Willful Ignorance: Overcoming the Limitations of (Christian) Love for Refugees Seeking Asylum

Willful Ignorance: Overcoming the Limitations of (Christian) Love for Refugees Seeking Asylum explores the attitudes of clergy and lay leaders towards racism and their (in)attention to immigration policies and practices. It provides a reality check on the scope of forced migration and its intersection with the historical legacy of racism in America, including testimonies from displaced migrants and immigration advocates. Helen T. Boursier examines the rationales Christian leaders use to justify their nominal response and offers practical suggestions for building bridges with migrants. She argues for a philosophy of religion that embraces resistance to racism and exclusion from asylum and exemplifies an ecclesiology of love.

Format: Hardback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 11 May 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

Willful Ignorance: Overcoming the Limitations of (Christian) Love for Refugees Seeking Asylum is a groundbreaking ethnographic study that delves into the attitudes of clergy and lay leaders regarding their (in)attention to racism as it intersects with the harsh reality of U.S. immigration policies and practices. This multi-faceted work begins with a sobering reality check on the scope of forced migration and its profound connection to the historical legacy of racism in America, featuring compelling testimonies from displaced migrants and immigration advocates who work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering inflicted by state authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Helen T. Boursier then examines the rationales Christian leaders employ to justify the local church's nominal response to the plight of displaced migrants, including the discursive buffers and stall tactics they use to deflect their lack of preaching, teaching, leadership, and/or ministry with these near neighbors. The Christian church's unwavering commitment to embody love as social justice provides a powerful historical rebuttal, while case studies of congregations that offer displaced migrants compassionate hospitality serve as exemplary models of contemporary response.

In the closing chapters, Boursier offers practical suggestions for how to begin building bridges with migrants, advocating for a philosophy of religion that embraces resistance to racism and exclusion from asylum. Through a missiology of compassion that exemplifies an ecclesiology of love, she seeks to inspire a transformative shift in the way the Christian community engages with refugees seeking asylum.

This thought-provoking book is a must-read for clergy, lay leaders, and anyone passionate about addressing the complex challenges of racism and immigration in the United States. It sheds light on the limitations of (Christian) love for refugees and provides a roadmap for building more inclusive and compassionate communities.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793628268