Human, religious strength is in diversity

Diversity is a hallmark of the human race. There are no duplicates in the human family, not even in the event of what is called identical twins. This is hard scientific fact. Paul devotes a lengthy passage in his first Corinthian letter to the subject of diversity in the Christian Church. We call the passage 1st Corinthians 12. Paul pictures the Christian church as a human body with a never-ending list of parts, each part with a different and unique function. Here is a sample of Paul’s thinking from the passage.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say “because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say “I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is there are many members but one body.

Obviously Paul is writing about the diversity found within Christian churches. His intent is to wipe out the presence of any kind of elitism that might be found within the fellowship of believers.

Can a broader application of this principle be made to the whole human race without regard to nationality, race or religion?

This past week I received a very sad note about Wheaton College. Wheaton is my alma mater and is dearly beloved in my heart of hearts. Dr. Larycia Hawkins has taught political science at the college for ten years. She is a tenured professor. Recently Dr. Hawkins wore a hijab to express solidarity with Muslim believers, who face discrimination and persecution around the world. In a public statement, Dr. Hawkins said “Christians and Muslims worship the same God.” College administrators said that the wearing of the hijab was acceptable, but her “Christian and Muslims worship the same God” statement stepped over the line of the theological statement that all Wheaton faculty members must sign. Dr. Hawkins was suspended from her teaching responsibilities. Dr. Hawkins had merely quoted Pope Francis.

I am a reader of books. Not only do I read books, I also ponder them. A few years ago New York Times columnist Tom Friedman wrote a book “The World Is Flat.” The book triggered my pondering mechanism. The premise of the book is that electronic communications has forced all human beings to acknowledge that every world citizen now has access to unbounded information. The world is flat. Oceans, deserts and mountains can no longer deny human beings access to information or to one another. In modern history the availability of information is a greater event than the emergence of communism, World War II, Viet Nam or 9/11. The flat world leads us either to embrace diversity or to face endless war to find out who is best, strongest, smartest, or most devious in pursuit of dominance.

I am not suggesting that choosing diversity is simply a way to escape the disasters of elitism. Choosing diversity is the path to becoming fully functioning. It is the path to joy filled living. Diversity is not to be feared, but rather it is the path to shalom, the state in which the needs of all are met and all human beings are acknowledged as brothers and sisters.

I consider myself a devout Christian, totally committed to the Lordship of Jesus from Nazareth. This is a faith commitment that does not require me to reject people that I perceive to be different. The demand in my faith commitment takes me back to Paul’s passage in 1st Corinthians. My calling is not to be superior in any way, but rather to fulfill my role in the functioning of the body of the human race.

In 1955 Sy Miller and Jill Jackson wrote “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” The song expresses the essence of Paul’s Corinthian passage and the hope of Tom Friedman’s book. The song was first sung at a California retreat for young persons of diverse religious commitments.

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.

With God as our father, brothers all are we.

Let me walk with my brothers in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now.

With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment, and live each moment in peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

I believe the pursuit of this hope for humanity was the consuming passion of Jesus from Nazareth. We have good reason to celebrate his coming into the world.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.