Breaking the Spell of Legalistic Diversity: Leading for Equality, Equity, or Unity

Photo by Rob Birkbeck

Nearly 250 years ago, the founders of the United States declared that “all men are created equal” and “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Yet today, what equality truly means remains a point of ongoing debate. Despite efforts to foster inclusion and balance in the workplace and broader society, biases, traditional gender roles, and stereotypes still shape our reality. Meaningful progress will not occur until our culture is transformed at every level. Substantive change requires more than policy updates or mandates—it demands a collective vision of a more just and united future that inspires people of every race, class, and gender to pursue spiritual transformation together.

The Bible offers such a compelling vision. Repeatedly, Scripture affirms God’s alignment with those on the margins—the ones Walter Brueggemann calls the “dispossessed:” those denied land, voice, and status (The Land: Place as Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith, 1977, p. 191). The modern marginalized are also characterized as those who do not receive a similar inheritance or benefit, and would not otherwise receive such unless someone else acted on their behalf. Conversely, in God's Kingdom, it is the meek who inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), and the disinherited who are given a legacy.

Paul’s Radical Vision

In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul addressed a community being pulled back into old divisions—racial, gendered, religious, and economic. In Galatians 3:28, Paul proclaimed: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." He redefined the meaning of unity in terms of a fundamental reconfiguration of racial, class, and gender status. In it, he confronted the unjust layers of society and established inclusion into a radically impartial community connected by and totally in Jesus Christ. The social justifications of race, class, and gender would no longer separate and alienate, but rather would provide the inspiration and appreciation of diversity in divine unity. It would draw people into a life of struggle between current social realities and the contrasting community that affirms all people as welcomed and valued within the Body of Christ. This was a radical reimagining of unity. Rather than erasing individual identity, Paul painted a picture of a community where every person is fully seen and fully valued.

Paul wrote this letter with urgency. “You foolish Galatians!” he exclaimed (Galatians 3:1). Something critical was at stake. The Galatians were being influenced by Judaizers who insisted that Gentile believers should follow Jewish laws to be accepted by God. Paul saw this as a foolish, even spellbound, betrayal of the gospel. Salvation and community were based not on law or tradition but on faith and grace. By trying to earn divine favor through cultural conformity, the Galatians were undermining the power of the cross (Galatians 2:21).

Paul challenged the Galatians to see that the promises given to Abraham, the father of faith, were for all who believed, not just those who followed the law. This promise was about divine sonship—an identity rooted not in hierarchy or heritage, but in Christ. Through this lens, Paul envisioned a new kind of community where distinctions no longer divided people.

Paul addressed issues of injustice and racial, ethnic, religious, and gender discrimination, which continue to polarize national and Christian communities, dominating both political and theological conversations. While these debates still exist, Paul declared that the issue had already been settled once and for all, "in Christ" (Galatians 3:26, 28).

What continues to fuel the debate? The scriptural mandate posited that such differences can no longer legitimately separate the children of God. The reality of Christ has permanently destroyed any boasting rights (6:14) based on race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, moral superiority, accomplishments, wealth, or social standing. This presents certain inherent challenges to leadership, as its evolution is burdened with decades of what Peter Northouse defined in his book Leadership: Theory and Practice (2018), as an emphasized “control and centralization of power with a common theme of domination” (pg. 2). 

Equality, Equity, and Unity: What’s the Difference?

The terms equality, equity, and unity are often used interchangeably, but they carry very different implications. Equality means giving everyone the same resources or opportunities. Equity goes further, recognizing that different people need different resources to achieve similar outcomes. It can sometimes mean treating people the same, but at other times, treating them differently to correct past imbalances. Treating people differently is not favoritism; it is redemptive leadership that seeks to heal the wounds of inequality through Spirit-led inclusion, empowerment, and grace. This is the heart of sanctified leadership in a broken world. True justice, the catalyst for unity, often requires a delicate blend of both equality and equity, grounded in a shared objective. 

When the U.S. founders spoke of unalienable rights or when Congress added “under God” to the pledge of allegiance in 1954, they affirmed that justice, unity, and equality are rooted in divine intention. But the practical application of these ideals seems complex in an age of social, political, and even religious agendas.

The distribution of social justice includes the sometimes conflicting values of needs, efforts, accomplishments, and equal opportunities, which can make consistent fairness difficult to achieve. Whose needs take priority? Who determines merit? Therein lies today's challenge. When equality and equity rely on subjective, seemingly conflicting values, the measurement of justice must be met unbiasedly. While the humanistic standard remains the measure, there will always be conflict as to which gender, culture, position, society, economy, or race will serve as the baseline. Which lives matter most, more, or less will always be a dividing point of contention and offense, replicating the strong bewitching spell condemned by Paul. Throughout the Old Testament book of Isaiah, “justice” and “righteousness” are used as synonyms to talk about God’s expectations of His people. As such, justice among humanity is rightly measured by divine righteousness. A balanced implementation of equality and equity is not attained by human righteousness. Paul described such as “filthy rags” (Romans 10:3). The focal point of the Christian communities of Paul’s ministry was a set of Christologically and communally perceived relationships. Divine righteousness and justice are the birthplace for inclusiveness of gender, culture, and position, inspiring the development of social, economic, and racial unity. These tensions still divide modern societies and churches.

Addressing similar issues, Paul called out the “bewitching” spell (Galatians 3:1, NLT) of returning to legalism, which prioritized old social hierarchies over new spiritual unity. The way leaders value people is a direct reflection of how seriously they take the call to holy love. Equality offers everyone a place. Equity makes sure everyone can get there. Unity ensures that once there, everyone belongs and is empowered. Leaders who live and lead from this sanctified vision don’t just manage people—they disciple them into a shared life marked by justice, compassion, and holy community.

The Christian Leader’s Challenge

Today’s Christian leaders face tough questions about the way they value people. Are they leading toward equality, equity, or unity? And what difference does it make? The point is, ecclesial leaders who lead primarily towards a hijacked ideology of diversity, equity, and inclusion, fall woefully short of the redemptive intention of the gospel to bring people to unity in Christ. A leader who cultivates reconciliation and racial healing in a divided community demonstrates active, transformational, holy faithfulness, uninfluenced by status-driven success, but rather motivated by love-driven service.

Our Holiness tradition challenges leaders to go beyond simplistic or competing values like effort versus need or opportunity versus outcome. It offers a sanctified imagination where love, justice, and holiness guide distribution and leadership—not worldly definitions of success. By embodying these principles, modern ecclesial leaders can navigate inherent tensions and lead communities that reflect the just, compassionate, and holy character of Christ.

Great leaders value people equally while treating them equitably. They seek to eliminate injustice in the distribution of opportunities and benefits. Leadership aimed at justice must consider not only values and rules, but also how those rules are implemented and who gets to make decisions.

Leadership toward unity requires a shared vision because vision gives people a common purpose and direction. Leaders who champion unity become catalysts for social cooperation toward a rewarding shared vision. They help others imagine a better future where differences are celebrated, not weaponized.

But unity isn't about surface-level harmony. It demands deep cultural and self-awareness. Many cultural competency models focus on helping leaders become more comfortable with diversity. However, they often fall short by ignoring the power imbalances inherent in leadership relationships. 

Instead, leaders should embrace cultural humility as a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and accountability. Cultural humility isn’t just focused on learning about others. It’s about recognizing one’s own biases and leveraging leadership power to challenge systemic inequality in a unifying manner. Cultural humility is not about “checking boxes” of diversity—it’s about embodying the humility of Christ (Philippians 2:3–8), who leveraged divine power to lift others up. By acknowledging personal bias, using influence to restructure for equity, and amplifying marginalized voices, Christian leaders reflect the heart of the gospel: unity that is just, inclusive, and sanctified. Rather than simply consulting diverse voices, effective leaders create shared power spaces, such as multicultural leadership teams or advisory groups with real decision-making authority. This counters tokenism and acknowledges the imbalance of influence often present in traditional leadership hierarchies. It reflects early Methodism’s class meetings, where all were encouraged to speak and grow together in grace, regardless of social standing—a radical act of leveling the ground at the foot of the cross.

The Servant-Leader Model

One powerful approach to leadership that supports unity is servant leadership. Introduced by Robert Greenleaf in 1970, this model focuses on serving others first. Servant leaders prioritize the growth, development, and dignity of those they lead. They pass on organizational wisdom, make ethical decisions, and align their goals with the needs of the community.

This model aligns nicely with Paul’s teachings. In Galatians 5:13-14, he encouraged believers to “serve one another humbly in love.” This wasn't just a suggestion—it was a call to radical reorientation. Paul lifted up those who had been marginalized and invited all believers into a new kind of power rooted in sacrificial love. In the collective whole of the body of Christ, there would no longer be any place for the traditional, cultural, linguistic, or religious distinctions that divide humanity. This divine sonship in Christ created an essential new community where love replaces status, and unity emerges through shared identity in Christ. As Joseph Lightfoot described it in his commentary on Galatians 3:28: “One heart beats in all: one mind guides all: one life is lived by all” (St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, 1865, p.146).

Practical Steps Toward Unity

Christian leaders can foster unity by building cultures of relevant inclusion. That means recognizing how status, esteem, and trust influence who gets to lead and whose voice is heard. It also means naming and confronting the biases that affect promotions, recognition, and opportunities. Rather than applying the same leadership expectations to all congregants, ecclesial leaders might create tailored leadership development tracks for women, people of color, or others historically excluded from church leadership. This doesn’t mean lowering standards—it means correcting structural barriers by offering mentorship, financial support, or targeted training to those for whom access has been inequitable. Like Wesley organizing lay preachers from among the working poor, this prioritizes justice through access, not just uniformity.

Leadership development should be intentional and inclusive. Leaders must evaluate what styles best serve their context and whether those styles are being practiced effectively. Different leadership styles yield different results, and each carries implications for how mistakes are handled, how performance is measured, and how trust is built. 

Unity-focused leaders help others emerge as leaders. They don’t just empower those who look or think like them. Instead, they create environments where diverse voices are respected and included. They approach leadership not as dominance, but as stewardship. Salvation Army founder William Booth called the church and the Army to collective action, reminding individuals that unity multiplies impact when he asserted, “You must do it together. There is no power for great good in divided effort.” When the people of God are aligned in mission, transformation follows.

Conclusion: Unity as a Prophetic Vision

The apostle Paul wrote his Galatian letter from a heart of compassion for these new believers, even as he struggled with the frustration brought on by their lack of spiritual common sense. Likewise, Western civilization has become increasingly preoccupied with social issues of status, esteem, and expectations, often reinforcing the differences that should be contributing to Christian unity but instead cause great disruption. The unifying message of the gospel is miraculously expressed through the impact of culture, as God works within the cultural, social, racial, and gender customs and traditions of individuals and communities to lead them to salvation—once again putting flesh and blood on the incarnational message of His good news. The idea of inculturation and diversity is always a two-way process, and whenever a secular worldview develops cultural habits that become resistant to the gospel, such as the overly politicized ideology of diversity, equity, and inclusion movements of today, that culture can begin to function as an idol instead of a sign. Culture becomes an idol when group identity eclipses gospel unity—causing division or partiality in the body of Christ (James 2:1–9). Ecclesial leaders may feel pressured to prioritize representation or advocacy based solely on race, gender, or class without first rooting those efforts in a shared identity in Christ. A healthy response would be to honor diverse identities as expressions of God’s design, while calling everyone into the greater identity of being one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). Perhaps it is time to pay attention to Paul’s question and seek the divine cure of the bewitching spell that hinders the unity and justice people deserve and seek.

Paul’s message was clear and revolutionary: in Christ, old divisions lose their power. The church becomes a prophetic community where unity isn’t merely a goal, but a testimony. As long as leaders continue to prioritize position over people or tradition over transformation, the church will fall short of this vision.

Equality and equity matter, but unity—real, gospel-centered unity—is what brings them to life in a way that transforms identity. Paul’s personal testimony illustrated a life that was totally enveloped in a new identity in Christ (Galatians 2:20). This kind of unity turns justice from an abstract ideal into a lived experience. The path forward requires humility, vision, and the courage to lead in ways that reflect the radical inclusivity of the gospel.

In a divided world, unity isn’t just an option. It’s the calling of every Christian leader who dares to believe that one heart can indeed beat in all.

Anthony Juliana is the Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army of the Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi Division.