This episode continues the theme of bridge-building to those who embrace identity politics by focusing on the universal demand for justice and the intuitive grasp of justice in all men. Even atheists demand justice when their rights are abridged. The episode explores the ultimate redress of all injustice in the sacrificial death of Christ, where the oppression of all oppressors was placed on Christ. The satisfaction of the demands of justice is a theme that potentially resonates with practitioners of identity politics.
The evangelical response to oppression must be more than a gospel presentation
This episode challenges evangelical Christians to embrace legitimate social justice concerns so that the dominant narrative will not be dictated by leftist practitioners of identity politics. Since the Scripture has much to say about God's heart for the oppressed, we should incorporate the living gospel, actively combatting oppression as we preach the gospel.
“Oppression” from a Biblical perspective, communicating God’s heart for the oppressed.
This episode marks a shift in the series with the aim of reaching people adopting identity politics. Up to now, the series contrasts the Biblical focus on providing a solution to the universal problem of sin with the much more narrow focus of identity politics on oppression. The Biblical solution to man's sin problem is the remaking of human identity into the image of Christ. Well this episode builds a bridge from the Biblical worldview to that of identity politics by focusing on "oppression" from a Biblical perspective, mostly from Psalm 82 and Isaiah 58. If believers can communicate the heart of God towards the oppressed and marginalized, and oppression is the principal theme of identity politics, then those adopting identity politics are more likely to be receptive to Biblical solutions.
Carnality in the Church can lead to Identity Politics
This episode continues the application of embracing our identity in Christ and addresses the failure to fully embrace that identity in the Christian church. Factions and divisions within the church are sometimes based on Christian carnality in which Christ as our true identity is not urgently pursued. Sectarianism and religious division mixed with politics can lead to identity politics within the Church.
Fleshly Identities can’t compare to Knowing Christ
This episode unpacks Paul's rejection of fleshly identities in which he previously boasted. Identity politics by implication should also be rejected by Christians who count secondary descriptives like race, class, sex and nationality as excrement compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ as Lord.
Christ, our True Identity
This episode unpacks the process of sanctification, in which we progressively abandon fleshly identities and make Christ our true identity. It culminates with 1 Peter 2:9-11 which describes our true identity as a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation." This identity puts fleshly identities in perspective, Peter describing Christians as "aliens" who reject worldly lusts. Put together with 1 John 2:16, Christians are those who reject fleshly identities borne out of the boastful pride of life. The implication is that identity politics should never be embraced by a Christian.
Identity Politics Rooted in Idolatry
This episode provides the grand Biblical narrative of mankind's problem: mankind was originally called to rule on God's behalf based on the image of God in man, but because of the fall, has exchanged the truth of God for a lie, being consumed by idolatrous worship of himself and his own desires. Identity politics' exaltation of secondary characteristics into primary ones (race, class, sex, etc.) is a natural bi-product of the Great Exchange, in which unregenerate man exchanges the truth of God for a lie, an image in the form of corruptible man. The Biblical solution to mankind's problem centers on the remaking of mankind into the image of Christ.
Identity Politics: Making the Secondary Primary
This episodes addresses how identity politics exalts secondary characteristics of identity, like race, class and sex--into fundamental markers of identity. Racial profiling is an obvious application of such an unjust approach. White privilege and white guilt amount to racial profiling applied to whites. Both are unjust and miss the standard of Biblical justice.
Identity Politics motivated by grievance
Identity politics is actually an easy scapegoat for anyone not finding their identity in Christ, particularly those who haven't gained God's perspective on their grievances. I give my testimony how worldly wealth categories led to grievance in my own life and my embrace of classism, a category of identity politics.
Identity Politics and the Bible: addressing symptoms vs. universal sin
This episode tackles the deficient view of sin in identity politics, where the depravity of human nature is not addressed. Identity politics focuses on symptoms of oppression without dealing with the sinful root of universal human depravity .