Archives for November 2014

It’s easy for a group to be united when there are few differences among the individuals. (“Isn’t it nice that we all think and look alike? Let’s congratulate ourselves for our unity.”) And it is easy to be divisive in a group whose individuals represent diversity in some way. (“Those guys just don’t know how to dress like us cool dudes do.”) The real challenge to human nature is finding ways to be united around real, fundamental truths while recognizing and even valuing differences. This may be one of the most difficult problems facing any community, one that only the gospel can genuinely solve.

One of the eight Core Values of Westlake Christian Academy is “Unity in Diversity” – respecting and celebrating variety within God’s family while treasuring the truths which unite us (Ephesians 2:13-18; Philippians 4:2-4; Revelation 5:9-10; 7:9-10). We believe that the gospel destroys human barriers, enabling all believers to stand in unity on a level plane before the cross and receive equal forgiveness. Recently I wrote a piece here on diversity vs. elitism in Christian education, which became my most widely read post yet. That piece dealt primarily with the desirability for a diverse student body. Now it is time to take up the other side: unity. This particular core value appears to be two in one, and we mean it to be. We do not want one without the other. [Read more…]