Tim Keller is renown for having a rather cryptic social media presence. In an instance of not speaking in riddles, Tim Keller came out and promoted Chris Watkin’s lecture on “developing a biblical critical theory.” The most obvious critique is that putting the word “biblical” in front of something that is not biblical is oxymoronic. however, Chris Watkins redefines Critical Theory in a long rambling lecture as Third Wayism. Third Wayism is is an attack on objectivity, most specifically the objective line between good and evil.
Lots of confusion out there over Critical Theory. See this helpful lecture by Chris Watkin. It not only explains what a critical theory is, it shows that its possible to develop a biblical critical theory. https://t.co/CUDSsiGMrN
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) January 6, 2022
For instance, Thanos was objectively evil. He did not “have a point.” He failed economics. Third Wayism would obfuscate the dichotomy between the Avengers and Thanos. Watkins applies this level of obfuscation to Sigmund Freud, a man whose ideology and worldview were a detriment to humanity. Essentially, Freud believed that human beings were nothing but their base sexual desires, a denial of the imago Dei. Watkins attempts to salvage the work of Freud by saying he was right about the presence of an unconscious self.
During the lecture, Chris Watkins claims that the only purely evil being is the devil, to say that in a fallen created order, everything we encounter is going to have some element of good and evil in it. This line of thinking obfuscates that which is objectively evil on earth. For instance, there is nothing redeemable about Maoism, Branch Covidianism, or Islam. These are false gospels. But Chris Watkins believes in finding redeemable elements in order to use this as a tool for apologetics.
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Tim Keller also promotes theistic evolution and is in bed with Dr. Francis Collins with Biologos which is coercing these vaccine mandates; interesting how government officials can use religion to advocate these mandates; but military personnel and citizens are being denied their religious exemptions; and that is not an Inquisition in disguise with a vaccine that can kill you or cause serious adverse reactions?
By saying that there are truths in almost every worldview, Watkins doesn‘t excuse or condone these worldviews. He explicitly states they are wrong precisely because they focus on one true thing and deny all other true things, thereby denying things like the imago dei.
If something is utterly, totally wrong and has no basis in truth, many people won‘t fall for it because they become skeptical when it doesn‘t work. But if you mix in some truth, you lure them away, exactly as the snake does in the garden. Look at what she says: She confuses truth and lie. And that‘s why mankind falls for her. The fact that there was some truth in the snakes claims doesn‘t redeem her. And that is what Watkins says about other worldviews as well.