As if to illustrate a point made in my last Providence article, that theologians rarely do political thought well, noted theologian Russell Moore recently wrote in Christianity Today to remind readers that Jesus was a refugee. That’s it. Moore made this observation in the current moment of aggressive moves by the Trump administration to identify, arrest and deport illegal immigrants, and cut federal funding to refugee resettlement programs. Moore does acknowledge that Christians can still have good-faith disagreement over immigration policy, but…you know… Jesus was a refugee.
Moore’s implied argument, that Jesus’ refugee status renders the Trump administration’s policies (and those who support them) unchristian, illustrates the platitudinous, vapid moralizing that often passes for serious political thought in evangelical circles.
Read Full Article »