The Canvas of Creation: A Biblical Response to the Heresy of Racial Superiority by Drew Poplin—A Great Booklet That I Wish We Didn’t Need (but we sadly do)

The Canvas of Creation: A Biblical Response to the Heresy of Racial Superiority

by Drew Poplin

DETAILS:
Publisher: Crown & Covenant Publications
Publication Date: October 30, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 55 pgs.
Read Date: November 9, 2025

What’s The Canvas of Creation About?

Recent years have seen a rise of despicable teachings advocating racial/ethnic superiority and separation, particularly among some groups online.

Thankfully, they’re not going unchallenged—recently, three denominations stated:

Condemn without distinction any theological or political teaching which posits a superiority of race or ethnic identity born of immutable human characteristics and does on the solemn evening call to repentance any who would promote or associate themselves with such teaching, either by commission or omission.

Drew Poplin, a minister of one of those, has written this short book to go along with that. He makes (or perhaps “sketches” would be a better word) five arguments. He arguing that it is contrary to nature, contrary to the law of God, contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, contrary to the nature and government of the church; and then he seeks to answer the primary historic argument from Scripture. After this, he takes a look at the roots of the recent rise in this heresy and some practical applications in dealing with it.

This is a lot to tackle in 55 pages (less, after the Introduction), so Poplin cannot really get into depth. But he attempts to make up for that depth by the breadth of his considerations.

Dealing with Christians of the Past

This is a dicey thing—but “X minister” or “y theologian” from the past thought in terms of racial superiority, or owned slaves, or fill-in-the-blank. Does this mean we need to discount everything they said/wrote/passed down to the Church? Poplin suggests that no, we don’t—and makes a case to overlook this in love. His arguments are much like those of Jacobs’ in Breaking Bread with the Dead when it comes to people of earlier times writing and saying things that clash with contemporary mores.

I think his argument works—although I admit I want it to work, so it’s hard for me to evaluate objectively. Regardless, I’m glad he addressed this idea directly and didn’t leave it unanswered.

So, what did I think about The Canvas of Creation?

First, I think it is lamentable (in the sense Jeremiah would use) that a book like this needs to be written—ever, much less in 2025. I’m troubled even more that we’re going to need more like this. Because as good as this is, it’s not enough. (probably nothing will be enough until the Lord returns, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep swinging).

Secondly, it’s a good little book—Poplin makes the arguments that I’d think would be pretty standard—he also makes some (rather convincing) arguments along lines that I’ve never considered.

He does say a couple of things that only work in theologies committed to Christian magistrates and covenanted nations (not in a contemporary Christian Nationalist way, but in something more historic). As someone who has never been convinced by those positions, I found those parts of the book to be rather weak. But I probably wouldn’t if I accepted the premise.

Otherwise, I was with him every step of the way. I do appreciate the case Poplin makes to consider this kind of thing a heresy (while not wanting to overuse the word). I’m not sure I’d have called it anything but grave error before, but that time is over. Thank you, Rev. Popliln for that.

Get this, read it, give copies to friends.