Wokeness is a modern social and political worldview centered on heightened awareness of perceived systemic oppression involving race, gender, sexuality, identity, and power structures. Originally derived from the phrase “stay woke,” it referred to awareness of injustice, particularly racism. Over time, the term expanded to include progressive beliefs about identity politics, critical race theory, gender ideology, speech regulation, diversity initiatives, and social activism.
Critics argue that wokeness often divides people into categories of oppressors and victims, prioritizes group identity over individual character, suppresses dissent through public shaming or cancellation, and attempts to redefine language, morality, and social norms according to progressive ideology.
From a Christian (biblical) worldview, many object to wokeness because it often replaces biblical categories of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and individual moral responsibility with ideological concepts rooted in power dynamics and identity politics. Critics also argue that it frequently conflicts with biblical teachings on truth, sexuality, human nature, justice, and the authority of Scripture.
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