A place to discuss diversity

by Letters Editor · Published December 29, 2011 · Updated December 28, 2011

From Rosemary Gravenor, Durban

When talking to an eminently faithful Catholic recently, I discovered she subscribes to The Southern Cross but has no access to a computer. I was sharing some of the �discussions� that take place on The Southern Cross website (www.scross.co.za) and she was surprised to learn that we can comment on such items as the editorial, the regular writers� columns, the Letter of the Week, and so on.

Naturally, there are disagreements and arguments on the various comments being made. It is understandable when you have Catholics who are spread across a wide spectrum of belief and experience, from one pole to the other. Some adopt quite an aggressive approach to others who disagree with their point of view.

What follows is partly based on some wisdom I have adapted from Matthew Fox�s latest book, The Pope�s Wars.

There is the ideal of unity in the Christian tradition. But in both nature and with human beings, there is diversity. Human beings are different colours, speak different languages, have different rituals, songs, religions and ways of seeing the world.

It is now vital for our survival to honour the planet for its richness and seek together ways to heal all damages and not continue to do more damage. It is equally vital to honour human diversity for its potential richness, to look for common roots and common values.

We need to dance the dance between unity and diversity. We need to find the flexibility to celebrate unity with diversity�not fight for uniformity by clubbing the differences, or denouncing them, or holding the opinions of others as heretical or trying to prove others wrong because of lack of knowledge.

It is recorded in Scripture that Peter and Paul had diverse opinions. In those early days there were diverse branches of the �Jesus Movement�. James, the brother of Jesus had his followers, Peter had his and logically Mary Magdalene (Jesus� prime �anointer�) had hers together with the other women who had taken care of the daily needs of the disciples over a period of roughly three years.

They all learnt from the same source and there were no doubt many differences of opinion. Diversity exists among the four Gospels and Acts. Paul had a few very strong opinions, and even admitted the one that became known as the Pauline privilege was his personal opinion.

Can we have Christ without Moses and Elijah (or any of those making up the history of Judaism)? What spectacular diversity!

To believe in the myth of unity as �everyone obeying one voice� is a very simplistic notion. Look how Christianity has morphed into many varied expressions and ideas: Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism; Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist as well as the various forms of Christianity in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere. For this reason I love the beauty and truth found in one �mystical Body of Christ�.

Our Church seems to shout anathema and heretic to all developments and creative ideas outside of its control (or to those voices which appear to threaten its power and authority). Another very local example to show the need for control is the Hope&Joy initiative which networks only with those listed in the Catholic Directory. Yet, at the same time, the Church calls on laity to help evangelise ourselves as well as the uncontrollable secular society.

If being evangelised is also coming to understand the diverse voices of others, then I am being evangelised on The Southern Cross website.