The Gospel of God's Grace and Diversity In His Creation

I'm a big fan of "diversity" because I observe it in God's Creation.

Here is what I mean: Walk through Holland during our Tulip Time festival and you will notice the diversity of tulips.  Do some people-watching during the parade and you will see a similar diversity among all the cheering people.  Because I think that people and life are not an accident, it is easy for me to conclude that the LORD God values diversity in the world He created.

There are two other important aspects related to the diversity that God created: Unity and Redemption for Reconciliation.

By unity, I mean simply that tulips - for all their diversity - are still tulips.  They are not roses. A wide and diverse variety of tulips are still tulips.

It is the same with people.  Tall, short, black, white and so on.  There is a lot of diversity, but we are all united as human beings.  As a Christ-follower,  I believe that for all our apparent diversity, every person is united as an image-bearer of the Living God.  We're diverse, but all hold that in common.  That's the unity of diverse humans.

Unfortunately, there is a problem in God's creation that disrupts and damages this balance of unity and diversity. Sin is the classical term for it.  Among other things, that sin breaks our experience of unity, the relationship with other humans based on our shared bearing of the image of God.  We fall short of our created intention, and end up hurting one another, as well as God's creation.  God's answer to that is the Gospel: Redemption and Reconciliation.  Jesus redeems us from sin and reconciles us to God AND to one another.  That's really good news - even as we wait for its completion.

So I'm a big fan of diversity and see it as a reflection of God's character and the Gospel.

But I'm not a big fan of diversity rhetoric or policies - yes, I'm thinking of most Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sorts of policies here - because they leave out those important components: Unity and Redemption for Reconciliation.

As I listen to the cultural conversations of our moment, I am increasingly hearing a view of the life that divides humanity into two groups: good guys vs bad guys.  Depending on the agenda, that can be Bourgeoisie vs Proletariat, racist vs anti-racist, straight vs gay.  You could go on and on.  Conflict is the energy that drives this view of life.  What is lacking in any sense of a deeper connection between the human beings in these conflicting groups.

Also missing is any means of reconciliation between these conflicting groups.  Conflict is resolved by victory.  It is a zero-sum, either/or, win/lose view of life and relationships with no way to redeem the wrongs and bring reconciliation between both parties with flourishing for all.

Here is a concrete example of the difference between the Gospel view of unity and the other: Have you heard any hope of resolution between Israelis and Palestinians?  I haven't.  It's either "from the River to the sea" with one side or "we will never forget" for the other.  I could go on with each conflicting side in every contentious division.

The Gospel offers a hope to this conflict.  That hope is based on the common humanity of Palestinians and Israelis as image-bearers of God redeemed and reconciled through Jesus.

So if you are trying to work through your thoughts on diversity and various policies, my counsel would be to have you look for two things.

• First, is there an underlying sense of a unity between the people in each of the conflicting groups that is greater than the conflict itself?  There may be conflict or injustice, but is there something deeper and more important that can bring the parties together.
• Second, is the end of the process redemption and reconciliation?  If something has been broken, how is it made right, so that the people of the two conflicting groups can return to loving relationship?

Here is a concrete example with regard to racial issues.  Consider the differences in speech, action and outcomes between Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and the Black Lives Matter movement.  Both faced and responded to racial injustice.  Dr King was a Baptist pastor who saw his opponents as fellow humans, even sometimes fellow believers in Christ!  He used non-violent means to pursue reconciliation and justice.   His "I Have A Dream" sermon has appeal and hope for everyone regardless of race or politics.  Observe the Black Lives movement or read the books of Ibrim X. Kandi and you will find little common ground between "racist" and "anti-racists" with an anger that will never allow restitution, restoration or reconciliation.  The reason for this is that Dr King lived from a gospel worldview and BLM was based on something very different indeed.

The celebration of diversity in God's creation is based on an underlying unity that grows from seeing all people as image-bearers of our Creator.  Restoring that unity is costly though, because it is offered through redemption of the brokenness that makes possible reconciliation between the conflicting groups.  Reconciliation, not just victory, is the final goal of the work of Jesus in the Gospel.