“You Shall Not Oppress a Resident Alien”: The Conception of Immigrants in the Hebrew Bible
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Date
2020-06
Authors
Thielman, Miriam
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
An increase in global immigration has resulted in humanitarian crises across the
world as countries struggle to respond to the growing number of refugees and asylum
seekers arriving at their borders. Understanding the specific messages within the
Hebrew Bible regarding immigrants is important for developing faith-informed
responses to immigrants and refugees. Religion often influences people’s beliefs,
actions, and even the policy decisions for which they advocate, and the various forms of
Christianity practiced in the United States frequently use the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament as their sacred instructive texts. A detailed study of relevant portions of the
Hebrew Bible, coupled with analysis of biblical commentaries and scholarly criticism,
suggests that the Bible underscores the imperative to care for the most vulnerable
members of society, as well as to include immigrants in the community. Arguably,
people of faith should take this overarching message into account when considering
how to respond to immigrants’ arrival in the United States.
Description
Submitted to the Undergraduate Library Research Award scholarship competition: 2020.103 pages.
Keywords
Hebrew Bible, refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants