CRITICAL GRACE THEORY
Have you heard of Critical Race Theory? Critical Gender Theory? Critical Equality Theory? These theories are widely discussed in media, universities, governments, and businesses. It’s not surprising that Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) has created a free mini-course to address these theories from a Christian worldview.
At CLI, we welcome everyone to explore free courses. For those seeking academic credentials, CLI’s Leadership Excellence School offers low-cost degrees, empowering individuals to grow as image-bearers of God.
Critical Theory vs. Christianity
Critical theory often challenges the grand narrative of Christianity, sometimes portraying it as a false narrative. While not always Marxist, these ideologies tend to critique the foundations of Christian beliefs. At CLI, we approach these discussions with a Biblical perspective, introducing Critical Grace Theory as a lens for evaluating ourselves, society, and cultural ideologies through the message of grace.
WHAT IS CRITICAL GRACE THEORY?
Critical Grace Theory studies how Biblical grace applies to society, culture, and personal lives. It focuses on the redemptive message of Christianity, contrasting worldly narratives with God’s truth. This free mini-course, which takes less than 4 hours to complete, dives into pressing cultural issues and equips students with a Biblical framework for understanding them.
THE GRAND NARRATIVE
The Bible’s grand narrative begins with God creating humanity as His image-bearers, male and female, and giving them a purpose to steward the earth. Humanity was given the freedom to align with God’s will or choose their own way, symbolized by the choice between two trees in the Garden of Eden.
- Genesis 1:28 – God commands humanity to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth.
- Genesis 2:16-17 – Humanity is given the choice to obey or rebel against God.
The fall of Adam and Eve led to sin becoming the default setting of human society. However, the Bible unfolds the redemptive plan of God, culminating in Jesus Christ, who restores the broken relationship between God and humanity. Through Christ’s resurrection, believers are called to live lives of faith, hope, and love, empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the gospel and steward the planet.
TODAY'S WORLD
In an age dominated by identity politics, the Christian grand narrative offers an alternative to the ideologies rooted in Critical Theory. As Douglas Murray argues in The Madness of Crowds, post-modernism has eliminated traditional grand narratives, leaving people searching for purpose. This void has been filled with the “Narrative of Identity” or identity politics, which Murray likens to a new religion with its own trinity:
- Social Justice: Framing everything as a social justice issue.
- Identity Politics: Segmenting people into conflicting groups based on identity.
- Intersectionality: A constantly shifting hierarchy that prioritizes perceived vulnerabilities.
This narrative seeks to replace traditional structures with a new ideology, but as Murray points out, it often leads to division and unworkable demands.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The rapid spread of identity politics calls for a thoughtful Christian evaluation. Critical Grace Theory equips believers to approach these issues with Biblical grace and truth. It highlights how God’s redemptive plan transcends societal conflicts and offers a deeper, eternal purpose.
Christian Leaders Institute offers over 125 free courses and mini-courses, including the Critical Grace Theory course. In just a few hours, this course provides insight into today’s cultural debates and equips you to engage with them from a Christ-centered perspective.
CRITICAL GRACE THEORY MINI-COURSE
The Critical Grace Theory mini-course evaluates seven central struggles that are being played out in the lives of people and cultures throughout the world from the perspective of the gospel. The topics are:
Course Outcomes:
- Introduction to the subject of critical conflict theory and critical Grace theory.
- Evaluation of race issues from a grace perspective and a view into how the gospel opens up salvation for all peoples. Insight into race issues from the testimony of a leader from Rwanda.
- An understanding of the gender issues in our society from the perspective of critical Grace theory.
- A view of how the ancient epicurean philosophy of pleasure is killing people and how critical Grace theory offers hope.
- Learn the Biblical understanding of equality and why it matters.
- Understanding how the evolutionary worldview has become uncritically accepted by most people and about the chaos this has caused. Learn how critical Grace theory sees the central issues of change.
- Discover how the gospel is as relevant today as ever before in a world seeking to find fault and blame.
- Find out how conflict theory promotes counterfeit success. Learn how critical Grace theory helps you focus on the game humans were created to play.
- Grow as a Grace agent of gospel change.
Through this free mini-course at Christian Leaders Institute, you can deepen your understanding of God’s grace and how it applies to society, culture, and personal life. Join us in exploring the transformative power of God’s grand narrative.
