As our election approaches, if we turn to the Bible, Paul’s letter to the Philippians can be seen as a helpful call for unity in diversity. This call naturally raises the question: “What does unity in diversity really look like?” Whether we think of the people in Philippi or those in our own communities today, differences are a fact of life. Just look at the variety of people walking in and out of local stores as an example. It’s also true that the idea of unity is sometimes misused, becoming a way to silence different voices, dissenting opinions, or force conformity under the guise of unity. Phrases like, “Oh, under the skin, we’re all the same!” can be used to ignore the richness, opportunities, and challenges that diversity brings.
Churches are not immune to this challenge. Today, churches grapple with many forms of diversity — racial, economic, theological, political, and even differences in sports loyalties. How do we navigate these real differences? Should we see them as a threat to the church? Should we revert to the practices of the medieval church, where heretics were burned at the stake to maintain unity and theological purity? Or should we accommodate these differences by worshiping in separate spaces? The saying that 10:30 on Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America reflects a harsh reality.
It seems that the early church in Philippi faced similar diversity issues. In Paul’s letter, we hear of a dispute between two women, Euodia and Syntyche, which may reflect deeper underlying tensions. We don’t know the specifics of their conflict, as we only have Paul’s perspective. Euodia and Syntyche might have seen things differently. Regardless, their disagreement was significant enough for Paul to address it directly.
When I read Paul’s words in Philippians 2:1-13, I see him offering a logical framework for unity. The engineer in me appreciates this, as it resembles the “if-then” statements found in programming languages, which are fundamental to logical reasoning. Paul presents a multi-part “if” statement: “If there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation from love, if there is any sharing in the Spirit, if there is any compassion and sympathy.” If any of these are true, then there are corresponding actions we should take. Paul lists four of them, and we are to apply all four:
If Christ, love, or the Spirit exists, then: “Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
If Christ, love, or the Spirit exists, then: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”
If Christ, love, or the Spirit exists, then: “Look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.”
If Christ, love, or the Spirit exists, then: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”
These are four deeply challenging instructions: be of the same mind, do nothing out of selfish ambition, prioritize the interests of others, and adopt the mind of Christ.
As election season approaches, the question remains: how will we respond to our diversity? When we encounter voters who differ from us — in language, appearance, or worship style — will we, as Paul instructs, put their interests first? Or will we retreat into self-interest? Ultimately, God is at work in all of us, calling us to live out true unity in diversity, just as Christ did.
Robert J. Gustafson, Ph.D., P.E, is pastor of West Berlin Presbyterian Church, 2911 Berlin Station Road.
