The Village Green
Reforming Immigration: Watch Your Words
Samuel Rodriguez, James Hoffmeier, and David Skeel chart the best road to approach 'the stranger.'
James K. Hoffmeier | posted 3/09/2010 09:53AM
Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, James K. Hoffmeier, author of The Immigration Crisis, and David Skeel is author of Icarus in the Boardroom, suggest the next steps in reforming immigration.
The immigration debate is one of the most confusing issues facing our nation. Churches and individual Christians naturally turn to Scripture for wisdom on how to think about the dilemma. As a biblical scholar, I have been intrigued to see how the Bible is used to frame public policy.
For example, a few American cities have declared themselves "sanctuary cities" for immigrants, borrowing from the biblical practice of sanctuary. The ancient Israelite practice, however, was intended exclusively for one who commits involuntary manslaughter, to ensure that the person gains a fair hearing, not permanent avoidance of the law.
Another example: The website of a Christian organization that advocates comprehensive immigration reform offers verses from Leviticus 19 as its rationale: "When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the stranger … you shall love the stranger as yourself." I found this application of the biblical passage naïve at best.
The Hebrew word ger is translated variously as "stranger" (KJV, NASB), "sojourner" (RSV, ESV), and "alien" (NIV). A ger was a foreigner who lived in a land outside his homeland, but did so with the permission of the proper local authority. A case in point: When Jacob's family wanted to sojourn in Egypt, they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land … please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen" (ESV). Royal permission was granted. The verb sojourn has the same root as ger. So the Hebrews became legal aliens in Egypt.
After the Exodus, God gave many laws to protect aliens in Israel. Aliens were not to be oppressed (Ex. 22:21; Lev. 19:33-34). They were integrated into Israelite society, entitled to equal justice (Num. 15:15-16) and equal pay (Deut. 24:14-15), and could celebrate Passover (Ex. 12:48).
Two other Hebrew words, nekhar and zar, refer to foreigners who came into or passed through Israel. But they were not given the same benefits and protections as the ger (Ex. 12:43; Deut. 15:3; 17:15). The "foreigner" and the "alien" did not have the same social and legal status. Unfortunately, the TNIV and TLV translate ger as "foreigner," which is erroneous and creates confusion, allowing the reader to think that these categories of people were the same. They were not.
Before we use the Bible to formulate a theological or political position on the status of illegal immigrants, we must first understand the difference between the ger, the nekhar, and the zar in ancient Israel. Based on my study of the Hebrew terms, I believe that the immigrant with a green card in the U.S. corresponds to the ger of the Old Testament, whereas the illegal immigrant should be equated with the nekhar or zar. Scripture does not offer an all-encompassing prescription for how to deal with immigration. It might be suggested, however, that a measure that balances law and grace should be sought.
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Related Elsewhere:
James K. Hoffmeier, author of The Immigration Crisis, is an Old Testament professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois. Samuel Rodriguez and David Skeel also suggested the best way to help.
Christianity Today articles on immigration include:
Evangelicals Endorse Immigration Reform | The National Association of Evangelicals' board overwhelmingly approved a resolution to seek 'faith and equal treatment' of immigrants. (October 9, 2009)
The Soul of the Border Crisis | Local churches are key in fixing the immigration mess. A Christianity Today editorial (June 8, 2009)
Interview: When the Stranger Knocks | The influx of immigrants to the U.S. means a new mission field for American evangelicals, says World Relief's Jenny Hwang. (May 11, 2009)
Previous Village Green sections have discussed Lent, premarital abstinence, aid to foreign nations, technology, and abortion.
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Gregory Peterson
If a city becomes a "sanctuary city," then I would think that it is proclaiming that undocumented people are "ger" within that city, that all people are "legitimate" within its borders. That's not really permanent avoidance of the law, that's hopefully buying time until we, as a country, can give undocumented people a "fair hearing." The American ideal is "justice for all," not "justice for some." What is justice isn't always an easy call. "Nekhar or zar" would seem to better correlate with foreigners with temporary visas, such as tourists, students, conference goers etc. I think it's a misdemeanor, not a felony, to be an undocumented non-citizen. Ye who hath never committed a misdemeanor...
Christine Thomas
What word did Jesus use when he told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, or to do to others what we would have done to us? This is a secular society and a secular government. Making laws or policy based on words in Leviticus is not even close to what happens. Try going on any construction site in Texas...and yes, we still have houses being built down here...and see what happens when a rumor of an INS raid hits.