The PCA: a clustering of political and social conservatives and city center elites

I recently read a very insightful blog post from Anthony Bradley. He discusses the clustering, tribalism, and homegeneity of the PCA, which I believe is pervasive in many other denominations, too - regardless of race. All churches are full of sinners, so being exclusive goes with the territory. We as people tend to like familar settings and customs, anyway. The Christian Reformed Church, which I plan to join, certainly suffers from this type of inbreeding.  For example, we live about a mile away from Calvin College , which is the charter college of the CRC denomation and is extremely homogeneous, consisting almost entirely of white Dutch CRC kids. I believe our current CRC church (Madison Square Church) is a rare CRC exception in terms of diversity. However, as the author points out, he is focused on the rule instead of the exceptions.

Diversity is important in the body of Christ. This diversity is not just about spiritual gifts, as discussed in Romans 12:3-8 , but about God's calling that spans all cultures (e.g., Acts 10:44-45 , 8:26-40 , 11 and 13:48 ). As discussed in The Wisdom of Crowds, diversity of opinion also is an indispensible ingredient for wise decision-making.  This leads to greater independence of thought due to an absence of the conformity pressures so common in highly homogeneous crowds.

Just to be clear, the diversity of opinion I'm discussing here is not a universalism that accepts any theology or doctrine. Neither am I saying that a diverse crowd can automatically make wise decisions without prayerful consideration. Rather, I'm saying that a diversity of viewpoints brings more options to the table, which then can be lifted up in prayer.

Having a culturally diverse body of Christ is a blessing in other ways.  It is similar to the idea that opposites attract in marriage, which combines partners' strengths and keeps individual excessiveness in check.  For example, a fast paced culture such as ours here in the United States could learn a lot from a culture that is slower paced and more reflective.  Another blessing in diversity is the simple fact that it can add an interesting spice to life with varied entertainment, arts, and cuisine. It's not easy for me or most other people to leave our comfort zone, but the Bible is full of saints who did just that. This leads me to believe that we should always be listening for God's voice telling us when we should bridge the gap.