The Spirit of Critical Race Theory

Abstract

An underappreciated aspect of critical race theory (CRT) is its analysis of the intersection of race, law, religion, and spirituality. These topics are of concern to critical race theorists because a complete critique of U.S. law must account for how religion is embedded in the nation’s founding documents and subsequent jurisprudence. Recently, leading scholars have called for a theory that accounts for the codefining quality of race, racism, and religion. I argue that CRT is an appropriate answer to these calls. I demonstrate CRT’s utility by renewing the religion and spirituality-based critique of race law that undergirds early CRT. Then, I discuss the spirituality of CRT, noting its founders’ reliance on Christian tradition and the spiritual claims in its tenets. Finally, I suggest future lines for research and show how CRT speaks to several debates among religious practitioners and academic researchers.