Dear Trekker,
There seems to be no more ubiquitous word in the English language today than diversity. It is the buzzword of the hour. There are diversity strategies, diversity initiatives, diversity recruiting objectives, etc. Unfortunately, diversity too often has become a numbers game and defies seemingly, deeper thought concerning its applicability to all solutions.
Let’s be clear… diversity at the core is simply a variety of something. Diversity highlights and seeks to build on the expectant qualities of difference. When exploring most issues, the different approaches brought to the table can often yield multiple (some better than others) effective results. And certainly, diversity as inclusion for such issues as evaluating people (read race) and their contributions is a good thing.
But evaluating applicability of the diversity concept is like one sitting in a wagon holding the reins of a team of horses. You better hold the reins somewhat tightly or you might get carried off on a run-away wagon.
Diversity carries no moral value. It must be understood contextually. Recently I read an article in a national publication entitled, “It’s Time to Encourage Diversity of Thought.” It was co-authored by a friend and fellow trekker, which drew me to it. The article begins, “Diversity in its most effective form is diversity of thought. Diversity of thought in business makes more money. Diversity of thought in religion expands congregations.” And right there, I shuddered. “Is the purpose of religion to expand congregations?” I mused instantly. “I don’t think so,” I said silently.
The thesis of the article is to examine “whether the diversity of culture and race that has resulted in success in other areas of society (italics mine) necessarily means that diversifying for fairness of opportunity and variety of thought in the military makes a more effective fighting force.” “Maybe a good hypothesis,” I thought, “but what are other critical factors,” I said to myself! Application of the concept must be prescriptive.
Definity and divinity almost simultaneously cropped up in my mind. They in fact derail diversity. The moment you define something, you eliminate the diversity of what that something might or could be. By definition there is no choice in a decision or solution. An apt antonym of diversity is extinction. Diversity of thought dissolves at the moment of defined solution or choice.
Then I immediately thought also of divinity. When Jesus said so resolutely, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), there is no room left for a divergent view. The statement by the lowly carpenter was in one sense preposterous! But for sure, it is either true or false. There is no room for divergence. One chooses (a solution) to believe it true or false. The accepted divinity of Christ as the only begotten (unique, original) son of God is the plumb line of all thought that is truly Christian. The believer in Christ says there is no room for divergent thought on this subject. God speaks; we respond!
The fact that diversity of thought (on the nature of Christ, e.g.) might lead to large congregations is certainly true, but not the issue for the believer. The issue is the exclusivity of the power of Jesus Christ, where there is no room for divergent views concerning his true identity. In faith, identity is everything; access to or compilation of numbers (of people) is and must be secondary. Ironically, an exclusive Christ is most inclusive… whosoever will may come… He died for all and forgives all.
Yes, diversity of religious thought (read speculation) has been the bane of man’s existence as well as its blessing. (Thank God He chose to tell us His story!) In Philosophy 101, I was blown away at the speculative history of “the Gods” which dominated Greek and Roman thought when Christ came on the human scene. It led me to major in philosophy. We see definity and diversity bound together so beautifully in St. Paul’s address on Mars Hill. Knowing that diversity in religious thought led to idol worship (Acts 17:16ff), the Apostle sought to rule out diversity in worship and focus on the one true God. Verse 22 sets the tone: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an alter with this inscription: To An Unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you” (italics mine).
Virtually everything about propagating our faith in Christ, trekker, is making known the unknown! We do this by defining in life and word the last Word, Jesus Christ. Yet another close-out, non-diverse statement of Scripture comes to mind: “In the past God spoke to our fathers through the prophets at many times and in various (divergent) ways, but in these days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe (Hebrews 1:1,2).
Trekker, one of the highest human duties is the duty of encouragement. That is why I write to you monthly. (See Romans 1:11. 12.) My goal this month is to encourage discretion concerning a good, descriptive word… diversity. It is not applicable to all thought. We undoubtedly need simple unification today in our culture and country. Diversity in the extreme can lead to disunity, disruption and a disheartened populace. Some boundaries for the diversity bandwagon are essential if we are to stay on the reservation. Surely they begin with the definitive solution to settle on Jesus Christ as the Way, Truth and Life. All other divergent views or religions are an unnecessary detour from the beauty of imaginative thinking concerning how we may reveal the Life.
Your fellow trekker,
Jim Meredith
