Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate

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The good Samaritan's example of hospitality in the Bible teaches us that we should go out of our way to help others, even if it is inconvenient or risky - Luke 10:25-37 When we meet a stranger, we have to make a choice to see them through the eyes of Christ. We may not understand their lifestyle or personal journey, but God does. In fact, His thoughts about them are more than we can imagine, and He died for their sins just as much as yours. As to the thrust of these articles, they are really aimed at starting a discussion on how to welcome the person not like you at church. In “Love the Stranger,” an article written for the annual meeting of the College Theological Society in 1991, biblical scholar Alice Laffey stated that in the Hebrew Bible, the words “gûr” and “gēr” are the ones most often glossed as referring to the “stranger,” though they are also translated as “newcomer” and “alien” or “resident alien,” respectively.

Welcome the Stranger - JRS UK Welcome the Stranger - JRS UK

The Bible speaks a great deal about the gift of hospitality. It is a part of who we are as Christians. This is even seen in the Old Testament, where travelers are welcomed into a city or town before they could pass through the gates into that city.Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:1-2). Colin – how far do you expect people to go in this? Because I know quite a number who have taken the Ukrainian refugees *into their own homes*. I personally would be very reluctant to do that – I like my own company and I keep the number of visitors to my house to a minimum. I have some admiration for those who actually take the refugees into their own homes. Reply THE SCOPE of who it is that God means to invite to the feast, you see, is not ours to define. We are not put in charge of the guest list. President Trump has also proposed that Mexican goods be taxed at the rate of 20 percent to provide funds for building the wall. This would fulfill his campaign promise that Mexico would actually pay for the wall’s construction, in spite of America’s southern neighbor’s protests.

Welcoming the Stranger Welcoming the Stranger

Founded in 1999, Welcoming the Stranger has taught over 4,900 students from 104 different countries. Welcoming the Stranger is a fully independent, IRS-approved, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Financial support comes from individuals, places of worship, and local businesses, as well as grants from area foundations, which allows all programs to remain free of charge for students. I write this with an interlinear before me. Whether Paul means all Israelites or just Israel’s religious leaders such as Caiaphas, why do you and/or Barth speak of “the church” here? The church is the collective of the faithful in Christ, whether Jew or gentile. Reply Depending on how one feels, people either feel obligated or delighted to be/or have guests at your home. The social conventions of invitations, RSVP's, and thank you notes, at times, can feel oppressive. One may even ask, "What is the purpose of these rituals?" Yet, these conventions do endure and most of us, sooner or later, will be bound by them. Having guests, and being a guest is a fundamental element of all societies. Every day we come face to face with those we’ve never met. Whether at a local grocery store or entering our local church, we encounter those we consider strangers. For those who are naturally introverted, it can be difficult to break through the uncomfortable tension of getting to know someone.Nevertheless, if you look at what `The Church’ has been doing to help Ukrainian refugees, it has been surprisingly wonderful and I think that you are unjustified in doing it down in this particular instance. The Church is actually doing an awful lot to facilitate helping Ukrainian refugees. For example, my niece (studying at university) has welcomed two Ukrainian refugees into her apartment – and this was arranged through `the church’. My brother-in-law who has a spare apartment has put it at the disposal of a Ukrainian family who were looking for accommodation and – again – he was put in touch with the family through the church. I have seen quite a lot of activity connected with churches around here thoroughly involved in the effort to help the refugees. Say Britain was taken over by a despot and I needed to flee for my safety, and let’s say I spoke Spanish but no French and had some friends or relations in Spain who I knew I could help me, but no one in knew in France. Where would I go? Obviously I’d go through France and on to Spain if I could. Would I be going there rather than France for economic reasons? Maybe you could make that argument, but it wouldn’t stop me being a genuine refugee. And I’d be of more use to a host country if I knew the language and had a support network.