Diversity and unity in the church

How do you see unity in diversity in your church and how do you deal with diversity? - This question was on the programme of the partner church consultation in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday morning.

Three theologians from Tanzania, Peru and Germany shared their perspectives on unity in diversity, and how they shape their church accordingly.

In his contribution, Dr. Emmanuel Kileo, Director of the ELM, explained how the "us" and "them" mindset leads to discrimination and called on church leaders in particular to deconstruct this mindset. Ralf Meister, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, who was unable to be present in Johannesburg, shared his contribution in writing with the delegates and explained how the Hanoverian regional church, as a democratically organised institution, focuses on participation and involvement. For Bishop Meister, the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers opposes any exclusivity; spiritual leadership is always at the service of the community. Ofelia Dávila Llimpe, President of the Lutheran Church of Peru, shared her dream of a church as a committed, resilient and spiritually enriched community that is ready to face the challenges of today and tomorrow -a church in which every member, regardless of age or gender, feels called to serve and actively participate in the life of the church. In doing so, they are guided by the inclusive mission of Jesus.

Dr Emmanuel Kileo, Director of the ELM:

Emmanuel Kileo emphasised in his contribution that leaders must promote inclusion and live it themselves. He explained the basic mechanism behind discrimination against individual groups of people: women, queer people, people with disabilities, people of colour, members of other religions, etc. The "us" and "the others" model of thinking is applied to all of them; supposedly good values are associated with the "us" and negative characteristics with "the others." The result is that the artificial “good, supposedly-normal us” tries to restrict access for the artificial “bad, supposedly-abnormal others” to resources. This results in hierarchy, exploitation, suffering and crime.
In conclusion, Kileo called on those present to recognise diversity as a fact and to perceive it as a blessing for our church and our society.

Ofelia Dávila Llimpe, President of the Lutheran Church of Peru:

Church President Ofelia Dávila Llimpe explained what her church is already doing to promote diversity - for example, there is a constitution that stipulates that church councils should be made up of half men and half women. Special programmes have been developed for different groups within the church, such as young people, older people, men and women. It was the younger people, in particular, who through their creativity contributed to developing new formats for the maintenance of church life during the COVID-19 pandemic. In everything the church does, it is important to provide spaces for open dialogue, to ensure constant feedback and the inclusion of different perspectives in the work. "We regularly review our actions and renew our commitment to being an inclusive church. We conduct surveys and evaluation sessions with members to ensure that their needs and opinions are heard and considered in our planning," explained the Peruvian Church President. In addition, the training of leaders from different groups is being promoted. How can one counter the accusation that the gospel is being distorted if diversity in all its forms is allowed? Ofelia Dávila Llimpe answered this question: "As a church, we start from the conviction that we are all created in the image of God, as the Word of God reminds us in Genesis 1:26. Human beings reflect the divine image and deserve to be treated with love and respect. Jesus himself taught us to proclaim the Good News to all people without distinction, and in Matthew 28:19 he calls on us to make disciples of all nations. This command emphasises the universality and inclusivity of Christ's message." Unfortunately, there are also many factors that prevent people in Peru from realising the dream of an inclusive church; above all, the economic, political and social problems that people have to struggle with rob them of the time to become even more involved in their church. And yet Ofelia Dávila Llimpe looked to the future with hope: "As the apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. May this truth inspire us to continue our mission with hope and love and to always be a light in the world."

Ralf Meister, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover:

Against the backdrop of a church to which only a minority of society now belongs, the regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Ralf Meister, outlined his view of spiritual leadership and the church of diversity in his written contribution. In it, the theologian first emphasised that spiritual leadership is a task in which everyone participates. The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers is opposed to any exclusivity. The community merely entrusts individuals from its midst with the public fulfilment of this mission. Spiritual leadership is therefore always at the service of the community. "Leadership" is therefore not based on a special abundance of power. Instead, it always leads back to the Gospel and provides impetus as to how the Gospel can take shape in the present. This also includes social commitment and advocacy for a just, free and peaceful world.
In order to reach people with the Gospel, "we endeavour to speak the faith into the world in such a way that people can experience it anew". However, this can only succeed if the world in which people live is taken seriously. "Our church recognises the forms of life that people choose for themselves in great diversity. This refers to the diversity of family situations, the diversity of gender identities, the diversity of cultural backgrounds, the diversity of forms of community and communication, the diversity of aesthetic preferences and the diversity of biographical influences. We not only recognise this diversity, but try to integrate it and relate to it," said the regional bishop. With regard to his church, he hopes that people can have meaningful experiences in it that enrich them. "I hope that they encounter a living faith through various approaches and that this faith becomes a source of strength for them." He is convinced: "We are sent to people in the diversity of their realities because God himself has chosen this path. I want a church that is credible because it follows this path."