Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are divine gifts, and the prophets of the Hebrew tradition, the writers of the wisdom literature in Hebrew and Christian faith, Jesus and his followers, all say we are to put those divine gifts into action
From our neighbours to the south we have heard plenty about ‘DEI’ and the dismantling of ‘DEI programs’ in government and companies, and a campaign against ‘DEI’ hires. In the social media world there’s rejoicing about the end of these things, yet I have discovered very few people seem to know what the programs actually were, or even what DEI stands for.
I’m sure we know that those three letters stand for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The idea behind these programs is that they attempt to redress the balance of systems which have favoured mainly white men to be in positions of leadership, based often, not on skills or talents, but usually on their race, gender or connection. DEI programs sought to give a place to talented and qualified individuals of colour, of different ethnic backgrounds, of different gender and gender identities, of varying sexualities in order to create a balance of viewpoints, understandings, and create equal opportunities for all.
As a white, straight, cis-male, I know I’ve had privileges because of my skin colour, gender, and sexuality – I know that in my early ‘career’ in the Church I probably had lower barriers to getting jobs, and be relatively successful in what I do – even to the point of being invited to apply for a position here in Victoria and being brought over from England twelve years ago. Being aware of this, I now try to use my voice and my position to make a place for people who don’t look, sound, live, or love like I do.
And I do this because our Bibles and traditions tell us Diversity is a good thing, that Inclusion is part of God’s way of doing things and that the message of the Scriptures and of the Christian tradition is that equity – all people having equal opportunity, all people sharing in the good of this world, is a God-given ideal – something that Jesus called the Kingdom (or reign) of God. In God’s way of doing things, says Jesus – the blind see, the broken are healed, the poor are lifted up. Mary, Jesus’ mother, has a song of justice and equity attributed to her called ‘the Magnificat’ which talks (sings) of God ‘casting down the mighty’ and ‘lifting up the lowly’ – if you want to read it, it is in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, just before the one of the versions of the Christmas story we know so well.
Anglican priest and writer, Isabelle Hamley, in her book ‘Embracing Justice’ says diversity and justice is important from the very beginning of the stories of our faith – she says the myth of creation could have talked of God making just enough, one tree which provided all the fruit human beings needed a little at a time. Instead the story says God made abundance, diversity, variety – colours, shapes, textures and flavours of fruit and vegetable, flower and trees, animals, and all the wonders of creation. Creation itself is a diverse, abundant gift to be shared with all.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are divine gifts, and the prophets of the Hebrew tradition, the writers of the wisdom literature in Hebrew and Christian faith, Jesus and his followers, all say we are to put those divine gifts into action – through acts of charity and kindness, through fighting for justice, and by proclaiming the love of God for all people without distinction. As the most famous Bible verse says ‘God so loved the world’ – not God so loved one group of people above any other, or one country above others, God so loved the world.
The Ven. Alastair Singh-McCollumis Rector of St. John the Divine Anglican Church in Victoria andArchdeacon, Diocese of Islands and Inlets.He has a passion for the Gospel, motorbikes and bike culture, worship, philosophy, theology, guitars, single malt whisky, real ale, cinema and all things French. You can find Alastair at the church website:www.stjohnthedivine.bc.caandon his blog:fracme.blogspot.ca
You can read more articles on our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, athttps://www.timescolonist.com/blogs/spiritually-speaking
* This article was published in the print edition of the Times Colonist on Saturday, July 12th 2025