Refugee Diaspora is a contemporary account of the global refugee situation and how the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is shining brightly in the darkest corners of the greatest crisis on our planet. These hope-filled pages of refugees encountering Jesus Christ presents models of Christian ministry from the front lines of the refugee crisis and the real challenges of ministering to today’s refugees. It includes biblical, theological, and practical reflections on mission in diverse diaspora contexts from leading scholars as well as practitioners in all major regions of the world.
This is an excellent book: it is a fairly comprehensive read for Christians to make sense of migration. Sam George and Miriam Adeney write a brief biblical basis for caring for refugees. The history of migration in the Middle East is interesting. And then other writers contribute their experiences as asylum seekers, refugees, welcomers and institutions. The book gives me hope when the situation actually provokes much fear and intolerance. I want to be better equipped to talk with Christians about God's desire to see all nations worship, including those who are transitioning between political nations! The book listed many other good resources to dig deeper.
In Christian mission circles, diaspora is a missional means decreed and blessed by God (Gen 1:28, 9:1, 12:3, 28:14), under His sovereign rule, to promote the expansion of his kingdom and the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Mt 24:14, 28:18-20) xxv. UN Refugee Agency, "A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely they cannot return home or are afraid to do so." xxv
Bibliography: Adeney, Miriam Wealth, Women and God: How to Flourish Spiritually and Economically in Tough Places Bala, Sharon. The Boat People. Bauman, Stephen, et. al. Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis. Carroll, Daniel. Christians at the Borders: Immigration, the Church and the Border Christianity Today, "Responding to the Refugee Crisis." July 207 Kaemingk, Matthew. Christian Hospitality and Muslim Immigration in an Age of Fear. Keifer, Patrick. Welcoming the Stranger Kingsley, Patrick. The New Odyssey: the Story of Europe's Refugee Crisis. Mayfield, Daniel. Assimilate of Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith. McDonald-Gibson, Charlotte. Cast Away: True Stories of Survival from Europe's Refugee Crisis Myers, Ched... Our God is Undoumented: Biblical Faith and Immigant Justice. Newman, elizbeth. Untamed Hospitality: Welcoming Grad and Other Strangers. Payne, JDStrangers Next Door: Immigration, Migration and Mission Pohl, Christine. Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition. Sorens, Matthew and Jenny Yang. Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion and Truth in Immigration debate Sutherland, Arthur. I Was a Stranger: Christian Theology of Hospitality Tira, Sadiri Scattered and Gathered: Global Compendium on Diaspora Missiology