Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. DEI. Those words have become lightning rods in our nation and are anathema to the current administration that seems intent on punishing any organization or individuals that try to address issues around DEI. The terms mean different things to different people; for some they are essential to being a better nation as we grapple with a legacy of discrimination that cannot just be wished away! For others DEI focuses too much on the past and holds us back from being the nation they envision us being. I chaired the DEI committee at the hospital which was formed to address health disparities identified in the COVID epidemic. In fulfilling our mission to care for the whole community, we found that within our larger community there were diverse communities that had different health needs and outcomes for a variety of reasons. For some, transportation was an issue; for some rural communities, lack of internet access made telehealth a problem; for some, language was a barrier, while for others it was stigma associated with their circumstances that proved a barrier to seeking care. DEI work helped us better understand the issues of individuals within those communities and find solutions to improve the health of folks in all the communities within our community. People could have better health outcomes and costs could be saved by understanding and meeting the particular needs of individuals before untreated health problems landed them in the ER! It was a win-win for the community! For Christians, DEI is at the heart of the Gospel. In the creation stories in Genesis, God makes clear that the diversity of creation is a good thing to be celebrated. Paul lifts up the diversity of spiritual gifts as a blessing to be cherished, not lamented. All gifts are important without exalting one over the others. At times such diversity provoked fear of “the other” who is different; Jesus broke down those barriers and calls us to repent of our own prejudices and actions that fail to recognize our common creation as children of God. Equity is fairness. Jesus goes out of his way to emphasize that fairness may demand more than equal treatment. Sinners great and small are forgiven. The prodigal son is loved and welcomed home by the same father who seeks out the loyal son who stayed by his father’s side. The rich are to share with the poor, and the stranger is to be welcomed as a neighbor. “The first shall be last and the last first” may sound unfair to our ears, but in God’s eyes it illustrates how God’s priorities differ so radically from those of the world. Jesus is interested in persons where they are with a view toward all being saved, recognizing that may involve helping different people in different ways. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasizes inclusion – welcoming those on the margins of society, showing love toward those considered unlovable, including those who were excluded by the religious, cultural, and political powers. God’s love is an inclusive love for all! And repeatedly Jesus encourages us to repent of the sins of the past, not ignore them, and commit to a better future together as God’s faithful people. We who are called to be Jesus’ disciples are called to practice God’s kind of DEI – in Micah’s words: to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God; to love God with all that we are and to love all our neighbors as ourselves. Maybe that is not the way you have thought of DEI; but if you would be Jesus’ disciple, then you ought to embrace God’s DEI with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love – regardless of what the political powers may say! For, at the heart of God’s DEI and Jesus’ calling is love – love for God and for our neighbors, one and all!
— John Peterson
