It takes a lot more effort to review one-star books than ones I like, but this book was such a disappointment that I felt I needed to share something, somewhere. This information isn't posted on Goodreads, and is only found here. At the end of the day, it's on me to be a bit more diligent in researching the books I read; however, I will note that Christianity and Wokeness by Owen Strachan actually garners high reviews.
What is unfortunate is that based on the author's theological background, I had a feeling that the tone might turn out to be less than stellar, although I still harboured some hope that I might be proven wrong. What followed was what I somewhat expected going into the book, so that was where my disappointment laid. Now that I'm reading the synopsis as listed on retail sites, I shouldn't be surprised that the book turned out so poorly for me. Calling the statements below "baffling" is already a red flag for me as a Christian because it discredits so much of what needs to be fixed by making these quotes sound trite when taken out-of-context (not to mention, making its speakers sound absurd when there could be so much more to unpack).
Book Synopsis
“White people should be less white.”
“Whiteness is white supremacy.”
“Silence is violence.”
“You can never overcome your racism.”
You’ve heard these baffling views—but do you know where they come from?
The “wokeness” that emerged from the social unrest of 2020 has swept through schools, businesses, and even sports. Driven by the radical ideologies of Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, it has destabilized public and private life—including the Church.
Many evangelicals have joined the crusade. Gripped by a desire for justice and rightly grieved by past evils like slavery, many pastors are preaching the woke gospel—identifying “whiteness” (an imaginary concept) with “white supremacy,” calling bewildered Christians to repent of their supposed guilt for the sins of past generations.
But as theologian Owen Strachan makes clear, this is not true justice, nor is it true Christianity. While wokeness employs biblical vocabulary and concepts, it is an alternative religion, far from Christianity in both its methods and its fruit. A potent blend of racism, paganism, and grievance, wokeness encourages “partiality” and undermines the unifying work of the Holy Spirit. It is not simply not the Gospel; it is anti-Gospel.
As Strachan traces the origins of wokeness, lays out its premises, and follows them to their logical conclusions, the contrast of that false faith with the Word of God stands out unmistakably. This succinct but groundbreaking work reveals that wokeness, like other heresies, is not really new. Nor is the antidote: Christ crucified for us.
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
Ouch. Where is the spirit of humility in presenting this material? Even if I may agree with some of the points in this book, communicating in a mocking tone is not the best approach in persuading others toward any stance. I'm disappointed at some of the gross exaggerations that dismiss real experiences of racism, coming across as both tone-deaf and sarcastic. Honestly, this book reads like a Christian version of the mockumentary, “Am I Racist?,” which was absolutely cringey and painful to witness where little critical thought was employed as to why people are rightfully concerned about racial injustice today. If you want to argue against wokeness from a Christian perspective, there are legitimate concerns that can be addressed, but this book does not do so fairly or kindly.
While I can understand how the author wants to warn Christians of the dangers of woke ideology when examining its roots and its execution, there is not much consideration taken to study the nuances of systemic issues, along with how people have been oppressed throughout history and why they are drawn to finding answers in this framework in the first place. Blanket dismissals and condescension for those who don't agree with the author's theology mar what could have been a thoughtful and sensitive comparison between biblical justice and social justice as defined by the world. I prefer the other books I've read on this topic that treat people with more dignity and offer hope for God's justice without needing to belittle others with differing viewpoints, including other Christians. I'd like to think that the author can share biblical truth in love, but sadly, this book ends up being a miss for this particular topic.
Book Summary
- Format of book: 🎧
- Rating: ⭐
- Recommendation: 👎
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