Unexpected Commonalities

Unlikely bedfellows

With several years behind us since the emergence of COVID policies, lockdowns, and mandates, I have recognized two facts regarding local churches, and to my knowledge, these are without exception:

1. To the best of my knowledge, every single church that embraces Woke, Social Justice theology did NOT remain open and restriction-free (i.e., they were fully compliant with all mandates and restrictions), and,

2. To the best of my knowledge, every single church that remained open and restriction-free, for any amount of time, has completely rejected and abhors Wokeism in all its forms.

This reality is indisputable (I can personally attest to this because I have sought out and attempted to contact every open and restriction-free church in Canada). It’s not a question of ‘if,’ but rather ‘why.’ Why have churches that embraced Wokeism utterly failed in fulfilling their duties to worship? What do compliant churches have in common with those churches that embrace Wokeism? And conversely, why do non-compliant churches have an utter disdain for Wokeism? What do non-compliant churches share in common with those churches that reject Wokeism?

Note: there are churches that failed in the following ways during the COVID years and have since recognized their failures and repented. The following criticisms no longer apply to these churches, so long as their repentance has been public and sincere. Many faithful churches got things wrong early in the COVID era, so I acknowledge that restoration has happened.

The common good

One of the principles of Wokeism is that of intersectionality. Intersectionality is a way of categorizing people into various ‘sections’, as the name suggests. In other words, instead of viewing people as individuals, they are a collection of various identity markers of victimhood and ‘oppressed status,’ and examining how these various markers intersect in one’s life. For example, a black, lesbian female is clearly more oppressed than a white, heterosexual male, because she has three markers that society has ruled indicate her as an oppressed victim. These three aforementioned traits define her experience and her identity. Intersectionality does not see people as human beings who are responsible for their choices and actions, but as people belonging to one or more oppressed groups or classes.

This idea continues and propagates the concept of ‘whiteness’, that white people not only inherit various social privileges by nature of the colour of their skin, but that they are also complicit of the racial sins of all white people in general. Moreover, by nature of their white skin, they themselves are racist. Wokeism does not recognize individual rights, freedoms, and responsibilities; the only factors at play are group identities, collective guilt, and victimhood, even going as far as excusing the actions of some, so long as they are members of an oppressed group or class.

Now, these principles of seeing people as part of a collective only and not as individuals who must make responsible choices is very much a part of the ethos of churches that fully complied during the COVID years. “We’re all in this together.” “Build back better.” Those mantras were a part of a new catechism. “Lockdowns, mask mandates, restrictions on corporate worship,” the compliant church said, “are all a part of doing what is best for everyone, for the common good of society and for the church.” Never mind the man who lost his job because of a Biblically-sound and scientifically-informed decision not to get the experimental injection – “he’s just being selfish,” said the compliant church. Never mind the woman whose family turned her into a pariah and banned her from family gatherings – “she’s too concerned with her rights and freedoms,” said the compliant church. In compliant churches, as in Wokeism, individual rights and responsibilities are subordinate to the good of the whole, for the sake of the collective.

For the Bible tells me so

Wokeism perverts Biblical categories such as justice, restitution, and equality. It denies the fact that God, who sovereignly gives people various gifts and abilities, is at liberty to determine our lots in life, including our skin colour and the economic status of our family of origin. Wokeism believes that Old Testament case laws have absolutely no bearing on how we are to pursue a godly society. In summary, Wokeism rejects the sufficiency of Scripture, asserting that Critical Theory, Intersectionality, and Standpoint Epistemology are required to properly interpret the Scriptures and enable us to live rightly.

As strong and bold as a statement as it may be, compliant churches demonstrated over the COVID era, clearly and plainly, that they too rejected the sufficiency of Scripture. God has given us in His Word instruction for how to handle plagues and illnesses, and when we are and are not to cover our faces and quarantine people. Scripture clearly teaches that all established authorities have limits to the wielding of their power. Believers have the freedom to disobey the authorities when the State steps out of God’s ordained lane and encroaches in an area not given to them by the Lord. The Bible couldn’t be any clearer that the people of God are required to gather, in person, and to worship Christ as He has prescribed in His Word. The terms of worship are not to be dictated by elected officials, health bureaucrats, or even public opinion. The Word of God alone is sufficient and authoritative in leading the local church on how to worship Christ. Both the Woke and the compliant churches reject this supreme position of the Word of God.

“Toxic” masculinity

When one examines life through the lenses of Wokeism, Critical Theory, and Intersectionality, biological males who self-identify as males are at the top of the oppressor list (especially if they are white, heterosexual, and Christian). Our culture has created a caricature of an evil, oppressive man who is to be disposed of entirely, ensuring they do not forget to utterly reject his brand of masculinity. How does Wokeism define this undesirable and otherwise outdated form of masculinity? If a man insists that it is both his duty and responsibility to provide for and protect those in his care, as in his wife and kids, he is a sexist. If a man believes that He is supposed to be bold, courageous, and willing to sacrifice his own life in order to pursue what is true, good, and beautiful, he is merely perpetuating the patriarchy. If a man takes a stand on principle, including pointed words at those who stand in opposition to what is right, he is reinforcing cisgender stereotypes. In other words, if a man is what men have been for thousands of years – men as God has created them to be – they are “toxic,” and must be avoided at all costs.

Compliant churches were led by weak and cowardly men who have abdicated their Biblical responsibilities as leaders, having embraced a type of masculinity directly opposed to God’s design for maleness. These are men who, as in one example I know of, refused to gather their church to worship until they themselves are fully vaccinated, making their people suffer in isolation. These are men who bowed in worship to every State mandate out of fear of potential conflict or disapproval rather than a fear of the Lord. Much like the Woke, these churches have rejected any previous definition of manhood and believe that men should not be men at all. In fact, those men who serve as pastors and elders should be especially careful so as to not be toxic. Many leaders in compliant churches have harshly criticized other men in non-compliant churches, describing them as mean, divisive scofflaws. These rebels have been scolded, told they should be more concerned with their witness, loving their neighbours, being winsome, being kind, and watching their tone. “If only these men would be more like Jesus” the compliant churches say. Their words ring empty, however, when proper exegesis of the Gospels show us that Jesus had extremely strong words for the religious leaders, so much so that they led to His crucifixion. Both the Woke and the compliant churches lack a robust and Biblical understanding of what it means to be a man and lead as a man.

Bold as a lion

Proverbs 28:1 reads, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Churches and pastors who remained open and restriction-free during the COVID years have been bold, courageous, and have engaged in costly and risky obedience to Christ. Many have faced fines, slanderous coverage in the media, with some even spending time in jail. Their commitment, however, to the Lordship of Christ and the worship of God in spirit and truth are their reasons for completely rejecting Wokeism.

Instead of running from the fear of a virus, they obeyed Christ and trusted that He is sovereign over their lives. Instead of running from the fear of being punished by a civil government that is woefully out of God’s prescribed lane, they have stood for the truth of Christ’s Kingly reign over all of creation. Instead of running from the fear of man and the hatred of the world, they have counted the cost and have joyfully put their hands to the plough. In short, they have been as bold as lions.