Let's start with the obvious—you won't find a Bible passage instructing employers on their recruitment policies in the 21st century. To address DEI sensibly from the Bible, we need to identify and examine the underlying principles of DEI from a Biblical point of view.

So what is DEI, and what are its underlying principles?

DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and it is, at heart, a framework used to promote fair treatment and equal opportunities for all. In particular, it focuses on opportunities and inclusion for those who have historically been underrepresented or discriminated against. Let's break it down:

Diversity.

Diversity in the Old Testament centers on the way in which a dominant race treats a minority race. In fact, God's promises to bless the Israelites were conditional upon their warm welcome and inclusion of people of other races. They were repeatedly told to treat the foreigner (stranger/sojourner) as if they were a native-born citizen and to remember that they, too, were once strangers in a foreign land (Egypt). Similarly, they were told to leave a portion of their harvest to the foreigners in the land, along with the poor and the widows.

Such instructions pepper the Old Testament – the welcoming of strangers, the urge to be compassionate towards them, and the incorporation of them into society. Interestingly, the Old Covenant was a conditional set of promises – if you do this, I, the Lord, will bless you, but if you don't, you're under a curse. If the Israelites failed to follow God's commands with regard to the treatment of resident aliens, they stepped away from all the blessings God wanted to bestow on them.

In the New Testament, diversity is expressed by the Gospel itself. Instead of favoring a single nation (the Hebrews), God intended that all nations be included in his plan of salvation. Indeed, in Galatians 3:28, we read that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female. We are all equal in God's sight.

Given that the unity of all people is the Gospel's ultimate goal, it is very difficult to argue that the privilege of a majority race in any nation on Earth is either godly or biblical.

Equity.

Equity is not the same as equality. Equality means providing the same to all, while equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and adjustments need to be made to address imbalances. Equity is all about justice and fairness.

From a biblical perspective, the Book of James shines a light on what this might look like.

"Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wildflower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls, and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business" (James 1:9-11).

In James 2:1-4, the apostle warns against giving rich and important people seats of honor while relegating the poor to the back. Equity is the natural product of humility. When we recognize that we are like the flowers of the field, here today and gone tomorrow, wanting to give everyone a fair opportunity and equal honor becomes as natural as breath. It is only when we consider ourselves more important than others that we cling to what is 'ours,' even if it is something we inherited through our social position.

Let's not pretend that we all have the same chances in life. The poor kid from an impoverished background has to work hard even to reach the place a privileged kid from a wealthy background starts from. In all honesty, they may never even get there! It is dishonest and unkind to declare that meritocracy is a reality. People who are born into privilege have not merited their position and advantages. It's just an accident of birth.

Inclusion.

Inclusion has many specific applications, but as a general principle, it means consciously making room for the inconvenient person—inconvenient because we wouldn't have to deliberately include them if that had come naturally.

In the context of a friendship group, that might mean inviting someone who is isolated to join in the fun rather than maintain the walls of a clique. It's inconvenient because an effort needs to be made, but it addresses someone's marginalization and opens up the group to another voice, which can ultimately keep a friendship group healthy. Cliques always turn toxic in the end, but a community that constantly brings in new people is a healthy place to be.

In the context of a workplace, inclusion might be as simple as ensuring a business has proper access to wheelchairs. It's inconvenient because effort has to be made and, in addition, money has to be spent, but the inclusion of people with differing needs broadens the range of perspectives among the workforce and ultimately benefits everyone. Besides, it is clearly the moral thing to do. The alternative is to exclude anyone who needs extra levels of effort or attention, which by any measure is cruel.

Inclusion means embracing the person who makes you think, asks more of you, or needs help to be able to belong. It can be uncomfortable, but that's exactly the point. The principles of the Gospel, as discussed above, mean including all in God's plan of salvation. He is an inclusive God who loves everyone he has created, and if we wish to emulate him in this world, we need to be inclusive, too.

So, is DEI Biblical?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are pseudonyms for compassion, unity, curiosity, fairness, justice, and kindness, and it is very hard to argue that such principles are unbiblical. They are, in fact, expressions of the heart of God. The Bible urges us to treat the foreigner as a native-born citizen, to provide for the unfortunate, to be humble, and to honor the poor. It teaches us to love others as Christ does, and that can only mean including them, even when doing so is inconvenient or uncomfortable.

It is impossible to dwell on the teachings of the Bible in both the Old and New Covenants and honestly conclude that we can justify overlooking the needs of others. The Bible does not promote the idea of a nation geared towards its majority race, which then fails to reach out a helping hand to others who face greater challenges. If the Church is teaching such anti-Gospel sentiments to support a 'Christian Nationalism' movement, then we have strayed a long way from the cross.