians must use the term Cultural Marxism carefully. It must be used correctly. Otherwise, it is name calling. In other words, we want to avoid the “Cage Stage” dilemma.
Our Christian Duty
Christians in America have a dual duty. We have a duty to protect the church. Also, we have a duty to protect our nation. The rise of Cultural Marxism is dangerous. It is as Norman Geisler called it an “acid of critique” that destroys the very foundations of Western Civilization. Look at the new Fox News poll showing 6 out of 10 young Americans do not view the Founding Fathers as heroes and 4 out of 10 view the Founding Fathers as villains.
Racial Identity Politics is destroying America. It will do the same to the church if we let this doctrine of devils in the doors.
And yes, Evangelical Elites are spreading this nonsense. The Southern Baptist Convention approved the use of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality as “Analytical Tools.”
The threat is here.
It is now.
Are you ready?
By What Standard is a good place to begin your preparation for the battle.
[1] By What Standard, pp. 106-107.