Dear Editor, The controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention over systemic racism (critical race theory) points to the politicized nature of Christianity from the beginning. The earliest issue was whether or not to fellowship with heathens. By the time of the Reformation, the church had been on a 1,500-year quest to amass wealth and influence in the world through political means. When modern nations enforced separation of church and state, the church found protection from marginalization by asserting its supremacy over government in matters like providing for the success of families, the eradication of crime and punishment, and the construction…

Dear Editor, The controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention over systemic racism (critical race theory) points to the politicized nature of Christianity from the beginning. The earliest issue was whether or not to fellowship with heathens. By the time of the Reformation, the church had been on a 1,500-year quest to amass wealth and influence in the world through political means. When modern nations enforced separation of church and state, the church found protection from marginalization by asserting its supremacy over government in matters like providing for the success of families, the eradication of crime and punishment, and the construction…