“Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were once immigrants.”
Leviticus 19:34
Dear friends,
The conflict in our country over immigration, immigrant rights, and enforcement reached a fever pitch last week with the on-camera shooting of an observer (Renee Good) who was watching the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Bible is crystal clear about how people of faith should treat our migrant neighbors. More than thirty passages in the Old Testament alone exhort us to make no distinction between the migrant and the citizen.
- The church is not the state and the state is not the church. Every nation has a right to make it’s own laws pertaining to orderly entry into the country. We should not expect a secular government to adhere to the religious decrees of our Scripture.
- The church is called to speak for justice. While the state should not enforce religious tenets, the church IS called to speak for justice on behalf of our neighbors – especially when our neighbors are vulnerable.
- Protest is both patriotic and faithful. Our country is founded on the ideals of free speech and dissent – indeed, one can view the whole Revolutionary Story as one of protest. And in Scripture as well, prophets like Isaiah and Amos and John the Baptist spoke out against government leaders, calling for justice. In our own faith tradition, Martin Luther and his followers earned themselves the name “Protestants” – the ones who protest.
- Dehumanizing language is violence. Jesus tells us that when we say to our neighbor, “You Fool!”, we are guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22). This is not on accident! Every historical movement of mass murder began with speaking about the victims as less than human. Migrants, law enforcement officers, refugees, and politicians are all made in the image of God.
- The church advocates just policing / enforcement. Law enforcement and policing are the prerogative of the state. Scripture tells us that judges should deal with the people impartially – treating everyone the same under the law. Thus the church calls the state to live into the ideals of our founding documents – of equal rights for all people in this country, regardless of immigration status, gender, sexuality, race, or religion.
Unfortunately, the current enforcement of immigration policies in this country is driven by racist and dehumanizing rhetoric. “Replacement theory” is a racist idea that teaches that minorities are replacing “White Americans” and the way to reverse it is by deporting the “wave” of minority immigrants. Language from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and elected leaders in congress and the White House have drawn on this ideology.
Policy that is rooted in racism is enforced in racist ways.
The racist policy and language, militarized policing, target enforcement against minority communities, and escalating violence of enforcement is placing both immigrants and law enforcement at greater risk of violence.
Also this last week, an arsonist set fire to a synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. These two things are not unrelated.
The arsonist who set fire to Beth Israel congregation was clearly motivated by hate – by antisemitism. The language used in the arsonist’s statement was not only rooted in racism, it also was language that comes from Christian Scripture and tradition.
Both events – the conflict over immigration and the attack on a synagogue – are rooted in the failure of PEOPLE OF FAITH to see our neighbors as children of God, made in the image of God.
As your pastor, neighbor, and friend, I invite you to join me in engaging this problem faithfully, creatively, and with love.
- Pray. This is always step one for people of faith (but not the last or only step). Join me in prayer for both the victims of racist violence, and also for the perpetrators. May God grant comfort to those in pain, and change the hearts of those who cause pain.
- Write. Reach out to your elected leaders. For us in Texas, many of them claim Christian faith – use the language of faith to call them to compassion and justice for our neighbors.
- Listen. Get to know your neighbors – especially those who are vulnerable in this moment. Reach out to people in your neighborhood who are immigrants, Jewish, or Muslim. Let them know that you see them, respect them, and are available to be a support for them.
- Engage. Some people are called to protest. Some are called to share information. Still others are called to create art. Others to help people to network and create community. Find your way to carry the Biblical message of love and compassion for our neighbors out into the world.
- Learn. Especially on this MLK Day weekend, pick up some of the sermons of Dr. King and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement or the Abolition movement. Learn from faithful Christians from the past who have worked for justice in the world.
- Speak love. Whoever you are speaking with – both people you share agreement with and people with whom you have deep disagreement – speak love. Speak kindness.
Finally, dear friends, care for yourselves and one another. The news cycle in this moment has been overwhelming. Make sure that you are doing the things that feed your soul and bring you joy.
May God bless you,
Pastor David Hansen
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to immigrants, for in so doing some have entertained angels.”
Hebrews 13:2
