Evangelicals and small boats

Some years ago the noted US pastor, theologian and writer Tim Keller wrote a book called Generous Justice.

In it, citing Zechariah 7v10-11, he highlights a ‘quartet of the vulnerable’ repeated throughout the Bible – ‘the widow, the fatherless, the immigrant... the poor.’ (He translates the Hebrew word gare as ‘immigrant’ rather than ‘foreigner’ or ‘alien’ as is more common, saying it ‘more accurately conveys to modern readers the meaning of the word.’)

And the immigrant, Tim Keller says, is someone repeatedly highlighted in the Old Testament as one to whom justice is due. Indeed, such justice is not optional. A failure to provide justice towards such vulnerable people is ‘a sin, offensive to God’s splendour [Job 31v23] and deserving of judgment and punishment [Job 31v28],’ he writes.

The situation facing the UK is complex. People-trafficking is exploitative and repugnant. Economic migrants are different from refugees. But the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the recently-proposed legislation is ‘an asylum ban – extinguishing the right to seek refugee protection in the United Kingdom for those who arrive irregularly, no matter how genuine and compelling their claim may be.’

The UNHCR continues: ‘The effect of the bill [in this form] would be to deny protection to many asylum seekers in need of safety and protection, and even deny them the opportunity to put forward their case. This would be a clear breach of the refugee convention.’

Of particular concern is the lack of truly viable, officially designated ‘safe routes’ for many fleeing terrible situations. For example, as the Evangelical Alliance points out, under the proposed new law, ‘a Christian fleeing persecution from Iran would have no right to claim asylum, there are no established “safe routes” they could use, and if they arrive on a small boat, or via any other means, [then…] they would be deported.’

The reformer John Calvin was a refugee, and during his time, Geneva – a city of about 10,000 inhabitants – doubled in size as a result of refugees. Moses Lee writes: ‘As these refugees arrived at the gates of Geneva, the city council and native Genevans wrestled with job shortages, wage decreases, and xenophobic attacks against these new arrivals.

‘As a pastor, it was under such dire circumstances that Calvin courageously preached, on many occasions at the risk of his own life, against the Genevan elite for hoarding their money instead of donating to the needy or providing low-interest loans to refugees to start their own businesses...’

There are solutions other than those being currently suggested for the UK. Enver Solomon of the Refugee Council suggests a plan which ‘focuses on compassion and competence creating safe and orderly routes for refugees to reach the UK, such as refugee visas, a fair asylum system with timely decision making, and a workable agreement with our European partners to share responsibility for all those who want sanctuary in the region.’

Scripture and sense urge us to seek better than what is proposed.