Southern Baptists and Immigration Reform: Setting the Record Straight
- Oct 15, 2007 - 8
Imagine my surprise when I recently discovered that Southern Baptists had been called out in a guest editorial in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the issue of immigration (Southern Baptists: Push immigration reform, Sept. 9, 2007).
I am happy that Sean McKenzie, author of the opinion piece, noted the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution on the crisis of illegal immigration at their annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C., in June 2006.
The resolution, among other things, called for:
- the federal government to provide for the security of our nation by controlling and securing our borders;
- the United States Congress to address seriously and swiftly the question of how to deal realistically with the immigration crisis;
- the federal government to enforce all immigration laws; and
- Christian churches to act redemptively and reach out to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of all immigrants.
It is important to note that the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the SBC’s public policy and moral concerns agency, which I am privileged to serve as president, has called repeatedly for comprehensive immigration reform. In fact, I called for such comprehensive measures and laid its parameters in a first-person commentary published April 27, 2006, before the Convention acted on the matter the following June.
Sean McKenzie is incorrect to state that “Land and the Baptists sat out the debate.”
As anyone who knows me will attest, I weigh my words very carefully. When I called for comprehensive immigration reform, I meant comprehensive reform. Merely calling something “comprehensive” does not make it so.
I said during the March 29, 2007, press conference (referenced by McKenzie) on this issue with Senator Edward Kennedy and others, as well as on subsequent occasions—both publicly and privately to numerous congressmen and senators and their staffs—that the comprehensive immigration reform that would garner majority support among Southern Baptists and other Evangelicals had yet to be written.
There was far more than “some particular aspect of a long and much amended bill,” as McKenzie claimed, that Southern Baptists found objectionable.
I did everything I could short of running through the halls of Congress with my hair on fire to make both Houses aware of many of the problems I felt needed to be addressed in the immigration reform bill.
I believed then, and believe today, that it would have been counter-productive to make such criticisms in the media.
The fact that Sean McKenzie is not aware of our efforts does not mean they did not take place. And despite McKenzie’s assertion, neither Southern Baptists nor myself are afraid to “take unpopular stands.” In fact, given Southern Baptists’ storied and controversial stands on biblical issues, the assertion is almost laughable.
I am more than a little disappointed that neither the author of this opinion piece nor the Atlanta Journal-Constitution made inquiries of me on this matter before rushing to print with erroneous information.
Looking back at the debate over the immigration reform measure, Senator John McCain correctly assessed the situation when he concluded that the American people simply have lost trust in their government on this issue, based on the way it has been mishandled—both by Republican and Democrat administrations.
It was simply not possible to convince the American people that the federal government was serious enough about border security and cracking down on employers who exploit illegal immigrants to go forward with a so-called comprehensive immigration reform bill that dealt with the illegal immigrants already in the U.S. in a fair and redemptive way.
The American people, many Southern Baptists included, wanted a far more tangible commitment from the government that it would take border security and enforcement more seriously first. Only then would they give their support to any plan to resolve the issues surrounding the millions of immigrants who are already in the country illegally.
Southern Baptists have a long and demonstrable track record of caring for, as Jesus said, “the least of these.” We are not waiting for legislation to spark us into ministering to those in the country illegally but who have real physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
Although it is our prayer that Congress would come together on a true comprehensive immigration reform package that addresses this issue in a morally responsible way, we serve a higher authority and will not be impeded in fulfilling our biblical injunction to care for those in need (Matthew 25: 34-40).
This was published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 12, 2007, in response to a September 25 opinion column.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Citizenship, Immigration
8 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Oct 16th, 2007, at 10:05am, Greg A wrote:
The bible says A LOT about immigration (far far more than it has to say about homosexuality or abortion) yet I don’t hear Christians often bring the bible into this political debate like we do with other issues.
Here is one Christian response, worth reading:
‘The Bible as the Ultimate Immigration Handbook: Written By, For, and About Migrants, Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers’
http://www.churchworldservice.org/Immigration/bible-as-handbook.html
I suppose some here will dismiss Church World Service as liberal but, then, how do we evangelicals respond to the fact that the bible has a zillion verses commanding us to welcome the immigrants?
Do we just throw away that part of the bible? If we do, we risk revealing ourselves as hypocrites in how we apply the bible to our political opinions.
2 On Oct 18th, 2007, at 7:59am, Nathan Falco wrote:
You are exactly correct (Post #1), in your assertion that we as evangelicals should not turn away the immigrant. However, the people in question are intentionally breaking the federal laws of our country, at our expense. They are lawbreakers.
Would you, an American citizen, expect to be above the laws of a foreign country if you became an illegal immigrant there?
The best way that the Church can help illegal immigrants is to either a) assist them in returning to their own country and connecting them with a local Church there, or b) helping them to right their wrongs and become law-abiding American citizens like the rest of us. (Which may rightly include paying fines, back taxes, etc.)
If the Church does not encourage illegals to right their wrongs, they are advocating civil disobedience; if the Church ignores or refuses illegal immigrants they are committing Spiritual disobedience.
3 On Oct 18th, 2007, at 4:30pm, Robert Butts wrote:
Welcoming the immigrants is far different than welcoming the “illegal” immigrants! Don’t forget what the Bible says about obeying the law and the government!
Seal the border, send the “illegals” home and then work out the necessary details to welcome the “LEGAL” immigrants!!!
Nothing political or hypocritical here, just common sense!!
4 On Oct 21st, 2007, at 1:41pm, Richard Humphries wrote:
In Phoenix, where I work with an interfaith group on social justice, ICE is deporting nursing mothers without their baby, breaking up families,and taken children away from their deported parent and placing them in foster homes. In addition US Citizens who can’t quickly prove they are citizens are being deported.
The family unit is the building block of our Country. Why can’t we identify individuals who are part of a family, release them on their own recognizance or have them report periodically until a comprehensive immigration bill is passed - and their will be one within the next two years.
Richard Humphries
5 On Jan 15th, 2008, at 12:43pm, David Fletcher wrote:
Immigration is out of control. some them want to return Texas and California back to Mexico. I say to make English the officail lanuage for America now! The SBC should stop helping come here by providing Spanish pastor for them. They should learn English be loyal to our federal constitution or it will not be america but a union with Mexico with more loss of our rights!
6 On Feb 10th, 2008, at 9:51pm, MIke Wallens wrote:
The pro-immigration platform of the Southern Baptist shocked me and made not want to be part of this denomination. As previous posters have stated, it is not being a good Christian when you encourage others to break the law and subvert the American process. Do not kid yourself if you think that dont believe the churches are encouraging this lawbreaking.
Mothers being sent home without their children? Thats their choice. They could take their children back to Mexico. Don’t make it sound like ICE is ripping children from the arms of their parents. I resent silliness lie being thrust into the debate.
7 On Jun 3rd, 2008, at 2:49pm, Barry Wright wrote:
Our form of government, republicanism, is the rule of the majority. Only the majority has the right to change the government. One of the misleading events that has happened in recent history is that of the Civil Rights movement. Mr. Falco made a great point that we all need to take heed: Civil disobedience is not a tool to be used by the minority to change our government, only the majority can and only when the government has become tyrannical to that majority. Were Civil Rights advocates right for using civil disobedience to futher their cause, especially as some of them were Christians? I would have to say no. Were they wrong in wanting the change? Of course not. It was their method that was wrong, not their reason. Civil disobedience is rebellion - period. If the power of government rests with the people as it does in America, then only the majority can lead that change - not the minority. This is how we speak with “one voice”.
8 On Aug 10th, 2008, at 8:47pm, tommy haskins wrote:
There is nothing in the bible about making someones who strolls through your country a citizen. The fact that there are 12-20 million (double or triple the entire population of Tennessee)is an indictment of the pitiful collective church missions programs. If they were taking care of the people in another country they would not be compelled to come here. THe reason the churches have not taken care of these poor people of the world is because of a lack of resources not desire to help. Someone better realize the US has limited resources. If we do not stop the surge of illegal immigration now, the next surge will over whelming and our country will be lost.