Embracing Diversity: Chapel Reflection with Professor Marc Andreas

Marc Andreas believes that diversity is an essential piece of God’s plan for creation.

“It’s actually an important part of Scripture’s entire narrative,” Kuyper told members of the Kuyper College community gathered in the Vos Chapel on September 26 for a twice-weekly service.

Wherever we look in the Bible, he said, we find cases of diversity baked into God’s design. Through the wide variety of landscapes, animals and people He created, we learn that differences and variations magnify the beauty of the world.

This is especially true of racial diversity, he added. God intentionally created humanity in a kaleidoscope of appearances, experiences and perspectives, and these things are good. Referencing Colossians 3, he noted that we are all equal before God.

However, he added, we often misunderstand the implications this has for our lives, especially when we come from a white perspective.

“We often think that, because God says we are all equal before Him, this means we need to be colorblind and see everyone as being the same,” he said. 

Colorblindness seems, on the surface, to be good because it appears to reinforce the equal value of all people. But, in reality, it overlooks essential pieces of others’ identities said Andreas, an associate professor of Business Leadership and the Business Leadership program director.

“We end up putting blinders on to the whole person,” he said.

Another danger with colorblindness is that it can cause us to miss systemic injustices experienced by certain racial and ethnic groups, such as the disproportionate rates of incarceration and death at the hands of law enforcement among Black Americans, Andreas said.

Instead of seeking to become colorblind, we should strive to see and appreciate the fullness of others’ humanity and work toward justice for all, he emphasized. He encouraged the audience to consider what this might look like for them.

“As Christians, God calls us to love more deeply than colorblindness allows. When we really sit at the feet of people who are different from us, learn from them and serve them, we are fulfilling God’s call to love our neighbor,” he said.