Immigrants and Christian Faith
In early April, Avera Health will host its 21st annual ethics conference. This year’s title is Cultural Diversity on the Northern Plains and will feature people who are immigrants to this country or who have experience helping immigrants adjust to living in our communities.
During the conference people will surely speak about perspectives, biases, cultural practices, resources and services. But, one might ask, “What about cultural diversity from a faith perspective? Does the Church have something for us to consider?”
In May, the Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Travelers, a Church office in Rome, published a statement in which a number of migrant issues were addressed. Using Q&A, we can highlight some observations from the document.
The movement of “different” peoples into our region seems very recent. Is it part of something larger? If so, why is it happening?
If one looks around the globe, we are witnessing the largest movement of peoples in the history of the world. The reasons for this are many: some people are seeking better economic opportunities; some are escaping exaggerated nationalism and xenophobia; still others are fleeing violent racism and even ethnic or religious cleansing.
What should we keep in mind when we think of the people involved?
We should keep in mind that the hardships immigrants endure are often enormous. They include coping with foreign surroundings and culture, an unfamiliar language, few social or political supports and sometimes outright hostility on the part of neighbors and community. In addition, women and children are often vulnerable to abuses such as human trafficking or slavery.
What characterizes an abuser in his/her treatment of immigrants?
An abuser sees an immigrant as but a piece of merchandize, an entity to exploit at little cost. In an abuser’s eyes an immigrant has no inalienable, fundamental rights. An abuser ensnares his victim and does whatever he can get away with, e.g., demand long work hours, cheat in compensation, violate physically, verbally or sexually and sometimes house in prison-like conditions.
Can large immigrations stress a community?
Certainly! In in-country migration, when people move from depressed rural areas into larger cities in hope of finding work and a better life, often not only is there no work, but the community is unprepared to welcome and house them. The result is often slums within or massive sprawl on the margins of the community. In migration to another country, the resulting confusion born of different customs and languages, joined with strained civic and social services, puts everyone under serious stress.
In thinking about how to respond to issues of immigration, what might a person of Christian faith keep in mind?
We should keep in mind that our heritage is marked by migration: Abraham left his country at Yahweh’s command and journeyed to a foreign land; Jacob was called the ‘Wandering Aramean’; our Israelite forefathers journeyed through desert for years to enter a new land; and centuries later they endured decades of Babylonian exile.
Later, Mary gave birth to her son away from home and later had to flee to Egypt to escape violent persecution. Her son, Jesus, who came to dwell among us from another land, so much spent his public life on the move that it was said ‘he had nowhere to lay his head.’
Is there anything else from a faith perspective a Christian might consider?
Scripture pictures for us the divine plan that some day all peoples of the world will come together in harmony to thank and praise God. Such was prefigured at Pentecost when people from various cultures and languages became one in spirit and purpose. For that reason, movement from mono-cultural to multi-cultural societies can be a sign of the living presence of God in our midst, an indication that the Spirit is helping us move towards oneness in diversity.
What obligation does a Christian have to immigrants?
In general a Christian has an obligation to go beyond the mere toleration of immigrants. We are obligated to respect and welcome them, to enter into dialogue with them and to understand their mentality, cultural traditions and spiritual values.
Finally, what would help most to lessen the need for migration, worldwide, and support people wanting to live in relative peace?
This is perhaps the easiest question of all to answer. What would help most is a more equitable distribution around the world of our goods and resources!