The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. – Leviticus 19:34
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about the search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. – Matthew 2:13-15a
At the recent 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, a memorial that was amended to include language naming the ELCA a “sanctuary church body” was passed. What does this mean for our denomination and for the congregations of the Pacifica Synod?
First, let me tell you what it does NOT mean. It does not call for any congregation to do anything illegal. It does not call for congregations that do not wish to do so to house or shelter immigrants.
It does call for our congregations to work for conditions that will enable immigrants to be safe, particularly as they legally apply for entry into the United States. We have seen the effects of family separations on news programs, and have read reports about unsanitary conditions in holding “camps” where immigrants who are legally applying for asylum are housed. Our church is asking us to remember that Jesus was an asylum seeker as a child, emigrating from Israel to Egypt with his parents who feared he would be killed by King Herod. We are asked to remember that, over and over again in the Old Testament, we are called to love the alien, and in the New Testament, Jesus calls us to love God by loving our neighbor. We are called to love immigrants by doing what we can to advocate for their safety and security.
The ELCA is also concerned about the safety of immigrants who are denied asylum. We and our ecumenical partners work in their countries of origin so that those who are deported can find safety and employment opportunities when they are returned. Those in Honduras who have utilized these services have a high (88-95%) rate of staying at home rather than seeking to return to the U.S.
Finally, I urge us all to pray not only for immigrants, but also for Border Patrol Agents, Homeland Security workers, immigration attorneys, and immigration court judges. We are called to love all of our neighbors, and while our country is divided on many issues related to immigration, the just treatment of immigrants that secures their safety is often in the hands of those who work in the system, some of whom are ELCA members. We pray for them, that they may do what is just and provide safety to the most vulnerable in our immigration system.
For your information, I have included links to the following:
- The amended memorial passed by majority of the Assembly, along with background provided to the Assembly by the Memorials Committee;
- Talking points about being a Sanctuary Denomination provided in consultation with ELCA’s AMMPARO ministry and written by Bishop Paul Erickson of the Milwaukee Synod;
- A video showing how the work in Honduras is helping those who have been denied asylum a future with hope in their home country.
These links may also be found on the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly web pageon the Pacifica Synod website. As they become available, links will be added to the page along with other information that shares the work of the Assembly as a whole.
May God help us to do as God commands, to love God and love our neighbor. God bless you and your congregation as you consider how to love the alien in your midst.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop Andy Taylor
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