Countering Drift

I believe that the Scriptures are highly relevant for our world today, and the book of Jude addresses how the gospel message has been hijacked in some circles by the subtle injection of ideas that don't line up with God's truth. We read in this book:
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Contend earnestly" - that is certainly a clarion call for the Church today.  There are worldviews at war with each other and we have to guard our hearts, as Proverbs 4 says, and fortify our minds so that we think Biblically and that we are continuing to grow in the Lord, advancing in our walk with Him.  Not shrinking back, as Hebrews 10 cautions.  We have to be sensitive to the signs of what is termed, "drift," and recognize that just because something is called "Christian" doesn't mean it's Biblical.

+++++

There is a stern warning, a word of caution, that is found at the beginning of Hebrews chapter 2 - it states:
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

The education or re-education of American students, even in Christian institutions, to embrace theories that run counter to a Biblical worldview, is a trend that you have seen and are likely to see in the future. 

One particular school, Grove City College in Pennsylvania, was challenged by a group of concerned parents and alumni for allowing elements of critical theory, representative of cultural Marxism, to gain a foothold.  As Josh Abbatoy wrote last fall at American Reformer:

Sad to say, but American higher education is littered with once-venerable Christian colleges and universities that have succumbed to the spirit of the age. Recent examples include Azusa Pacific University, Calvin University, and Wheaton College: in different ways each has fallen prey to aspects of critical race theory (CRT), as well as gender and queer theory, CRT’s fellow travelers.

If any school were immune to this trend, one would think it would be Grove City College (GCC), an institution not only grounded in Biblical orthodoxy and the conservative intellectual tradition but also with a history of vigorously defending its mission and identity. And yet, the smoke coming out of GCC compels us to ask if a fire has been kindled within the citadel, and just who exactly is manning the walls.

These concerned parents and alumni started a petition drive challenging the administration, and a committee was appointed to study the charges.  Within the past few days, the committee issued a final report.  According to Religion News Service:

“Grove City College has not changed,” a committee composed largely of Grove City board members said in the report released last week. “It remains a Christ-centered, conservative institution.”

The report, a product of the committee’s assignment to ascertain any “mission drift” at the college, recommends re-adding the word “conservative” to the school’s mission statement after it was removed in 2021 and lists “remedial actions” to curb the promotion of critical race theory at the school. These actions include replacing an education course accused of promoting “pop-CRT,” rebranding the school’s Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives and exercising increased scrutiny of guest speakers and student trainings.

But, the report did note some problematic areas, including the inviting of the progressive speaker and author Jemar Tisby to speak at a chapel service. The report says:

“Most of those in GCC leadership with whom we spoke observed that ‘the Jemar Tisby that we thought we invited in 2019 is not the Jemar Tisby that we heard in 2020 or that we now read about,’” the report stated, citing Tisby’s short stint as assistant director of narrative and advocacy at Ibram X. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research and the “progressive policies” he advocates in his latest book as evidence of his transformation.

Other flashpoints included, according to RNS:

The report also found that an educational course called “Cultural Diversity and Advocacy” “effectively promoted pop-CRT” because it offered readings such as Kendi’s “How To Be an Antiracist,” Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility” and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me” without “a critical or opposing perspective.” It found that the director of Multicultural Education and Initiatives promoted “‘woke’ concepts” in a book club and parroted “CRT concepts” in a training for Resident Assistants that criticized the “concept of race neutrality.”

Abbatoy tweeted out in response:

The report is admirably clear on the ideal of the Christian university and how CRT contradicts that ideal. The report also demonstrates the methodical and rigorous approach with which the investigation proceeded.

He added:

The results of the investigation are unambiguous. They fully vindicate the concerns of the GCC stakeholders who initiated the petition over CRT, and they contradict the GCC administration's early remonstrations that the petition was based on misleading "rumor" or "hearsay."

Abbatoy also notes:

The report recommends a number of concrete actions to be taken by GCC's administration. On these items, the proof will be in the pudding. GCC stakeholders will continue to watch to see how the administration will implement these actions, and who will be held accountable.

The article quotes Anglican rector Matt Kennedy, who said, "The best part of it is the description of critical race theory upfront, which is just one of the best short summaries of the problems of critical race theory I’ve ever read..."  RNS adds:

The report says critical race theory is incompatible with the school’s vision, mission and values because it evaluates people based on their race and antiracist works, can’t be separated from political activism, “uncharitably detects aggression where none is intended” and sometimes “demeans rational argument as itself racist and oppressive.”

In these times of cultural drift, you have to draw a line in the sand. And, that's super important for followers of Christ. In light of what has been transpiring regarding Disney, perhaps Exxon Mobil received that message - The Hill reported:

Exxon Mobil has banned flying flags outside the office that symbolize a stance on a particular social issue, including pride flags.

The decision, in a policy seen by Bloomberg, comes after Exxon Mobil made an exception last year during Pride Month to display the flag.

“The updated flag protocol is intended to clarify the use of the ExxonMobil branded company flag and not intended to diminish our commitment to diversity and support for employee resource groups,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, vice president of human resources, said in a statement.

“We’re committed to keeping an open, honest, and inclusive workplace for all of our employees, and we’re saddened that any employee would think otherwise,” Gunnlaugsson added.

Could this be a sign of reversal of the woke stances of corporations?  It wasn't too long ago when boycotts were being threatened and carried out by companies in North Carolina who opposed a law that required people to use the restroom corresponding to their biological sex.  Companies and even Major League Baseball took action against Georgia because it wanted to strengthen integrity in its elections. Maybe there's a shift, maybe Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter will give a great platform to people of faith.  But, regardless, we don't look to the world to like us or even empower us - we are called to be faithful to live our lives in a manner that will bring glory to God.  

But, we don't ignore the signs of drift, especially in our churches. We are seeing denominations and individual churches who are showing those signs.  Some choose to ignore it and say there is no drift; others point it out - it's produced polarization on many fronts.  I personally believe that while there are Bible-believing churches, ministries, and even Christian schools who are faithfully carrying out their mission and standing for truth, we always have to be aware of the inroads that would weaken the firm foundation on which such entities stand.  Grove City College has now taken its stand and reaffirmed its mission - will we as individuals, families, churches, ministries?  And take steps to prevent these threads from threatening our Biblical stand?