Unity Admits Diversity

The changing demographics in our society today poses severe discomforts among all Americans in the US. The rapid growth of multiculturalism and the emerging needs of the millennial generation demand new forums for promoting interracial dialog and cultural understanding. Now, what message of hope might the church declare, display, and demonstrate to disquiet our fears? It is the message of "Unity"! Despite the challenges produced by our relational complexities, unity can exist admits our diversity. In fact, the true nature of unity embraces diversity! Embodied in the pages of this book are a colorful array of stories from the voices of diverse people groups who have lived out this truth in their lives. It is our hope to expose you, the reader, to the successful expressions of unity as demonstrated through real life experiences. We further hope that you will find encouragement to broadly apply the truths you discover in celebratory expressions of your oneness with humanity and your unity with Christ.

This volume, for the first time, brings together important essays on the work of Martin Hollis, from many different perspectives.

The church is at its best when it pursues the biblical value of unity in diversity. Our world has been torn asunder by racial, ethnic, and ideological differences. It is seen in our politics, felt in our families, and ingrained in our theology. Sadly, the church has often reinforced these ethnic and racial divides. To cast off the ugliness of disunity and heal our fractured humanity, we must cultivate spiritual practices that help us pursue beautiful community. In The Beautiful Community, pastor and theologian Irwyn Ince boldly unpacks the reasons for our divisions while gently guiding us toward our true hope for wholeness and reconciliation. God reveals himself to us in his trinitarian life as the perfection of beauty, and essential to this beauty is his work as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The gospel imperative to pursue the beautiful community-unity in diversity across lines of difference-is rooted in reflecting the beautiful community of our triune God. This book calls us into and provides tools for that pursuit.