Understanding Critical Theory (with Carl Trueman)

Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

Talbot School of Theology at Biola University / Sean McDowell & Scott Rae

Christian, Talbot, Church, Culture, Biola, Think Biblically, Christianity, Sean Mcdowell, Scott Rae, Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 24 June 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

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Summary

What is critical theory and why is it so vital for Christians to understand today? What are its historical roots and where do we see it manifest today? Carl Trueman is one of the leading Christian social critics today and he has a new book To Change All Worlds. Sean and Scott talk with him about the motivation behind the book, why it is so timely for Christians today, and offers ideas for navigating our cultural moment in light of this profoundly influential movement. Carl Trueman earne...

Transcript

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0:00.0	What is critical theory and why is it important for the Christian to understand it?
0:06.0	What's the connection between critical theory and the sexual revolution of the 1960s?
0:10.0	And can there be such a thing as a biblical critical theory?
0:15.0	We look at these questions and a whole lot more with our guest today, Dr. Carl Truman,
0:19.0	in his latest, very insightful book entitled
0:21.0	To Change All Worlds. I'm your host, Scott Ray. And I'm your co-host, Sean McAow. This is Think
0:26.2	Biblically from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Carl, so happy to have you with us,
0:31.0	and so appreciate the book that you've done that takes a really complicated subject and makes it
0:36.3	accessible to people who may not
0:37.8	have a background in this area.
0:39.3	Thanks very much.
0:40.3	It's great to be with you guys.
0:41.3	So, Carl, let's start with this.
0:43.3	For the person who's completely unfamiliar with critical theory, what is it and why does
0:49.3	it matter for people to understand it?
0:51.3	Yeah, good question.
0:52.3	Critical theory really has its origins in some
0:55.4	comments that Karl Marx makes in the 1840s, where he makes the observation that up until his
1:03.1	point in time, the philosophers have interpreted the world, but the point, he says, is to change it.
1:10.9	And critical theory is really an approach to, we might say, the criticism of culture
1:15.1	that is designed not simply to describe or explain cultural behavior, what's going on in society
1:23.3	at any given point in time, but it's specifically designed to bring about revolutionary change,
	...

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