OUTLINE

THE ENGAGEMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF DIVERSITY IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN PREACHING AND PASTORAL CARE

SUBMITTED TO

IN FULFILLMENT OF THE MID-TERM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
PREACHING AND PASTORAL CARE

BY

I. The Engagement and Acceptance of Diversity Is a Major Challenge in Preaching and Pastoral Care

II. Introduction

Although Jesus preached the acceptance of others regardless of cultural, racial and socioeconomic background, this acceptance of people who are different from us is an age old challenge that is grounded in biology and social science. The principle of homophily (i.e., “love of the same”) states that there is a tendency of individuals to associate and bond with similar others. ("homophily" 2015) The presence of homophily has been discovered in a vast array of network studies that have observed homophily in some form or another and they establish that similarity breeds connections. (McPherson, Smith-Lovin and Cook 2001) These include age, gender, class and organizational roles. (Retica 2006) Individuals in homophilic relationships share common characteristics (e.g., beliefs, values, education, etc.) that make communication and relationship formation easier. Homophily often leads to homogamy – marriage between people with similar characteristics. (McPherson, Smith-Lovin and Cook 2001)

The types of homophily include likeness based on geography, family ties, organizational foci such as school, work and voluntary organizations which provide the great majority of ties that are not in another category would include cognitive processes which indicates that people who have demographic similarities tend to own shared knowledge, and therefore they have a greater ease of communication and share cultural tastes which can also generate homophily.

This basic principle creates a natural barrier to the acceptances and integration of people and customs that are different from our own. Consequently, the preaching to, and pastoral care of congregations must consider these natural barriers to some scriptural principles such as “love thy neighbor” when the term includes those outside of our familial, cultural and geographical proximity. The impact of homophily is that it facilitates individuals social interactions. For example, homophily is regarded as an explanation for the appearance of some qualities such as being tolerant and cooperative. (Mark 2003) Homophily also helps in opinion and norm formation. (Centola, Willer and Macy 2005) Finally, homophily has an impact on the way a social network develops, and individuals are easier to make social influence on people who are alike.

The challenge for pastors in their preaching and teaching moments is to use the knowledge of homophily in understanding the tendencies of its congregations and developing sermons and strategies that take into account the strong psychological and social pull of similarity and likeness. (Yavas and Yucel 2014)

III. Each individual shares 99.9% of the same DNA with all other humans.

A. Less than one tenth of 1 percent difference creates all of the havoc, conflict, war and oppression in our world. (Gill-Austern 1999)

B. This difference leads to many acts of dehumanization and practices of exclusion toward people we consider “other.”

C. The human race struggles with how to deal with differences harmoniously, rather than using differences as a reason to exclude and oppress.

IV. The universe is sustained by the differences in creation and the unity of its design and function.

A. “What sets the world in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity.” (Octavio Paz)

B. The common creation story radicalizes both oneness and difference. (Gill-Austern 1999)

C. From one millionth of a gram of matter, unimaginable unity has evolved unimaginable diversity. (Gill-Austern 1999)

D. The creative source of all loves diversity.

V. Too often we deal with differences by and through practices of exclusion, which also foster systemic oppression. (Sandburg 1936)

A. Carl Sandberg called “exclusion the ugliest word in the English language.”

B. We deal with difference through the violence of exclusion. (Volf 1996)

C. Volf identifies four forms of the violence of exclusion in the ways in which we deal with difference:
1. The violence of exclusion is when we intentionally exile others from comment or claim that they don’t belong.
2. The violence of assimilation is the practice of eliminating the identity of the other by incorporating them into our reality by obliterating theirs.
3. A common pattern for dealing with difference is through subjugating the other.
4. We practice exclusion by the indifferences of abandonment or by pretending we don’t see it.

D. We exclude or abandon others when we feel no connection with them or fail to recognize our connections.

VI. We must weave the ties that bind us beyond our own cultural boundaries and economic class.

A. There must be a re-shaping and re-forming of attitudes and communities.

B. We must educate communities to appreciate and live constructively with difference.

C. We must recognize and appreciate the enrichment that comes from otherness rather than being threatened by it.

D. Promoting constructive engagement with others is necessary to break down walls of distrust and misunderstanding.

VII. Conclusion
To truly achieve diversity in the church we must overcome the principle of homophily. It is only by acknowledging and celebrating how our differences enrich each other can we begin to grow in love and harmony. We have to preach and teach acceptance and the reality that there is more that binds us together than keeps us separated. The celebration and love of diversity is the only hope for realizing the beauty and splendor of the universe which the Creator intended.

VIII. Bibliography
"homophily". Wikipedia. February 26, 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophily (accessed February 28, 2015).

Centola, Damon, Robb Willer, and Michael W. Macy. "The Emperor's Dilemma: A Computational Model of Self-Enforcing Norms." American Journal of Sociology, 2005: 1009-1040.

Gill-Austern, Brita L. "Emerging Diversity and Difference: From Practice of Exclusion to Practices of Practical Solidarity." In Injustice and the Care of Souls: Taking Oppression Seriously in Pastoral Care, by Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, & Karen Brown Montagno. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999.

Mark, Noah P. "Culture and Competition: Homophily and Distancy Explanations for Cultural Niches." American Sociological Review, 2003: 319-345.

McPherson, Miller, Lynn Smith-Lovin, and James M. Cook. "Birds of a Feather: Homophily in Social Networks." Annual Review of Sociology, August 2001: 415-444.

Retica, Aaron. "Homophily." New York Times, December 10, 2006.

Sandburg, Carl. The People, Yes. Orlando: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1936.

Volf, Miroslav. Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.

Yavas, Mustafa, and Gonenc Yucel. "Impact of Homophily on DiffusionDynamics Over Social Networks." Social Science Computer Review, May 29, 2014.