I hope Trump reads about welcoming immigrants in the Bibles he’s peddling

God’s welcome of foreigners has inspired our congregation in Indiana to welcome refugees and immigrants in our community.

by Jeff Schultz in USA Today

Social media was buzzing this Holy Week with a video of former president and the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump selling a “God Bless the USA Bible.” For $59.99, Americans can have what I believe, as an evangelical pastor, is the inspired Word of God – but also the texts of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus to a Lee Greenwood song.

I sincerely hope the former president is not just endorsing the Bible but also reading it – especially as it relates to how God calls us to treat immigrants, because there are important messages there for all of us.

Immigration is a significant theme throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word “ger,“  best translated as “immigrant,” appears 92 times. And we’re not just to welcome immigrants but to also love and care for them, as well as seek justice on their behalf.

God calls us to emulate his love for people who are made in his image. The Israelites are repeatedly told to remember their history as mistreated foreigners in Egypt in a way that builds empathy for others. As a people descended almost entirely from immigrants, that is an important message for Americans as well.

Immigrants have important roles in the Bible

Many of the heroes in the Bible were immigrants. Abraham left his homeland on a divine promise then crossed borders again, fleeing famine.

Moses fled Egypt to live in Midian and named his first son Gershom, which means “a foreigner there.”

Ruth, a Moabite immigrant in Israel, became part of the lineage of King David and ultimately, Jesus.

Jesus, of course, was the most important immigrant in history. Carried by Joseph and Mary, he escaped violence in his homeland and found refuge in Egypt – an experience similar to that of more than 35 million refugees around the world today who have fled their homes because of persecution. As Jesus’ followers, we are called to see ourselves as strangers who’ve been welcomed in by God’s kindness.

God’s welcome of foreigners has inspired our congregation in Indiana to welcome refugees and immigrants in our community. But we’re not unique: More than one-third of evangelical Christians say they’ve been involved in immigrant ministry. 

That doesn’t mean we all agree on the best public policy solutions.

The Bible never tells us what the ceiling on annual refugee admissions should be. It doesn’t prescribe how to both ensure order and safety and protect the vulnerable from injustice.

Americans want a religious president. They just don’t see Trump or Biden that way.

Evangelicals say immigration policy should reflect biblical values

But more than 9 in 10 evangelicals agreed in a recent poll by Lifeway Research that U.S. immigration policy should reflect the biblical convictions that immigrants are made with dignity in the image of God (not “animals,” as the former president has labeled some.)

Lifeway Research also finds that 78% would support legislation pairing improvements to border security with an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements. And 71% say the United States has a moral responsibility to welcome refugees, along with 91% who want immigration policies to protect family unity. 

I have reservations about a president profiting from the Bible, especially when the Bible is bundled with foundational national documents in a way that suggests they are equally inspired by God. I’m thankful to live in this country, but if we really want God to bless the USA, we should read the Bible carefully, reflect God’s concern for immigrants and pursue policies consistent with its teachings.

Jeff Schultz is the co-lead pastor of Faith Church in Indianapolis.