On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the Trump administration reversed a decade old guidance which previously restricted key immigration enforcement agencies from carrying out enforcement in sensitive locations like schools and churches. “This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murderers and rapists — who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”
What is Sanctuary and how important is it?
It’s one that came to my mind from the news above. And one I feel needs to be continued to be reviewed again and again.
What follows is a revision of a discussion that has been posted here before. And one I imagine that will continue to be added to and revised throughout the tenure of this blog.
See, I love The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I've been listening to the cast album from the Paper Mill Playhouse production and it has quickly become one of my favorite musical compositions. The moment, of course, that always stands out to me is when Quasimodo finally breaks his chains and fights back against Frollo, yelling "Sanctuary" over and over, claiming Notre Dame as a place of refuge for all.
And that got me thinking...
When did the Church stop being a Sanctuary for all?
I know the specific laws of Sanctuary have long been overturned and those had their own unique problems, but there is something truly Christ-like about the image of anyone regardless of their background and sin being able to enter the church and claim sanctuary.
And it just doesn't seem like we live up to that any more. It seems we are more interested in the privileges and perks afforded our members, making sure they are well taken care of, than in providing refuge to the weary. A spa or country club as opposed to a fortress and refuge from the battle outside.
It's time to be honest. How do we act when a stranger comes in to the church? Does it depend on the stranger?
If a Muslim sought protection from a group of persecutors or if a homosexual person sought refuge from the same, would it be extended? Or would the church and its members be more likely to be the ones persecuting them?
Is the church out there speaking up for Black lives, or is it insisting the whole thing has just been stirred up by the media? Claiming "All Lives Matter" in the face of specific hurts to specific populations? Generally true, but not helpful?
Perhaps most pressing today - will the church stand in the gap and declare itself holy ground and refuse to allow ICE to raid the building?
Do we believe in that separation of church and state? Do we believe in protecting the family that needs protection? Do we believe in hospitality to the stranger among us?
Do we believe the words of Jesus, or do we not?
Are we just another arm of the government?
Does it even matter to anyone but me?
We have got to as the body of Christ take a very hard look at ourselves and what we’ve aligned ourselves with. How we’ve allowed ourselves to be seen and where we are taking Christ’s name. It’s the broader question in what is a Christian, but this part just needed to be asked today.
Because this goes more to the distinction between church and Christianity. Even begging the question what is church or what is a church? Is there something special about a church, that distinguishes it from any other space. Prior to this revocation, we recognized it as something set apart. Something that should not be invaded. People should be able to be safe in their place of worship and we should not interfere with that.
Likewise, the church has an important function that makes it separate from the government. The government’s focus should be on the health, safety, and prosperity of the physical state of their populace. The church focuses on the health, safety, and prosperity of the populace’s soul.
Often the two intertwine. Meeting physical needs and caring for the least of these helps not only lift spirits but take care of the physical body. To that end, we’ve often relied on the nations churches for their charity work in taking care of the physical needs of the greater population (sometimes improperly at the expense of government intervention).
Similarly, the our government’s founding documents make preserving the right to free exercise of religion, a protection of the physical act that also leads to the care for the soul.
The differences between the two mean that there comes a point where two also hold each other accountable. Government is supposed to intervene and protect its citizens from abuse by the church. Government should absolutely be called to bring those pastors, priests, and lay leadership who have committed sexual abuse under the “protection” of church leadership, for example. That is not something that could or should be left to the church.
Further, the church must be responsible to hold government of all stripes accountable for its actions and policies. To demand justice where appropriate. To seek peace where needed. And to ask for mercy as is appropriate, as Bishop Budde just plead.
That call for mercy is appropriate here. A call for mercy and for thoughtfulness in how to resolve this issue. A call for justice beyond the letter of the law, appealing to its spirit.
And I know, I’m going to hear the constant replies of how the families and individuals at the heart of these raids are breaking the law and how we have to be apart of making sure the laws of our country are followed.
Perhaps it’s just me, and I’m sorry, but all I keep hearing are repeated questions of “Who is my neighbor?” and repeated attempts to redefine what that parable actually meant. I’ve seen that whole discourse online before.
I know many are trying. I just pray that we can do better, because it seems as a whole we keep missing the point.
“God help the outcasts, or nobody will.”
Because, if we needed any other reason beyond empathy - at some point, we’ll be the outcast and there will be no one there for us.
I’m including below a graphic on reminders for how to proceed if ICE does try to raid your church. It’s really a good reminder for how to interact with law enforcement in order to preserve your rights in any respect, especially if you suspect you will be going through prosecution. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to have an attorney you are prepared to consult in the event of a raid.
"Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place." Jeremiah 22:3
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:35
No comments:
Post a Comment