Living in relationships with immigrants, refugees, and other low-income people has forced us to grapple with the question of what it means for us, as followers of Christ, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It has also awakened us to the ethically complex questions of immigration and refugee policy—who do we let in, what do we do with those who came in even though our government did not allow them in, and what effect will our policies have on those already here and struggling to get by? Of course, our attempts … [Read more...] about Living in relationships with immigrants, refugees, and other low-income people . . .
Welcoming the Stranger
A Christian Response to the Immigration Dilemma: Part 12 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
We have argued that Scripture makes repeated and clear calls for us to take special concern for the stranger, to love them as ourselves, and to welcome them as if serving Jesus himself. God commands us to obey, which is primary if we are to truly follow Christ. ‘There is no other road to faith or discipleship,' Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, except ‘obedience to the call of Jesus.' We dare not dismiss God's instructions to us, but rather should move from reflection to prayerful action. Serving and loving immigrants can … [Read more...] about A Christian Response to the Immigration Dilemma: Part 12 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
Immigration and the Church Today: Part 11 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered right; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my … [Read more...] about Immigration and the Church Today: Part 11 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
Immigration Policies and Politics. Part 10 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
Our national immigration laws have created a moral, economic and political crisis in America. Initiatives to remedy this crisis have led to polarization and name calling in which opponents have misrepresented each other's positions as open borders and amnesty versus deportations of millions. This false choice has led to an unacceptable political stalemate at the federal level at a tragic human cost. —Soerens and Yang (2018) quoting the Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform in, “Immigration Policies … [Read more...] about Immigration Policies and Politics. Part 10 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
The Value of Immigrants to the United States. Part 9 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series
What effects do people like Guillermo, who come to the United States to pick our produce for a low hourly wage, have on the overall economy? Does immigration hurt the American worker? Are foreign workers even needed? What about the costs of providing education, healthcare, and other public services to these people? Can our country afford to welcome so many immigrants? Could we afford not to have them here? From a Christian perspective, these questions ought not to be primary: the scriptural witness is that we are to … [Read more...] about The Value of Immigrants to the United States. Part 9 of the Welcoming the Stranger Series