Читать книгу Preaching in/and the Borderlands - Группа авторов - Страница 5

“You shall love the immigrant as yourself” (Lev 19:34). These words struck me as I taught a class at Campbellsville University. First, because the passage is paralleled to Lev 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Secondly, it was just after 9/11 and the nation witnessed the xenophobia that emerged out of the tragedy. It is shocking to see fear turn to hatred and blame often directed toward immigrants and those of foreign descent. Even as I write today, we are witnessing the abuse of those of Asian lineage during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the present political atmosphere immigrants are turned away at the border, children are locked in cages, and walls are being built. Immigration is strongly debated in American society including the church.

What is to be the Church’s response to the immigrant? This is a question I have asked in both my classes and in church study groups. Most immigrants in American society are seeking a better life. They are among the most vulnerable, possessing little and at the mercy of those they work for and in the communities where they live. Leviticus 19:33 and 34 reminds us that we are not to harm the immigrant and we are to treat the immigrant as a citizen, literally like a “well planted tree.” The essays in this book address issues for churches to consider as they seek to better understand how to respond to immigration. I want to thank Charles Aaron for offering me the opportunity to co-edit this book.

This book took shape during planning for the 2016 meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, within the Homiletics and Biblical Studies program unit. That session of SBL met in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. David Schnasa Jacobsen, Bishops Scholar in Homiletics and Preaching at Boston University School of Theology, suggested the theme of preaching and immigration. With Texas on the front lines of immigration battles, the rest of the group enthusiastically agreed with the suggestion, and the working title of the panel presentation: “Preaching In/And the Borderlands.” Texas represented the border between Mexico and the United States, at the heart of the immigration controversies. We quickly realized how much biblical material—narrative, law, parable—involved immigration. We had found a topic timely, important, and thoroughly embedded in every genre of the biblical writings. We knew that we needed a widely diverse panel, with many perspectives. After we had assembled the panel, Dwayne Howell and Charles Aaron knew that the papers for this panel had to exert an influence beyond the brief two hours of the presentation in San Antonio. We readily agreed to produce this book, adding authors and insights from different fields. We wanted a book that examined the academic background of the biblical, ethical, theological and homiletical disciplines. We also wanted a book with contributions from experienced pastors, legal experts, and activists. After many years and a few delays, we feel honored to offer you this volume.

This book is divided into four sections. The first section addresses ethical and legal areas of immigration with essays written by Cláudio Carvalhaes, Miguel De La Torre, Robert P. Hoch, Gerald C. Liu and Sarah Ellen Eads Adkins. In the next section J. Dwayne Howell and Melanie A. Howard provide examples of how both the Old Testament and New Testament speak to immigration. The third section offers essays on homiletic concepts on preaching about immigration by Owen K. Ross and Lis Valle followed by three sermons by Rebecca David Hensley, Michael W. Waters, and Heidi Neumark. The final section provides stories by Rhonda Thompson and Jason Crosby about how ministries to immigrant communities have been incorporated into local churches in Montgomery, Alabama, and Louisville, Kentucky.

The editors would like to thank the other members of the Program Unit (official and unofficial) who helped with every aspect of producing this book. They invited panelists, who turned into contributors, and made suggestions for other people who could help with the book. They also performed all of the yeoman duties for putting together a panel. The members of the steering committee include Eunjoo Kim of Iliff School of Theology, Alyce McKenzie and Wesley Allen of Perkins School of Theology, Karoline Lewis and Joy J. Moore of Luther Seminary, Carolyn J. Sharp of Yale Divinity School, Ruthanna Hooke of Virginia Theological Seminary, and the aforementioned David Jacobsen. We offer our appreciation for all that you did to make this book a reality.

We likewise want to thank Pickwick Publications and our editors, Daniel Lanning and George Callihan, for providing the opportunity and the guidance for us to publish this work.

J. Dwayne Howell Charles L. Aaron

Campbellsville, KY Dallas, TX

Easter 2020 Easter 2020