In many evangelical circles, racial reconciliation is becoming a celebrated mandate, but the argument for racial and ethnic diversity in churches often rests on sparse proof-texting. This article explores the theme of diversity in Bavinck’s corpus, specifically focusing on the place of diversity in Bavinck’s doctrines of first things, last things, and the church. By rooting racial diversity under the auspices of dogmatic theology, the church gains much-needed rationale for the pursuit of such diversity in practice. Racial diversity is part of God’s created order, protected by God’s providence, redeemed through Christ’s atonement, purified in the eschaton, and preserved through the church’s catholicity. The pursuit of racial diversity within the church is a doctrinally mandated task, not merely part of the cultural zeitgeist. Bavinck’s Reformed legacy smiles upon such a pursuit.
William E. Boyce, "A Doctrine for Diversity: Utilizing Herman Bavinck’s Theology for Racial Reconciliation in the Church," Journal of Markets & Morality 23, no. 2 (2020): 319-336