The theme of this month’s synchroblog is “CHRISTIANS AND THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE – As Congress debates how to handle illegal immigrants already within U.S. borders and how to more effectively handle hopeful immigrants in the future, Christians will need to consider what it means to love these new neighbors in our midst.”
This immigration theme is of interest to me, not out of any interest in US domestic politics, nor out of any entrenched support for increasing immigration, but out of concern for the way immigration debates are often hijacked by xenophobic sentiment.
So, in a way, the important issue for me is not what decision we arrive at, but how we arrive at it. This is where our recent experience in Australia has left me less than impressed. No, let’s be honest, at times I’ve been outright disgusted.
I think it’s time we recover a forgotten truth. That the Christian practice of hospitality, that we are all called to, is the opposite of xenophobia. Literally. For the ancient Greek word for hospitality was philoxenos. Philos, φίλος (friend)+xenos, ξένος (stranger,foreigner). The one who shows friendship to strangers. Not fear.
With this in mind, let’s consider some of the New Testament teachings on what it means to be a Christian leader:
1 Timothy 3:2 - Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable (philoxenos), able to teach,
Titus 1:8 - Rather he must be hospitable (philoxenos), one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
1 Peter 4:9 - Offer hospitality (philoxenos) to one another without grumbling.
So, whatever we decide on immigration, let our conversations be salted with philoxenos, not xenophobia. If we argue for restrictions, let us first rid ourselves of faithless fear.
Other synchrobloggers are:
Jonathan Brink - Immigration Synchroblog
Mike Victorino at Still A Night Owl – Being the Flag
Liz Dyer at Grace Rules – Together We Can Make Dreams Come True
Sonnie Swentson-Forbes at Hey Sonnie – Immigration Stories
Matt Stone at Glocal Christianity – Is Xenophobia Ever Christlike?
Kathy Escobar at the carnival in my head – it’s a lot easier to be against immigration when you have papers
Steve Hayes at Khanya – Christians and the Immigration Issue
Ellen Haroutunian - Give Me Your Tired
Bethany Stedman – Choosing Love Instead of Fear
Pete Houston at Peter’s Progress – Of Rape and Refuge and Eyes Wide Shut
Joshua Seek – Loving Our Immigrant Brother
Amanda MacInnis at Cheese Wearing Theology – Christians and Immigration
Sonja Andrews at Calacirian – You’re Absolutely Right
Peter Walker – Immigration Reform
Steven Calascione at Eirenikos – The Jealousy of Migration
George Elerick at The Love Revolution - We’re Not Kings or Gods
Beth Patterson at Virtual Tea House – What we resist not only persists but will eventually become our landlord
K. W. Leslie at The Evening of Kent - On American Immigration
This week there has, unsurprisingly, been a lot of talk in Australia about whom Christians should vote for.
Some have suggested Christians should vote socialist, given the commitment of Jesus to the poor. Others have suggested Christians should vote Tony Abbott, given Julia Gillard’s atheism. Others have suggested Christian Democrats given their explicit stance against eco-feminist Greens.
So, where do I stand? Well, I won’t say which way I’m voting (for in truth I haven’t 100% decided yet) but I will say a few words about the separation of church and party.
Separation of church and party? What do I mean by that? Simply this, as I see it Christendom has gone through three phases in the centuries since Constantine.
1/ In the first phase we had imperialistic Christianity, where church was confused with empire.
2/ In the second phase we had nationalistic Christianity, where church was confused with state.
3/ In the third phase, now, we have partisan Christianity, where church is confused with party.
I have to reject all three. In the same way that my Baptists commitments lead me to insist on separation of church and state, I am similarly led to insist on separation of church and party. No party, left or right, should command my unquestioning allegiance. No party, left or right, should be exempt from scrutiny. And it’s precisely because of my Christ-first loyalties.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Luke 18:16)
A collection of arresting anti-abortion art.
Not as arresting as it may have been mind you. I've deliberately selected against art which demonizes mothers or deliberately shocks. What I've sought to do though is give a voice to the voiceless. And some of that is shocking enough.
This evening I was thinking further about the anti-Green scare campaign being targeted at Christian voters, particularly the claim that a vote for the Greens is a vote for abortion on demand. I find myself asking, don't we already effectively have that now under the Labour government, and didn't we effectively have that under the Liberal government as well?
So, here's the big question: if Christians think a vote for Liberals is a vote against abortion, tell me, what practical difference did a decade of the Liberal government achieve?
If you're an American reading this, take it that I'm asking the same question about the Republican government under Bush. What practical difference did he make?
I ask this because even the Christian party comparison sheets acknowledge that Liberal and Labour both effectively pro-choise as far as legislation goes.
A few things prompt me to ask this question.
Firstly, the many pro-Socialist comments by my mate, Ian Shanahan, who I think could have given Stalin a run for his money. His comments prompt me to ask is socialism more Christlike than capitalism? Is democracy more Christlike than dictarorship? To what extent are they reconcilable?
Secondly, the many anti-Marxist accusations launched against Jim Wallis and Rick Warren by critics such as Glenn Beck. Is there any truth to any of these accusations, of Marxist underpinnings to their social justice theology?
Thirdly, the Marxist leanings of liberation theologians. Is liberation theology something evangelicals can embrace uncritically? How balanced is liberation theology?
Personally, I find the Atheist philosophy of Marx a little difficult to reconcile with Christianity. I see some resonances with God's concern for the poor. But given the choise between economic egaliatarianism and political totalitarianism on the left, and political egalitarianism and economic totalitarianism on the right, I have to ask, are there different options?
Related posts about politics
Lenin Christ (picture)Just when you thought the Vatican may coming to grips with some of its internal problems, again it demonstrates what a truly medieval organization it is.
From the New York Times:
"This week, the Vatican outlined more new rules for the disciplining of abusive priests, and called pedophilia a grave crime constituting egregious violations of moral law. In the same breath, the Vatican also reaffirmed its opposition to women's ordination and reminded Catholics that 'the attempted ordination of women' is a grave crime too."
"The jarring juxtaposition of these two disparate issues seems mindboggling. Their insensitive conflation highlights that Vatican officials still do not fully apprehend the grave emotional cost of the irreparable harm done to numerous individuals and their families by the actions of priests and church officials. It also shows that the Vatican does not fully grasp how the scandal has diminished its credibility among Catholics, victims and non-victims alike, who want to find pastoral healing, spiritual strength, and moral leadership within the Catholic Church."
Now, to be fair, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi did try to underscore how the ordination of women is "a crime against sacraments," while paedophilia should be considered a "crime against morals," but honestly guys (and I do mean guys) what the hell were you thinking?
More articles on gender issues
God and gender
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