University: Unity within Diversity

Today in Chapel I got a chance to be a part of a gospel choir. I had a blast doing it (I hadn't been in a choir in years!). But I was more excited to see the reaction of the people more than anything else. This intrigued me for a few reasons. I'll admit, I'm a people watcher and enjoy watching people's reactions to things, but that isn't the only reason I was interested in the reaction of the people. In my five weeks here, I have found that there is a desire for more diversity which (to my observation of the responses of people around me) has yet to be fulfilled. I found this interesting since there seem to be so many people from different places that attend this school. The fact that I get a chance to study with people from all over the world was one of the things that attracted me to Fuller and yet it seems that we are faced with the same challenges that we would find outside the church. Now, before I go any further let me say this: I am not saying in any way that Fuller Theological Seminary is racist. In my experience here thus far; THIS IS NOT THE CASE. I personally have felt so welcome by everyone here (from students, professors and staff) and it is this since of community that has been the encouragement for me to keep going. It is my goal to share my observations and desires to see more of this sense of community expressed in the richness of the different cultures represented.

I mentioned in an earlier blog about Apostle Ellis Smith from Detroit, MI giving a word at our church where he shared with us what he calls "university" that is; unity within diversity. What I gathered from this message is that our churches shouldn't be considered places where we go to worship with people "like us" (by this I mean the same social, cultural and economic background as ourselves) but quite the contary: our churches and places of worship should be the very place where people from all different walks of life come together to worship the true and living God. After all, shouldn't God's power and love transend all of the factors that we have determined to be factors of separation and segregation? It was this very love that Jesus walked in when He was seen sitting with Tax collectors, healing gentiles, and loving the "unlovable" and if we are called to be followers of Christ, we are obligated to walk in that same transcending love.

This is why I was so intrigued to see the reaction of those at chapel the day of the gospel choir. I was excited to share the richness of my culture with others, and even more excited to see the unity within the expression of diversity. It is my goal and desire to see that expressed through the Latino and Asian communities as well. I believe that there needs to be a greater sense of "university" on the Fuller campus. I am not saying that we are not unified under Christ, but I would like to see a greater expression of diversity within that unity. I recently went to a meeting for a group on campus for students of African decent and during that meeting they asked for suggestions of things that we would like to see the group accomplish. My main suggestion is for us to not just be a group that "helps students of African decent feel welcome" but to give the Fuller community an opportunity to enjoy the richness of experiencing God through the African culture. There are so many cultures represented on our campus and I for one would love to be apart of those expressions. There is so much to learn from those of African descent, or Latino decent or Koren or Asian decent. There is a richness and a history that I would love to experience. Our goals as ethnic groups should not only be to gather those who "look like us" together simply for the sake of recognition and comfort. We have an obligation to share our culture with others, for our voices have been shaped by the lives of those who have come before us and we would do them a disservice if we simply conform to religious norms for the sake of "unity." This is also why I would like to see more culture representation in our professors, textbooks, student groups, newspapers, etc. I am by no means saying that this isn't happening, but if you feel that we have reached the pinnacle of diversity within the Fuller campus, then please respond to this blog with your observations and I will stand corrected.

I would like to quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in his sermon "Remaining awake through a great revolution:"

All I'm saying is simply this: that all mankind is tied together; all life is interrelated, and we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be - this is the interrelated structure of reality.

I believe that despite our difference, we all thrive on our interdependence to one another. In an interdependent relationship, all participants are emotionally, economically, ecologically and/or morally self-reliant while at the same time responsible to each other.*  In this sense, each culture is in and of itself significant but as the body of Christ we are also responsible for one another (in love and accountability). I believe that there is a deeper level of understanding of God's love that I can experience through learning about my brothers and sisters in Christ who's lives are different than mine. I simply cannot obtain this understanding without the willingness to see God in all of His expression. How can we claim to have a grasp of the revelation of God and negate the very people who He created in His image because they are not like us? If that is my thinking then I most surely need to be retaught.

OK, I'm ranting.... (smile)

I would like to thank Gillian Grannum for putting this gospel choir together and allowing the Fuller community the opportunity to experience God in a different way, and I encourage others to do the same. There is so much more out there that we have yet to discover; let us no longer allow our love to be hindered by our unwillingness to engage in the richness of the diversity that God has bestowed upon us. Instead, let us show the world God's love by embrassing our differences and allowing that love to transend them; unitifing us as one Body in Christ.

Let the greater Body and the world see us the way we are to be called:

Fuller Theological Seminary....a University.