The Bible is largely the story of borders. Who is on which side of a given border is either a favored “insider” or disfavored “outsider.” To my way of thinking the Christian Gospel, stressing the idea of the Incarnation, God crossing the border between humanity and divinity, focuses this idea of borders that divide those on one side of the border from those on the other side. (Cf. my book Borderland Theology)
It all starts with the story of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve are sent outside of the Garden’s border because of their lack of trust in God. Throughout the stories in the Book of Genesis we find the Hebrew Patriarchs, from Abraham on down, struggling with this idea of “insiders” and “outsiders.” Abraham came from the faraway land of UR to settle in the land of Canaan and eventually he and his off-spring settled in Egypt. Here they were outsiders for several generations until they finally made Canaan their own “promised land”. Later they clashed with many surrounding nations, changing borders as they went.
Then throughout the history of the Hebrews in Palestine they were constantly doing battle with each other and those who would conquer them right down though New Testament times until they were dispersed by the Romans throughout surrounding lands. In the New Testament Jesus and Paul sought to teach and share the Christian Gospel across and beyond Palestine throughout the Roman Empire, crossing many borders along the way: Jews vs. Christians, Gentiles vs. Hebrews, and males vs. females, etc. Eventually Paul and others spread the Christian Gospel throughout Europe and beyond, still crossing numerous borders as they went.
The story of Jesus himself is indeed a story of an “outsider” who came to those estranged from their Creator, seeking to reconcile them to God. In theological idiom, Jesus crossed the border between God and humanity in order to bring the two together. In contemporary idiom, Jesus sought, both in his earthly ministry and in his cosmic one, to reconcile strangers with “homies”, refugees with domestics, and illegals with citizens, crossing all borders in the process.
As the Bible story clearly demonstrates, although they may be of temporary value, ultimately the borders that divide people do just that, they divide people from one another, thereby creating enmity and strife. The Bible story demonstrates precisely this, that God would prefer that people overcome their political differences and share their cultural richness. In the Bible borders are merely temporary dividers, made to be eventually overcome by incorporating those who have been separate into one humanity.
The paradigm provided by the Christian Gospel entails that the borders which divide peoples from one another are temporary at best, and that with co-operative commitment and effort people of every race and type can and should work together to bring humanity together. As is clear from the Bible story, the borders that separate people from each other can, and should, be overcome. The Christian Gospel unites.
6 responses to “Borderland Theology: Who’s In and Who’s Out”
This meditation really hits home. I fight the same arrogance and sense of grandeur, because if I didn’t fight it I really would not get anything done. I’m actually talking about doing contracted work in a professional way, but really it could apply to almost any endeavor around which one has a personal investment. Thanks for this, Jerry
Hey Andy – thanks so much for your QUICK reply ;O) You might be interested in my book Education of the Oppressors wherein I try to trace out how the reversal process works. Paz, Jerry
Hey again Andy – the book title is Pedagogy of the Oppressor. Sorry ;O( Jerry
I’ve given out about 5 copies of this book to people helping out at the Refugee Welcome Center here in Albany, NY. One of the most helpful ideas in there to me is the association you make between “paradigm shift” and “pedagogy,” and the fact that both involve a sort of ‘rising above’ usual ways of thinking about things and people. Another was in noting that such “shifts” involve raising “consciousness” as well as “consciences.” It’s interesting how simply connecting those ideas goes some way toward getting to the roots of injustice and violence in the world. Awareness and the desire to be aware do seem, to borrow another of your word moves, “inextricably intertwined.”
Wow – you are my best promoter :O) and interpreter – you always take my ideas to another level as well ;O) Stay kool Paz, jerry and Mari
Glad to hear you say that. And here I thot I was just stealing them! :o) Here’s how I incorporated some of these into some organization literature: “Incorporated in 2016, the RWC is a primarily a pedagogical effort combining social work with community development, refugee resettlement with neighborhood revitalization. It’s born of a recognition that the personal and cultural adjustments involved with the resettlement experience are on par with what’s required to redress the symptoms and causes of urban blight, systemic racism, and moral decay in our own communities. It’s as much a commitment to empower and raise the consciousness of the oppressed as it is to engage the conscience and help shift the paradigm of the oppressor. This is what drives the RWC’s mission to connect families with safe affordable housing and support services in and through building a sustainable neighborhood in which all can thrive.”