"That's a very interesting question and probably more that my, my response could take up uh the rest of this time but let me try to be succinct. That's tough for the history prof to do, to tell the truth, but let me see what I can do here.

Uh, let me start out by saying, um, words the definitions of words have tended to change over time and the DEI acronym diversity inclusion equity seems now to be tied to the CRT movement or at least I should be careful. CRT is not necessarily a movement it is a, an ideology that several different groups in our world, especially in the secular world, are, are taking are making use of all right, um, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

I think have some specific meanings, uh, in this new world, with CRT most specifically, equity.

There, there is some evidence that, uh, while in general our American society has talked about equality, and often meant equality of that, opportunity, the the change that the emphasis on equity, tends to mean equality of results and, uh, that is just my sense of general change looking back.

Um, I, I don't know that, uh, we have always been in the in the church been so unwilling to use the words perhaps different meanings. For example, when I look at back at some of the CRTR documents about race and understanding, how the church responds to the issues of, of that that we're encountering in our world.

I have seen, certainly diversity is used in those documents and I believe I've seen one or two times the, the definition the word inclusion used , um, so perhaps not in the same meaning that we have today.

I believe that, um, that this, this change in definition is happening before our eyes. There is a lot of debate and discussion in the church about how to respond to that um, and, while, uh, I, I don't believe that the Missouri Synod has specifically identified uh definitions and and some of these things and have specifically responded to CRT, I think that process is happening where I think we all have at least some understanding is that, um, that, our Christian faith, um, uh, recognizes that there is unity of all people in terms of creation. in terms of God's redemption. He offers redemption to all people.

There is a certain unity of all, but within that different individuals there there is a diversity of um there's male and female there are different races and ethnicities um i believe our church recognizes that there have been inequalities and issues that our country and our world has had to deal with in terms of race.

"Uh, I think it's pretty clear that, uh, the church condemns racism. Uh, again, that term is being redefined, and, um, obviously that's a big part of CRT, so my answer is as you can see a bit nuanced.

I, I believe that Concordia is, is very willing to follow the Church's lead on some of these definitions and understandings, um. but th . . . is what I would describe at least from my academic mind at this point we're still working through some of this stuff.

So I guess I would encourage at least within the church some willingness to dialogue about this. Let me stop there. Okay, thank you very much."