I once saw a social media post making fun of people opposed to Critical Race Theory (CRT). It read, “I don’t know what Critical Race Theory is, but I’m against it.”
The truth of the matter is that CRT is difficult to sum up, and so it has been hard for most people to understand what it says and doesn’t say. Parents, educators, politicians and the American Public found themselves hearing ideas without having the resources to evaluate their truth or even their true meaning. Buzzwords and inflammatory language substituted for information.
As a homeschool father, teacher and student of philosophy, I thought it would be important to get a handle on what this theory was about. Even more importantly, I am the adoptive father of 4 children, two of whom are Black.
While I found some answers to my questions about CRT in various places, by far the most helpful resource has been a recent book by philosophy professor Edward Feser: All One in Christ: A Catholic Critique of Racism and Critical Race Theory. I highly recommend that all Catholic parents, educators, pastors — basically, anyone who is Catholic — read this book.
I was already inclined to read it because of the author. I had studied part of Feser’s book Five Proofs for the Existence of God as part of my Master’s program, but I went back to it at the end of last year to read it in its entirety. I was happily impressed with Feser’s scholarship and logic. So, when I heard that he had written a book about CRT, I expected nothing but excellence.
I am told by my friar friends in Newark that a longtime friend and neighbor has recently turned into a fanatic and critic of the Church because of some YouTube videos he has seen. While enjoying the fellowship, company and charity of the friars, he has not hesitated to accuse the Church of being a force and source of racism in the world. Even after a brief interaction with this neighbor myself, I could see the shift in his perspective.
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