Dr. BJ Condrey

There is a strong push in Western society for equality, diversity, and inclusion. The deeper question, however, is who gets to define these terms. We need not pretend that such concepts come with ready-made or universally agreed-upon meanings.

For example, from a Christian perspective that takes Scripture seriously, equality properly refers to persons, not ideas. Are all ideas equal? What would that even mean?

In much of our postmodern context, equality is often taken to imply that no idea is more true or false than another. But this claim quickly collapses. In everyday life, we readily acknowledge that some ideas correspond to reality better than others. If one person believes that drinking gasoline will hydrate them and another believes water is necessary for survival, we do not treat those ideas as equally valid—because the consequences reveal the truth.

Equality, then, concerns people: all human beings are created equal in worth and dignity, though not identical in abilities, roles, or gifts. Ideas, by contrast, must be evaluated, tested, and sometimes rejected.

So when the language of “equality” is invoked, it is worth pausing—kindly and thoughtfully—to ask a clarifying question: What exactly is being claimed here?

Are we talking about people?
Or ideas?

The distinction matters more than it first appears.