The Post-Christian Church: Woke Ideology

 

The social atmosphere of 2020 created a perfect storm with the colliding of a highly volatile presidential election, a global pandemic, and racial tensions all being viewed and fueled from a distance behind screens within the virtual world. John McWhorter in his book Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America,[1] suggests that the above stated factors moved woke thinking from an ideology to a religion and a primitive one at that.[2] McWhorter currently teaches linguistics at Columbia University. He is the author of more than twenty books and an editorial writer for the New York Times. McWhorter sees himself in a unique position as a Black, left wing, Democrat to speak truth to the power of “vocal and threatening (zealot) minority,” [3] so that our pluralistic society can return to a table of open conversation. [4]  

Woke Racism could be considered a sequel to Shelby Steele’s Shame: How America’s Past Sins Have Polarized Our Country,[5] personal historical journey through the racial challenges of a Black man in America. One of McWhorter’s main themes is that today’s woke voices, or as he refers them, the Elect has become so fixated on the power differential[6] that they have lost sight of the historical progress[7] resulting in a firmly established personal and collective religious truth that cannot be questioned without consequences.[8]  He goes on to explain the nature of religion in terms of the race, its effect on the Black community, the Whites who get drawn in, and the damage it causes the overall society. Although, I found much of his references to Christianity to be limited and far from the transformative life of grace that Jesus challenges us to live, one cannot deny that there is too much truth in that the Evangelical church, can have a very rigid and domineering dogma. In chapter six, he talks about the need for “separation of church and state.”[9] Here the author takes a hard-line separation, but as one who follows Jesus, as an agent of his love and grace, what does this look like? As a public educator, I walked this delicate line like a diplomat. But after enjoying many years of teaching in Poland, where Jesus was an accepted and welcome topic in the classroom, I might find it difficult in this less tolerant climate of today.

John McWhorter’s overall connection to religion and the zealot behaviors that seem to silence many gave me some handholds on who may be open to conversation. He helped to identify those individuals that still remember that we are one society and that in our face-to-face conversations we can find a way forward to a better life for us all, and those who will not for any reason be seated at the table with a person from the other group. Professor McWhorter also brought to the forefront that the religious thinking of the woke communicates to the Black community, though subtle, that they are unable to be antifragile [10] without the white community being demonized.[11] This type of behavior and thinking does not empower Blacks or Whites it just buries those deep identity scars under rhetoric and fear.[12]

Woke Racism concluded with some specific action points to empower poor Blacks in ways to be contributors that would build their own self-worth. I found these to be helpful but somewhat flawed. Here are some of my issues:

·       There is an assumption that only poor Black children need this assistance.

o   In my experience all poor children could benefit from reading assistance, particularly in phonics, sight words, and direct instruction.

·       He talks around the aspect of creating a new culture that is not centered on drugs.

o   In my experience direct support of families through parenting, communication skills, empowering parents to impart values of relationship, work, deferred gratification.

·       I agree with the need for vocational training, specifically earlier in the educational journey.

o   But I have also found that when youngsters have caring adults who believe in their ability to learn they often surprise you in what they are capable of doing.

·       I wonder if the church took on these tasks within their communities would we be able to change the views of someone like John McWhorter?

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[1] John H. McWhorter, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2021).

[2] Cancel Culture and Wokeness: Interview with John McWhorter, YouTube (Berlin: Internationala Iiteraturefestival, 2021), The linguist, comparatist, publicist, and author John McWhorter [via live stream] has been involved in socio-political debates in the USA for many years, drawing attention to himself through critical comments on concepts such as ›white fragility‹. Currently, he sees the freedom of academic teaching as being threatened by ideological bans. A lecture on cancel culture and wokeness, followed by a discussion.

[3] Ibid.

[4] James O’Toole, “Speaking Truth to Power: A White Paper,” Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, October 15, 2015, https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/speaking-truth-to-power-a-white-paper/.

[5] Shelby Steele, Shame: How America’s Past Sins Have Polarized Our Country (New York: Basic Books, 2015).

[6] Cancel Culture and Wokeness: Interview with John McWhorter.

[7] Jordan B Peterson, “How Anti-Racism Is Hurting Black American,” n.d., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9quq9NGUcM.

[8] McWhorter, Woke Racism, 44.

[9] Ibid., 175-178.

[10] Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, Random House Trade Paperback edition (New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2014).

[11] McWhorter, Woke Racism, 47.

[12] O’Toole, “Speaking Truth to Power: A White Paper.”

There Is An Elephant In The Room

 

My honest initial response on the topic of speaking truth to power was avoidance. In my eyes this phrase triggers an image of someone screaming their personal truth at anyone that disagrees with them. James O’Toole’s article “Speaking Truth to Power: A White Paper,”[1] dislodged me from my high horse to my own personal realities of the risks and consequences of highlighting corporate missteps that compromise the overall integrity of the organization.

James O’Toole a distinguished professor of Business Ethics at the University of Denver, author of a number of books and articles[2] on confrontation of leadership, and transparency within the workplace. O’Toole conveys the reality that this is an age old issue of leaders who have deaf ears to their subordinates who “speak good sense.”[3] The author cites a number of modern corporations that exemplify the characteristics and consequences of hierarchical rigidity, while contrasting those with a culture of openness that encourages and demands tough challenging questions and “constructive dissent.”[4] It is leadership’s resistance to questioning “behavior-driving assumptions” that leads to “group think, a state of collective denial or self-deception.”[5] O’Toole, cites his co-author Warren Bennis’ notes on transparency and the creation of a “culture of candor, one in which followers are free to speak truth to power and leaders are willing to hear it,”[6] is the key to organizations remaining competitive and growing. It is interesting that this concept of corporate vulnerability is in stark contrast to the traditional leader who is “decisive, tough, take-charge men who quickly fire those who are not ‘team-players.’”[7]The remainder of the text provides examples of the risks and responsibilities of messengers, listeners, and organizations.

Jesus was the master of speaking truth to power. He skillfully confronted the religious leaders of the day, being fully aware of the cost. He graciously spoke the truth of people’s sin while inviting them into a life of freedom and hope. He empowered the women, slaves, and outcasts of every kind while challenging the accepted thinking of the day. I have this sense that there were times through levity he revealed hard truths similar to O’Toole’s “corporate fool.”[8] Jesus modeled, and the early church pursued a life, community of egalitarian openness, empowerment, and service. The disciples were often asking questions, and the women were allowed to do the same. Although Jesus desired obedience, it was not to be blind, rather a response to the love relationship.

If I had more time and space a study of the Beatitudes in light of speaking truth to power could be very interesting.

What does this have to do with my context?

I am perplexed in how my church context, though they say all the right things, in terms of openness and transparency, there is a significant gap between the expressed values and behavioral execution. Upper leadership seems to be out of touch with the reality of those leaders in the trenches.[9] This is compounded by the lack of meaningful relationship between the various levels.[10] The corporate purposes are often misplaced or contrary to the values and purposes of the denomination.[11] This makes it difficult for corporate leadership to clearly identify all the stakeholders and value their input.[12] All this results in group think that those closer to the top know best. Individuals that point out issues are told that they are out of alignment with the organization, though they may not be out of alignment with scripture or the expressed values. Those who have an voice to speak and be heard by leadership prefer to back away, saying it is not their responsibility or they do not want to get into the politics of it.

There is a very large elephant in the room that many well-meaning individuals are affixing band aids to.  

In my search of a lasting change to address the elephant, I came across this powerful podcast with Brené Brown and Lisa Lahey,[13] the co-author of An Everyone Culture.[14] Lahey looks at the underlining motivations that prevent us from making and keeping the changes we desire.

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[1] James O’Toole, “Speaking Truth to Power: A White Paper,” Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, October 15, 2015, https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/speaking-truth-to-power-a-white-paper/.

[2] James O’Toole, “Truth to Power: Beware Perils and Penalties.,” Leadership Excellence 25, no. 11 (November 2008): 9.

[3] O’Toole, “Speaking Truth to Power: A White Paper.”

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Peter Guy Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Ninth Edition (Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publishing, 2021).

[11] O’Toole, “Speaking Truth to Power: A White Paper.”

[12] Ibid.

[13] Brené Brown, “Brené with Lisa Lahey on Immunity to Change, Part 2 of 2,” Spotify, Dare to Lead, n.d., https://open.spotify.com/episode/52jg6XzkCmaX4bxVaVywKI.

[14] Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization (Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press, 2016).