While Critical Theory as a school or tradition of thought is not new, it has come to some prominence in recent years. While there are numerous persons and writing with varied perspectives within this school or tradition, it is nonetheless possible to summarize the principles and convictions of Critical Theory in a general way.
This paper will first summarize the key tenets of Critical Theory through an engagement with some of the seminal texts of Critical Theory. These key texts are:
• Herbert Marcuse, Eros and Civilization
• Herbert Marcuse, “Repressive Tolerance”
• Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno, Dialectic of Enlightenment
• Theodor Adorno, The Authoritarian Personality
• Theodor Adorno, Minima Moralia
• Theodor Adorno, The Authoritarian Personality
• Sigmund Freud, Civilization and its Discontents
• Walter Benjamin, Arcades Project.
• Walter Benjamin, Illuminations
• Walter Benjamin, Reflections
These thinkers and writings should provide a representative sample of the thought of Critical Theory.
It will be argued that Critical Theory offers—in effect—its own alternative theology or religion. Indeed, Critical Theory offers a certain metaphysic or understanding of the nature of reality (in fact, its own understanding of creation), a certain anthropology and doctrine of sin, a certain understanding of redemption or atonement, and a certain understanding of history or eschatology.
The paper will proceed to offer a distinctly Christian critique of Critical Theory—with insights from Scripture, John Calvin (with his notion of man as homo adorans—“worshipping man”), Blaise Pascal (and his emphasis that one only understands all things correctly when understand through Christ), Cornelius Van Til (with his insight that all persons interpret reality in accord with one’s deepest, and inescapably theological, convictions), and missiologists J.H. Bavinck and Hendrik Kraemer (with the notion of “subversive fulfillment,” especially as worked out recently by Daniel Strange and Christopher Watkin—especially the latter’s A Biblical Critical Theory).
This paper argues that Critical Theory is in effect an alternative theology or religion, and that Christians must seek to “subvert” and “fulfill” Critical Theory. Christianity “subverts” Critical Theory by calling it to account for its own false faith and idolatry. Christianity “fulfills” Critical Theory by showing that whatever inkling of truth is found in Critical Theory is due to God’s common grace, no matter how much this inkling of truth is being smothered or corrupted by human sin. Indeed, only Christianity can truly “fulfill” those aspects of critical theory which reflect—if even dimly—the work of common grace in the adherents and thought of Critical Theory.
A truly Christian response to Critical Theory will show that it is not—ironically—critical enough. Christianity truly gets to the heart of the matter and actually is the most truly “critical,” in that the Christian message offers a true understanding of reality and what is wrong with the world, and likewise offers the true solution to the myriad challenges, problems, and sufferings experienced and seen in the world.