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God’s Creative Diversity

October 12, 2021 by The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

The following remarks were delivered by Executive Director, Jennifer Copeland, on October 11, 2021 at a press conference hosted by St. John’s MCC in front of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s house in response to hateful anti LGBTQ comments. Read more about the comments made by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson at this link.

There are lots of ways to read the Bible.  Some of us read it like a self-help manual; not a bad idea since there’s some pretty good individual improvement information in it.  

But the primary reason these scriptures were put together in this book that some of us call “holy” was to give folks a manual on how to live well together.  

One of the most important ways to live well together is to celebrate diversity. God would not create so many wonderfully diverse expressions of humanity if God wanted us all to be the same. After 5 days of creation ecstasy, imagine God on that 6th day of creation, saying to the heavenly host:

“We’re making humans today. Let’s make them all different. Let’s give them different hair: black, brown, blond, red, straight, curly, kinky. Let’s give them different eyes:  blue, brown, black, gray, green, hazel. Let’s give them different skin. Not just black and white, but hues and shades, tones and colors.”

And God set to work loving making all those different humans. If hair and eyes and skin can be so beautifully diverse, crossing spectrums with no absolutes, why not human gender and sexuality? Male and female don’t begin to capture God’s imagination any more than binaries like Black and white. Heterosexual doesn’t begin to capture God’s imagination for the multiplicity of ways humans can express love for one another.

Friends, we’re here today because some of our neighbors have been insulted and by our Lt. Governor, no less. His comments are an affront to the God who created such wonderful diversity. For those of us who worship the God who created that diversity, the God who calls us to live well together, we have no choice but to speak out. We don’t get to say we love God and then stay silent when our neighbors are treated unlovingly. 

Mr. Robinson, we are here to say, “Your words of bigotry and hatred have no place in a community blessed by God’s creative diversity. Your words have no place in a community seeking to live well together.” We are here to say, “Make it right, make it right, or resign.”

Filed Under: Blog, Homepage Featured Tagged With: LGBTQ

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About The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Jennifer is a native of South Carolina and an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church. She loves South Carolina, but has managed to spend all but ten years of her adult life in North Carolina. Those ten years were spent pastoring United Methodist churches across the Upstate. She attended Duke University several times and in the process earned a BA, double majoring in English and Religion, a Master of Divinity, a PhD in religion, and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. Prior to coming to the Council, she spent 16 years as the United Methodist Chaplain at Duke University, where she also taught undergraduate and divinity school classes, served on committees and task forces, and attended lots of basketball games. She writes frequently for various publications when time permits and preaches regularly in congregations across North Carolina. Jennifer has two adult children, Nathan, who is a software developer in Durham, and Hannah, who is a digital marketing analyst in Charlotte. Jennifer is the overjoyed grandparent of Benjamin and Theodore.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charles M. Smith says

    October 20, 2021 at 7:48 am

    You continue to do us proud, good friend. See you in Cameron.

    Reply
  2. jon says

    October 19, 2021 at 9:42 am

    Although their are many shades of skin color, the Bible clearly says this in regards to gender:
    So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. (see Genesis 1:27)

    These two genders were chosen by God Himself and made to complement each other.
    I do not believe in a God who makes mistakes. he is perfect in all His ways! I do recognize however that mankind is sinful. We have all rebelled against God’s perfect plan in many ways. And that includes God’s perfect plan for our sexuality.
    You are free to believe what you wish. But your appeal to Scripture rings hollow for your words contradict it.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoThe Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director says

      October 21, 2021 at 1:01 pm

      Every translation of scripture from the ancient languages is also an interpretation.

      Reply
  3. David Rockefeller says

    October 14, 2021 at 3:21 pm

    Thank you for taking a public stand for honoring diversity, inclusion, tolerance, and love once again, Jennifer. Bless you and your work, and the work of the NCCC.

    Reply
  4. Deborah Suess says

    October 14, 2021 at 12:44 pm

    Thank you very much for this witness. God help us to live into the call to love God and our neighbors- no exceptions!

    Reply
  5. Marilyn Kennedy says

    October 13, 2021 at 11:27 am

    You have no business going to his home, bringing your entourage for a photo shoot. You are political and spouting social trends of the day that are not biblical. Read the Bible and it doesn’t matter your degrees it matters if it God’s word, not your interpretation to support your social and political views.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoThe Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director says

      October 14, 2021 at 8:49 am

      The place we stood was a public sidewalk in front of the Lt. Gov.’s office. Not his home.

      Reply
  6. Rev. Paul T. Stallsworth says

    October 13, 2021 at 11:11 am

    Dr. Copeland, given Mr. Mark Robinson’s office in the State and your position in the Church, and given the fact that Mr. Robinson is Christian as you are, this question arises: Before holding a press conference in front of Mr. Robinson’s house, did you approach Mr. Robinson to discuss with him your concerns about his recent comments? Our Lord’s plan for working through disagreements in the Church (Matthew 18) might be considered a part of the “self-help manual” that you mentioned in your press-conference remarks.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoThe Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director says

      October 14, 2021 at 8:50 am

      Yes, repeated attempts were made to speak with Mr. Robinson prior to the press conference.

      Reply
  7. Roberta Lee Pfizenmayer says

    October 13, 2021 at 8:52 am

    I agree with loving everyone, even those who are confused about which sex they are; however, when the church starts agreeing that cross dressing and being LGBT are normal behaviors, then that’s when I will start worshiping my God elsewhere.

    Reply
  8. Cureton Johnson says

    October 13, 2021 at 3:58 am

    thanks for “loving on” our diverse universe of neighbors! God is love…not hate!

    Reply
  9. Sandy Irving says

    October 12, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    Rev Dr Copeland, beautifully spoken words about our creator God. Thank you, S Irving

    Reply
  10. Tim says

    October 12, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    The author of this article must have no knowledge of the Scriptures.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoThe Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director says

      October 12, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      The author of this article has a Ph.D. from one of the best religion departments in the nation.

      Reply
  11. Ed McFarland says

    October 12, 2021 at 3:16 pm

    Loving god lead us to live with love and joy and peace with each, not conditionally but unreservedly
    Ed McFarland
    Lake Junaluska

    Reply

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