On Wednesday Night, December 9^th , we will be discussing the Syrian Refugee Crisis. What is the Christian response to a refugee crisis? On Nov 6, Alisyn Camerota from CNN was interviewing Republican Presidential Candidate Dr. Ben Carson and asked him about the Syrian Refugee Crisis. If he were President of the United States, would he accept Syrian Refugees? He said “NO.” She then quoted the Bible from Matthew 25 where Jesus commends those who welcome refugees – “I was a stranger and you took me in.” Dr. Carson answered that the Bible also talks about being wise and since there is a danger of terrorists infiltrating groups of Syrian refugees – his answer would still be “NO.”

The Bible has many Commandments about being kind to Strangers. Example: Exodus 22:21-24 “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.”

There are also several Bible stories about refugees like the Abraham (Gen 12), Isaac (Gen 26), Jacob (45), the story of Ruth, and the Infancy of Jesus (Mat 2:12ff) who for various reasons had to leave their native land and seek refuge in another country.

It is interesting to note that the Bible calls Jacob a “Syrian Refugee.” In Old Testament times, when an Israelite brought his Harvest Offering to the Lord, he would make the follow confession -from Deuteronomy 26:5-10″My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’; and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.”

Christians who are “people of the Book” know that we are supposed to help those who are oppressed and running for their lives – but the threat of terrorism complicates the issue – so what are we supposed to do?

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