Immigration
In the current worldwide wave of migration, how should we respond with love and justice to refugees and immigrants, whom Scripture commends to our care as the strangers who live among us"?
Christian ethics can provide "the appropriate moral framework for understanding, and conducting, our immigration debates, Peter Meilaender observes, "by directing us to weigh the needs of outsiders against the defense of the life we share with our fellow citizens.
Michele Pistone and John Hoeffner review church statements by Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical groups concerning who has the right to migrate, where these individuals can migrate, and how they should be treated in receiving countries. "For our union to become more perfect," they conclude, "churches must continue not only to talk about but also to walk with immigrants. To help congregations teach newcomers the rich language, history, and hope of our nation, and guide them through a complex and confusing immigration system, Richard Muoz surveys the legal environment regarding immigration so that we can overcome our fears and act responsibly for the good of the Kingdom.
The study guides and lesson plans integrate Bible study, prayer, and worship to help us negotiate the boundaries of citizenship and faithful discipleship as we care for immigrants. The guides can be used in a series or individually. You may download and reproduce them for personal or group use.
Download the entire Immigration issue and the set of five Study Guides. Or, download individual pieces by clicking the titles below.
Articles
- Loving Our Neighbors, Both Far and Near, by Peter C. Meilaender
- Ruth: Resident Alien with a Face, by Michael S. Moore
- A More Perfect Union, by Michele R. Pistone and John J. Hoeffner
- Faithful Companions, by Richard M. Muoz
- Waves of Blessing, Waves of Change, by Randy White
Art
- Immigrant Churches, by Heidi J. Hornik, on Saints Cyril and Methodius Church (Shiner, TX) and San Apollinare (Classe, Italy)
Hymn and Worship Service
- Seek the Peace of the City, by David Wright and James E. Clemens
- Worship Service, by Leigh Jackson
Inspirational Pieces
- I Was a Stranger: Jesus and the Undocumented Alien, by Albert L. Reyes
- Beyond Risk and Uncertainty, by Dan Royer
- Other Voices, Quotations on Immigration
Book Reviews
- Back to the Basics of Immigration, by Viviana Triana
- Roger Daniels, Coming to America: A History of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life
- Hiroshi Motomura, Americans in Waiting: The Lost Story of Immigration and Citizenship in the United States
- Planning for Immigration, by Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C.
- Dana W. Wilbanks, Re-Creating America: The Ethics of U.S. Immigration and Refugee Policy in a Christian Perspective
- Peter C. Meilaender, Toward a Theory of Immigration