Abstract
The massive movements of displaced people across the world, the tragic realities of migration and the recent refugee crises show clearly the scale and the urgency of acting on behalf of all those affected. And while there have been amazing and beautiful responses to the plight of migrants and displaced, there are also churches and communities who do not know how to respond to the huge wave of migrants coming to their shores. It is exactly this issue that Strangers in the Kingdom is addressing. In sharp contrast to the common reaction of fear and ignorance regarding migration, Rupen Das and Brent Hamoud make a compelling argument in their book for the gracious and spacious heart of God, who embraces the strangers and refugees and empowers those who follow Christ to do the same.
The book is structured in two parts. In the first, longer part, the authors explore and establish, in six chapters, the theological, biblical and missiological foundations for ministries to the displaced. In the second part, containing a last, seventh chapter, various case studies of ministries to refugees, migrants and stateless are offered.
The first chapter lays the foundation for the book by presenting the history of humanity as a history of migration and by highlighting particularly the strong sense of the loss of belongingness that the displaced are experiencing. It is shown that beyond the safety, shelter and food we ought to provide for refugees, the ultimate concern should be the recovery of their sense of belonging by providing them with our genuine welcome.
The second chapter presents the displacement crisis in the current global context. It provides clarifying legal definitions of key concepts – refugees, internally displaced people, statelessness and migrants – and it offers a helpful introduction to the most important international laws and conventions related to displaced persons, such as the Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Through all these excellent data, Das and Hamoud present a very sobering image of the real dimension of the displacement crisis in the world today and also the challenges faced by all involved in trying to respond to it. One particular and interesting aspect shown is the turn of the pendulum in terms of religious humanitarian agencies: if immediately after the Second World War some 90% of relief was provided by religious affiliated agencies, in the past 30 years or so humanitarian help has been provided by secular agencies such as the UN and the Red Cross. There is, however, nowadays an increasing number of Christian and religious organizations involved in this work.
Chapters 3 and 4 offer biblical foundations from the Old and New Testament in understanding and acting on behalf of the foreigner. It is in these chapters that the authors develop the concept of belonging and show how the very nature of God, as being gracious and compassionate, determines his concern with providing space, with welcoming and with giving a sense of belonging to every single displaced person … And God’s desire and command for his people is that they display his own nature and show the same concern, care and love towards foreigners and the displaced. It is shown that to be a people of God is to reflect God’s nature and character, particularly his gracious and compassionate care for the migrant, the foreigner and the stranger.
The next two chapters (5 and 6) present the theological and missiological foundations for understanding displacement, the strong feeling of lack of belongingness and the ways in which one ministers adequately to the displaced. Das and Hamoud offer the model of the incarnation – which portrays a God who understands the suffering and evil of creation and who entered this world to accompany people with this presence, care and compassion. Just as God embraces everyone, so we are to extend our love, compassion and care towards those in greatest need.
In the second part of the book, which is also its last chapter, the authors offer many examples of ministries to the displaced in the Middle East, Europe and Canada, highlighting particularly the crucial role which local churches play in ministering to the displaced and refugees. This chapter also provides some guidelines for local churches that want to get involved in this ministry.
There are several features which make this book very useful for all those concerned by and interested in the question of refugees. First, it offers solid biblical, theological and missiological bases for the urgency of acting on behalf of the refugees and displaced and information on how Christians can reveal, through their appropriate action, the heart of the Kingdom of God. Then, it details excellent multiple dimensions and realities of the displaced, thus facilitating a better understanding of the people facing such situations, so that we can identify real options to help them in the best possible way. There are, then, questions for church and group reflections on the issues being addressed, at the end of each chapter. Also, there are various statistics and lists of resources from UN and other organizations as to the most appropriate ways to respond to the refugee crisis.
Those reading this volume will find not only a solid biblical perspective on the displaced, on strangers and on refugees, but also excellent definitions of key concepts such as ‘identity’, ‘refugees’, migrants’, ‘belonging’ and the loss of it, ‘theology of place’, ‘displacement’ and ‘stateless’. This is a book of practical theology about all these urgent issues but also an important resource for churches involved in responding to the crisis of migration and displacement. Indeed, it offers, on the one hand, a biblical and theological perspective on the very heart of God regarding strangers, foreigners and the displaced and how God is concerned for their wellbeing. On the other hand, it offers many stories and case studies which illustrate and exemplify the biblical and theological discussion.
Readers will also find case studies that offer concrete life experiences and situations of real people living at the very margins of society – people who have gone through a serious loss of identity and sense of belonging. The authors argue persuasively that in the face of these tragic realities, Christian churches cannot remain indifferent and should rather respond to these needs by creating a space of acceptance, embrace and genuine welcome. The strongest basis for doing this, it is argued, comes from the very nature and heart of God who welcomes the stranger and the enemy, and from the dignity of all human beings created in God’s image.
This is a theological and practical book on refugees, migrants and stateless people, which presents the urgent issue of migration in our world but also challenges Christians to take action on behalf of refugees, especially in the face of the fear and anxiety that people experience today in respect of refugees. It is also a book on ministry to the displaced, written by two scholars who have extensive experience in this field and are deeply involved in such ministries.