NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 14, 2014Dr. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, says despite lots of work being done by churches, until the U.S. government steps in to solve the presenting problem, the crisis will go on.
Moore wrote a “blog”:http://www.russellmoore.com/2014/07/13/the-road-to-jericho-and-the-border-crisis for Moore to the Point on July 13 entitled, The Road to Jericho and the Border Crisis, which is also “available”:http://www.russellmoore.com/?p=21081 in Spanish.
In the blog he writes:
Americas southern border is engulfed in a humanitarian crisis, as refugees fleeing violence in central America, many of them unaccompanied children, seek safety. As Christians, we must recognize both the complexity of this situation and what it means to be people of justice and mercy.
The situation at the southern border is frightening indeed, for multiple reasons. Border security is important for the physical safety of any nation, and the care of those fleeing danger is important for the moral integrity of any people.
The gospel doesnt fill in for us on the details on how we can simultaneously balance border security and respect for human life in this case. But the gospel does tell us that our instinct ought to be one of compassion toward those in need, not disgust or anger.
The border crisis will take careful work by government leaders. And it will take a church willing to pray and to love. Our answer to the border crisis cannot be quick and easy. But, for the people of God, our consciences must be informed by a kingdom more ancient and more permanent than the United States. Our response cannot be to say, in Spanish: And who is my neighbor? (Lk. 10:29).
Full text of this article is available “online.”:http://www.russellmoore.com/2014/07/13/the-road-to-jericho-and-the-border-crisis
The Southern Baptist Convention is Americas largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.8 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is the SBCs ethics, religious liberty and public policy entity with offices in Nashville, Tenn. and Washington, D.C.
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