Introduction; Part I. The Immigrant as Alien: 1. How the alien emerged: allegiance, English law, and federal immigration law; 2. Coming near to distant neighbors in God's world; Part II. The Alien as Unlawfully Present: 3. How aliens became illegal: sovereignty, Chinese migration, and federal immigration law; 4. The humble guard: governing immigration under God; Part III. An Unlawfully Present Alien from a Neighboring Country?: 5. How nationals of neighboring countries became illegal aliens: non-discrimination, Mexican migration, and federal immigration law; 6. Justice and mercy among neighbors; Conclusion.
A fresh response to the problem of illegal immigration in the United States through the context of Christian theology.
Robert W. Heimburger is Associate Chaplain with the Oxford Pastorate, Associate Researcher at the Fundación Universitaria Seminario Bíblico de Colombia, and Editor of IFES Word and World.
'In the heated debates around 'illegal aliens' several matters cry
out for explanation. Where did the term 'alien' arise, and when did
it first appear in US law? Why do current immigration laws view
foreigners like they do? Such questions require historical
awareness and, for the Christian, substantive theological
reasoning. Heimburger presents a legal history and offers a rich
theology for the government's role in God's economy as 'neighbor'.
This is a fresh, needful framework for our times.' M. Daniel
Carroll R., Blanchard Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College,
Illinois and author of Christians at the Border: Immigration, the
Church, and the Bible
'God and the Illegal Alien is a highly original contribution to the
ethics of immigration. It is the most comprehensive, ecumenical,
and lucid treatment of the subject that I know of from a
theological perspective. At the same time, by careful attention to
revealing details in American legal history, biblical sources, and
political thought, Heimburger provides an impressive work of
political theology that makes concrete what can be abstract in the
renewed attention to that subject.' Eric Gregory, Princeton
University, New Jersey
'Robert W. Heimburger provides a compelling approach that defies
otherness and difference in favor of foundational Christian ideals
of love, caring, decency and respect. Drawing upon historical,
theological, and legal sources, Heimburger reconfigures the current
adversarial landscape by assessing theological debates about the
common migrant roots that we all share, and the fundamental liberal
values and the legal history that underwrite and provide legitimacy
to the very idea of America.' Robert F. Barsky, Vanderbilt
University, Tennessee
'What is most impressive about God and the Illegal Alien is the
depth and range of its theological appropriations. Heimburger
demonstrates how potentially rich are a Christian's resources for
thinking through, for instance, the value of the immigrant, the
responsibilities of government, and the mission of the church. Each
component of his reflections are elements for a thorough-going
Christian engagement with immigration realities. The author has
performed a wonderful service by carefully, and painstakingly,
showing us that what Christians need is a good theology of politics
to guide their thinking on this debated topic.' Latin American
Theology
'Heimburger's text is both timely and curious. Migration policies
are on the front line of today's public policy discussions. His
engagement of these policies through a theology of politics,
though, is a complicated interweaving of arguments from common law,
philosophy, scriptural exegesis, and the history of U.S.
immigration practices.' John Francis Burke, Journal of Church and
State
'… Heimburger's work has the greatest promise, as it piggybacks on
the weakness of democracy (democratic caprice), using its networks
for good.' Myles Werntz, Marginalia LA Review of Books
'Anyone working in this field (myself included) stands to benefit
from Heimburger's careful legal-historical work. Heimburger also
sets a high bar for scholars with interdisciplinary inclinations.
And everyone should wrestle with his theology of politics. These
are just a few of the great gifts Heimburger has given us in a book
deserving of a wide readership.' Justin P. Ashworth, Modern
Theology
'I enjoyed this book very much, and I would recommend it to my
fellow Americans …' John S. W. Park, Law and Politics Book Review
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