When the poor knock on our door : A theological response to unwanted migration

In contemporary times, border crossing entails facing an array of state-ordered border controls, especially for the millions of people who suffer from economic and political insecurity and, consequently, move in search of a bare life. The poor on the move are labeled and treated as “undesirable aliens,” and are then made to experience various forms of indignities in a way that poses questions about what it means to be human and Christian in the context of the migration of vulnerable populations today. This chapter explores the theological grounds for a Christian response to the challenges surrounding the reception and treatment of poor people moving across borders as reflected in responses to the European migrant crisis of 2015. The chapter argues for the tripartite framework of “one bread, one body, one people” as a Christian theological response to the challenges in the reception and treatment of undesirable aliens.

© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Silas W. Allard, Kristin E. Heyer, and Raj Nadella; individual chapters, the contributors.

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