
Breakpoint
2,666 episodes — Page 20 of 54
Critical Thinking in a Critical Theory Age
Viral video of teacher masterfully leading a student to think critically is rare and refreshing. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Big Tech, Families, and the Role of Government
When darkness seeps into self-government, state regulation can be a good thing. __________ Get your copy of The Case for Life with a gift of any amount to the Colson Center in February at colsoncenter.org/february. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
BONUS: Rediscovering Our Place in God's Story
Maria Baer interviews Colson Center vice president Michael Craven to hear about how the Colson Fellows program spurs participants to enter God's story, discern this cultural moment, and become agents of change in their own communities. Learn more about the Colson Fellows program at colsonfellows.org. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Stand with Christians in Nigeria
The nation is the top-most persecuted for their faith, and it's time the world took note. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Money Cannot Fix China's Population Decline
Population rates struggle where marriage and family are not viewed as a key foundation to livelihood. __________ Learn more about the Identity Project at identityproject.tv. For a special discount this month enter BREAKPOINT at checkout. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Pro-Life Activists Targeted by the DOJ
Protest is a part of the American fabric, but the government is increasingly unjust on what is accepted and condemned. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Making the Case for Life Post-Roe
Christians can arm themselves with simple and focused points to address any pro-abortion argument. __________ This month, you can secure your copy of Case for Life through a donation of any amount to the Colson Center at colsoncenter.org/caseforlife. Register for the next Breakpoint Forum "The Perils and Promise of Artificial Intelligence" at breakpoint.org/forum. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
"He Gets Us," Christian Heroes, Lent, and Caitlin Clark
John and Maria discuss the latest ads for the He Gets Us campaign. They also examine criticisms against Elisabeth Elliot and purity culture as well as the purpose of Lent. Recommendations Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA women's scoring record Segment 1: He Gets Us Ad Campaign 'He Gets Us' Jesus Super Bowl Ad campaign welcomes criticism over polarizing ads: 'Very assuring' Segment 2: Elisabeth Elliot and How We Treat Our Heroes Elisabeth Elliot, Flawed Queen of purity culture Strong Women: The Life of Elisabeth Elliot with Ellen Vaughn Segment 3: Why Lent? Ashes for Valentine's Day Of Vice and Lent __________ Learn more about the upcoming Breakpoint Forum, The Perils and Promise of Artificial Intelligence, at breakpoint.org/forum. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
The Political Illusion Makes Us Forget about Family
Republicans are skirting the opportunity to promote family, not politics, as the answer for societal health. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Personal But Not Private: Christ Is Lord of All of Reality
The Colson Center offers a program equipping believers to respond outwardly to the cultural moment. __________ Learn more about the Colson Fellows program and apply today at colsonfellows.org. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
More Gen Z Claim to Be LGBTQ
The social contagion of proclaiming your identity. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Deciding Who's Better Off Dead
The West's staggering embrace of assisted suicide and why Christians must proclaim the imago Dei message. __________ Learn more about the Colson Fellows program and apply today at colsonfellows.org. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Keeping Kids Safe Online
If we've learned anything, parents are the only ones who can protect kids with their devices. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Ashes for Valentine's Day
How today's observances of both Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day oddly fit together. _________ Register for the latest Breakpoint Forum "The Perils and Promise of Artificial Intelligence" at breakpoint.org/forum. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
A Lesson from Blossom
Helping the next generation avoid the intoxicating lure of 'checking out.' For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
No, They Aren't Just Gay
Healing and wholeness can only be found by embracing, not rejecting, who God made us to be in the first place. __________ Get your copy of Case for Life with a gift of any amount to the Colson Center for the month of February at colsoncenter.org/february. For access to the Identity Project and a special discount this month, go to identityproject.tv and enter BREAKPOINT at checkout. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
From What River to What Sea?
Pro-Hamas collegiates are portraying profound ignorance of Jewish history and modern-day Israel. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Mortality, Death, and the Illusion of Control
Why we won't and don't need to live forever. __________ Learn more about the Identity Project at identityproject.tv. For a special discount this month enter BREAKPOINT at checkout. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
The New York Times Acknowledges "De-transition" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria", and Big Tech Gets Grilled on Capitol Hill
An op-ed in The New York Times finally acknowledges the glaring problems with transgender diagnosis, "affirmation," and "medicine." In a rare show of bipartisanship, Congressional leaders give big tech CEO's an earful. Recommendations Breakpoint Forum: The Perils and Promise of Artificial Intelligence His Father's World Segment 1: New York Times on detransitioners As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do Thread from AxiomAmerican on X Segment 2: Furries The Free Press Segment 3: Big Tech Grilled on Capitol Hill Kids' Access to Porn Is a Problem. Are State Laws the Solution? _________ For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Dutch "Mercy Killing" of Children
The Netherlands extends euthanasia rules for kids of any age without consent. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Montana Removes Teen Daughter from Parents
Parents are forced to fight for their daughter in the public sphere while an anti-sex change law for minors waits in limbo. __________ Learn more about the Identity Project at identityproject.tv. For a special discount this month enter BREAKPOINT at checkout. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
The Passing of Joel Belz
WORLD News Group founder leaves a lasting legacy. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Personal But Not Private: Christ Is Lord of All of Reality
The Colson Center offers a program equipping believers to respond outwardly to the cultural moment. __________ Learn more about the Colson Fellows program and apply for our next class at colsonfellows.org. Register for the next Breakpoint Forum "The Perils and Promise of Artificial Intelligence" at breakpoint.org/forum. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Anonymous Fatherhood
Any reproductive technology that separates father from child should not be condoned. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
The Predicted Push for Polyamory Is Out in Full Force
Christians must challenge the smorgasbord of perversion being presented to culture as healthy for marriage. __________ Learn more about the Colson Fellows Program and apply for the 2024-2025 program at colsonfellows.org. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Until the 'gender-affirming' mutilation of children is illegal, this day of no tolerance rings hollow. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Pets Aren't Children: 'Fur Babies' and the Worship of Feelings
Placing the appropriate value on the animals we love. __________ Request your copy of Case for Life by giving a gift of any amount to the Colson Center this month at colsoncenter.org/february. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
U.S. Expansion of MAiD
More states are considering medically assisted suicide. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Are Human Rights a Fantasy?
As the West loses touch with its Creator, let's remember how Christ gave us (back) our dignity. __________ Request your copy of The Case for Life by giving a gift of any amount to the Colson Center this month at colsoncenter.org/february! For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Immigration, Why Pro-Natalist Strategies Aren't Working, and the Death Penalty
Many use passages from the Old Testament to inform their views on immigration. John and Maria will talk about their arguments. And they'll do a deep dive on two topics at the edges of life, childbearing and the death penalty. Recommendations The Narrative Podcast Don't Follow Your Heart: Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship by Thaddeus Williams Segment 1: Immigration Crisis Migrant crisis broke new record in December with 302k crossings, officials confirm The World and Everything In It 1.26.24 GOP Governors show support for Texas in border standoff Gov. Greg Abbott declares Texas' right to self-defense 'supersedes federal statutes' as he battles Biden admin over razor wire at border Segment 2: Why Pro-Natalism Policies Won't Work Anymore Natalism is not Enough Segment 3: Death Penalty Alabama executes a man with nitrogen gas for the first time How can doctors be sure a medically-assisted death is a 'peaceful' death? Ohio lawmakers introduce bill to allow execution by nitrogen gas following Alabama For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
The Decline of WPATH
WPATH is losing members while other countries are losing passion for the chemical and surgical altering of minors. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Gender Ideology Threatens the Most Vulnerable Kids
In the past decade, the idea that a person can be born in the wrong body has caused significant harm to many, most of all young people and their families. Now we are learning just how much this idea, whether caught online, in school, or at a counselor's office, has preyed on the most vulnerable populations. ________________ View the entire Breakpoint Forum entitled "The Real Facts About Gender Ideology" on YouTube. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Make Shoplifting Bad Again
Big-name retailers are losing billions and closing stores because of activism. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Bluey, the Cultural Warrior
The New York Times complains about fathers who might be too good in popular cartoon. ________ For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
A Double Victim of Canada's Bad Ideas
The growing option to die by medical assistance is leaving patients already sick with disease or mental disorders with no hope. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Don't Follow Your Heart: Commit Cultural Heresy
In his new book Don't Follow Your Heart: Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship, Professor Thaddeus Williams of Biola University has exposed "the cult of self" behind these mantras. The cult of self is, in a sense, the largest religion in the world and promises to elevate adherents to the place and prerogative of God. In the end, however, like all bad ideas about God and self, this lie dehumanizes us, leaving us empty, unsatisfied, and isolated. ___________ Receive a copy of Don't Follow Your Heart: Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship by Thaddeus Williams by making a gift of any amount to the Colson Center by January 31. Just visit colsoncenter.org/January. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Marijuana and Psychosis in Teens
It's time to stop the delusion that legalizing weed has done no harm. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Is Abortion Pill Reversal Safe and Effective?
Despite progressive states trying to ban APR, the treatment is proving to be safe for moms and lifesaving for babies. ______________ We're excited to announce the Colson Fellows program is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 cohort. As a Breakpoint listener, you probably pick up on how the daily commentaries do the work of translation for you. We take a story or issue being discussed in our culture right now and model how to think through it from a Christian worldview. But, if you're interested in going deeper - in discovering how to develop the wisdom and skills needed to walk wisely in this cultural moment - then the Colson Fellows program might be for you. This ten-month program combines theological, spiritual, and worldview formation through a carefully curated combination of readings, daily devotions, live webinars, and monthly meetings with your peers. With both in-person and fully online offerings, you can choose the format that works best with your stage in life. Interested in learning more? You can explore the program and submit an application at colsonfellows.org. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Girls Forced to Share Rooms With Boys in Colorado
More stories are emerging showing children systematically put in harm's way to advance dangerous ideologies. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Doctors Admit Puberty Blockers Aren't "Reversible"
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health's model of so-called "gender-affirming care" does not "follow the science." Despite the growing evidence about puberty blockers' irreversible effects, the gaps in medical research, and the dangers for children, the lie that puberty blockers are "fully reversible" will continue. To learn more about the harms of gender ideology, and the lie that these treatments are "irreversible," check out our latest Breakpoint Forum, "The Real Facts About Gender Ideology," featuring child and adolescent psychiatrists Dr. Miriam Grossman and Dr. Stephen Grcevich. ________________ Breakpoint listeners, this is John Stonestreet. On behalf of the Colson Center, I am excited to announce a brand-new collaboration designed to address the mass confusion of our day on sexuality, "gender" and identity, the Identity Project. The Identity Project is a library of over 150 videos (and growing monthly) addressing issues of identity, sex, "gender," and humanity from a Judeo-Christian worldview. The Identity Project experts speak with clarity and authority based on years of research and relevant experience. They include psychologists, theologians, sociologists, pastors, doctors, and parents who have real-life experience with these concerns. The Colson Center is excited to offer a limited-time $10 discount code to our audience. Use Promo Code BREAKPOINT to receive $10 off an annual access pass by going to identityproject.tv. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
More 'Nones' Than Catholics and Should Christians Attend Same-Sex Weddings?
New study confirms that more Americans identify as religiously unaffiliated than as Roman Catholics. Also, John and Maria discuss the debate over Christians attending same-sex weddings, the push for polyamory. Recommendations The Identity Project "Perhaps Emotional Dependence on Celebrities Has Gone Too Far" by Freddie DeBoer Segment 1: "Nones" Outpace Catholics More 'nones' than Catholics: Non-religious Americans near 30% in latest survey Segment 2: Should Christians Attend Same-sex Weddings? CAN CHRISTIANS ATTEND GAY WEDDINGS? IdentityProject.tv Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God's Design for Marriage by Sean McDowell and John Stonestreet _________ In Don't Follow Your Heart: Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship, author Thaddeus Williams exposes and refutes the false narratives enshrined in our secular culture. Exchange the futility of the "cult of self" that promises fulfillment and freedom for a life of courageous faith in Jesus, the true source of life. Request your copy today by visiting colsoncenter.org/january. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
African Bishops Reject Same-Sex Blessings
Pope Francis' declaration allowing priests to bless same-sex couples puts Roman Catholics who accept the biblical definition of marriage in a tough spot. Though the document doesn't officially change doctrine, it has sown confusion and emboldened heresy. However, earlier this month, a group of African bishops released a joint statement explaining why they will not bless same-sex couples. Led by Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungo, these bishops insisted that such unions are "contrary to the will of God," and that the pope's statement created "misconceptions and unrest in the minds of many lay faithful." It's hard to miss a pattern here: As churches in the Global North abandon truth, churches in the Global South, especially Africa, stand firm. It brings to mind Jesus' words to the church of Philadelphia: "I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." Thank you, African Christians, for being faithful. Please pray for the rest of us. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
A Detransitioner's Story
Sascha Bailey, son of a world-renowned photographer father and a fashion model mother, appeared to "have it all." Rather than saving his life, Bailey now believes that his attempts to adopt a new sex was, in reality, suicide with extra steps: "Transitioning was a way of killing myself without dying, because I was so unhappy with my life." ______________ What are worldviews? And why is teaching worldviews so crucial in this cultural moment? Dive into worldviews, their importance, and how to make sense of the world with this greater understanding by signing up for the FREE Colson Educators course, The Importance of Worldviews. Find more resources on the Colson Educators website at educators.colsoncenter.org. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Finnish Double Jeopardy
Over the last year, we've reported on the (literal) trials of Finnish parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen, who was accused of "hate speech" for sharing Bible verses in support of traditional sexuality. Twice already, she has been found "not guilty" by the courts. But as our friends at ADF reported last week, prosecutors are now trying to get that verdict overturned. According to Paul Coleman of ADF International, the attacks on Räsänen have been relentless. "As is so often the case in 'hate speech' trials," he said, "the process has become part of the punishment." Recently, a progressive Christian author argued that since Räsänen is "only" threatened with a fine and not prison, it's not really a big deal. But censorship is a big deal. The loss of freedoms that are good for everyone is a big deal. Christians and others who care about human flourishing and about loving our neighbors should stand against persecution of any degree. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
BONUS: Interview with Miriam Grossman MD
In this special edition of Breakpoint, John Stonestreet sits down with Dr. Miriam Grossman to discuss the facts behind transgender ideology. Miriam Grossman MD is board certified in psychiatry and in the sub-specialty of child and adolescent psychiatry. The author of five books, Dr. Grossman's work has been translated into eleven languages. She has testified in Congress and lectured at the British House of Lords and the United Nations. This is a followup conversation from the latest Breakpoint Forum: The Real Facts About Gender Ideology. You can find the full recording for the forum on the Colson Center YouTube channel. - Resources - MiriamGrossmanMD.com Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist's Guide Out of the Madness by Miriam Grossman M.D. The Identity Project Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT) RealityBasedPublishing.com He is He and She is She books by Ryan Bomberger Accepting signatures: An Open Letter to the American Psychiatric Association Regarding the Publication of Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Democracy Is Having a Moment
God has placed us in this moment, a moment that is really a historical anomaly. Among other things, this implies we have a responsibility to be the moral people upon which democracy depends. Thus, we must commit again to loving one another, to governing our tempers, ambitions, greed, and tendency toward selfishness, and to never compromising on the truth of what it means to be human or what it means to seek the good. ______________ In Don't Follow Your Heart: Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship, author Thaddeus Williams exposes and refutes the false narratives enshrined in our secular culture. Exchange the futility of the "cult of self" that promises fulfillment and freedom for a life of courageous faith in Jesus, the true source of life. Request your copy today by visiting colsoncenter.org/january. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Tom Holland on What Christianity Gave the World
In a newly resurfaced clip from 2020, English philosopher A.C. Grayling claimed he could think of nothing truly unique that Christianity had given the world. Historian Tom Holland replied with what my colleague Shane Morris called, "one of his best 'mic drop' moments." In about 90 seconds, Holland rattled off a list that included lifelong marriage, concepts of sexuality that protected women and children, the modern scientific project, the idea that humans bear the image of God, the universality of ethics, and more. As Holland put it, "Essentially what I'm talking about … is … what makes Western civilization distinctive." These ideas ended slavery, expanded care to the poor, established democracy, educated the masses, and insisted that everyone be under the same law. The source of every one of these ideas is centuries of Christian reflection on the truths of the Bible. In short, what has Christianity given the world? Nearly everything that matters the most. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
The Growing Political Divide of Men and Women
One feature of American life for some time now is that women, as a group, tend to fall to the left of men politically. For much of the twentieth century, that gap was relatively minor. Until 1980, in fact, the sexes voted within a few percentage points of each other. Since then, things have changed dramatically. Citing polling data from Gallup, Brad Wilcox of the Institute for Family Studies recently pointed out that the percentage of young men ages 18 to 29 who identify as Republican has risen by double digits in the last decade. "Some have doubted the idea that young men (18-29) are turning right," he tweeted. "Time for them to wake up." As late as the mid-2000s, a similar portion of 18- to 29-year-olds of both sexes—just under 30%—identified as "liberal." However, according to an American Enterprise Institute survey last year, 46% of white Gen Z women called themselves "liberal." Some conservative scholars like the Acton Institute's Anthony Bradley think this emerging divide extends beyond political commitments to other areas as well, including morality. Last week, he tweeted: "Gen Z is different. Women are more liberal than the men and this includes personal morality as well. More and more guys are willing to wait until marriage & fewer women are. Women now celebrate having a "high body count" [a.k.a., many sexual partners] as a[n] empowerment. Today's young men are more traditional." More evidence is required before we can conclude that American young men have had some kind of moral awakening, especially given the popularity of morally objectionable figures like fitness influencer and depraved pickup artist Andrew Tate. Still, the trends in self-description seem to hold in other polls, even for high schoolers. One factor behind this striking political divide between the sexes, especially the rightward turn among young men, is the Left's obsession with condemning "the patriarchy" and "toxic masculinity." Many young men hear this as a condemnation of their very existence. Similarly, the leftward lurch among women could have something to do with the perception that abortion is a women's issue and the increasingly hysterical warnings that restricting abortion is the equivalent of subjecting women to Handmaid's Tale-style reproductive slavery. Still, pollsters have noted for decades now one thing that reliably predicts conservative views and voting, especially among women: marriage. Pick pretty much any election in any year, and half or even most married women vote differently than their unmarried counterparts. In the 2020 election, for instance, the gap between how married and unmarried women voted was 15 points, compared with a 10-point gap between married and unmarried men. As we know, marriage has been in steep decline for years. In fact, Pew Research reports that the share of 40-year-olds who have never been married is higher today than at any time on record. Fertility, too, is near a record low, making our country more single and more childless than at any other time in its history. It would be foolish to think these numbers would not eventually show up in political behavior, and that one of the most likely proofs would be the widening gap between the voting habits of men and women. Marriage and family are chief among what conservative writers have long called society's "mediating institutions," those layers between individuals and the state that provide security, opportunity, and meaning without the government's intervention. As entering marriages and creating families becomes rarer, it's little wonder so many who historically would have looked for protection and provision in the home are now instead looking to Washington. In other words, the wedges that radical feminism, the sexual revolution, and the breakdown of the family have driven between the sexes are likely the main reason for this growing political divide. Women and men were created for one another, not just to build families but to build societies. Since each sex is indispensable, both, in their own ways, are lost when isolated. As the Apostle Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians, "Woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God." Instead of pointing fingers at one another as Adam and Eve did after the fall, we should take this emerging political divide as clear evidence that without our oldest and most important mediating institution—the family, society unravels. There's no way forward if men and women remain at such loggerheads, not only does dating become a nightmare, but the future is at risk. After all, the government cannot birth new citizens, voters, and taxpayers. Men and women stand or fall together. A nation in which the sexes are at war is a house divided against itself at the most fundamental level. Such a house cannot stand. This Breakpoint was co-authored by Shane Morris. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, vis
The Worldwide Persecution of Christians
A recent article in Christianity Today states, "Overall, 365 million Christians live in nations with high levels of persecution or discrimination." That's more people than live in the United States. The most troubling spots tend to be either authoritarian states like Cuba and North Korea, or Muslim-dominated areas like Saudi Arabia. Nigeria accounts for over 75% of world martyrs, with over 4,100 killed between October 2022 and September 2023. In contrast to a popular Western claim, the growing hostility to faith is not because these precious brothers and sisters are too prudish, too powerful, or too white. It's because they have embraced the name of the One who suffered on their behalf. Francis Schaeffer once wrote, "No totalitarian authority nor authoritarian state can tolerate those who have an absolute by which to judge that state and its actions." In any place where religion, ideology, or state demands absolute loyalty, Christians will be seen as a problem. Please pray for those suffering, and pray that we would be given a portion of their courage. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Epistemology Has Consequences
Ideas tend to sprout up in academia, but the ones that matter do not stay there. Even when birthed in seemingly abstract fields like epistemology (the study of knowledge), ideas can have a major impact on culture. This is especially evident in the modern to postmodern shift from an objective and verifiable understanding of truth to a subjective and socially constructed understanding of truth. This shift has landed us in what can be called "standpoint epistemology." Standpoint epistemology is the view that everything we think and know, and even what we consider knowledge to be, is determined solely by our race, "gender," sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other identity categories. Objectivity, in this view, is impossible, and no perspective can claim superiority over any other since there is no external standard by which to measure. Standpoint epistemology is essential to Critical Theory, especially its priority of championing "marginal voices;" specifically those groups seen as victims, oppressed, or invisible in Western societies. These groups not only have a particularly important but overlooked perspective, they have one that is more valid and more valuable than those from privileged groups. The privileged, in fact, should be ignored or treated with contempt, according to this view. Or, to paraphrase George Orwell, all perspectives are equal, but some are more equal than others. Standpoint epistemology has had a keenly negative influence on the humanities. Classics, from Homer to Shakespeare, are often replaced not with classics from non-Western cultures but with works that reflect the contemporary fads of academics. In the study of history, the truth of standpoint epistemology is treated as universal and absolute (which, of course, contradicts it). Western history is reduced to a simplistic morality play where everything is seen as power dynamics, with evil oppressors and the virtuous oppressed. It is assumed that since "history is written by the winners," the narrative priority is to subvert traditional history and highlight marginal voices to show that the "winners" were actually oppressors. Western history, therefore, is mostly seen through the lens of colonial studies, the story of villainous colonizers and innocent indigenous peoples. Though true up to a point, telling the story only in this way ignores verifiable historical facts and force fits history into a framework dictated by contemporary sensibilities. What this means in practice is that Spanish brutality in Mexico is condemned as intolerable while the slavery, oppression, and human sacrifice of Aztec society is nuanced, overlooked, or even celebrated. The United States is an imperial power unjustly driving indigenous tribes off their lands, but tribes that did the same to their equally indigenous neighbors are excused. If standpoint epistemology is true, then it is impossible to understand the past or learn from it. People are stripped of a true understanding of their history and culture, and thus of a critical part of their identity. Non-Westerners are dehumanized and stripped of agency, reduced to pawns of the more powerful. Long embedded in the humanities, these same ideas are now making inroads into the STEM fields. In some school districts, the idea that there are right and wrong answers in math is presented as an example of white supremacy and oppression. A problem cannot, in this view, have a single correct answer, since that implies there is objective truth in math. Of course, the same mathematics used to build a bridge in the United States is also used in Africa, but that doesn't matter to the ideologues promoting these ideas. This misguided embrace of standpoint epistemology will, in the end, make it far more difficult for students to pursue careers in business, finance, engineering, or the sciences. As we often say, ideas have consequences and bad ideas have victims. Standpoint epistemology is a bad idea, and we've only now begun to see the victims that will be left in its wake. This Breakpoint was co-authored by Dr. Glenn Sunshine. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org