Denver Seminary

Over the last year there has been a veritable explosion in books published—both secular and religious—on the topic of immigration. This trend should continue, as the national debate seeks some sort of resolution in the future. Over the next few months I will be providing reviews of some of these publications. I will focus on, but not limit myself to, works that argue from a faith perspective.

I believe it is important not to only present books that take a pro-undocumented immigrant or pro-comprehensive immigration perspective. There is much to learn by hearing what different sides are saying and by being aware of the kinds of arguments presented by those of faith, who do not have a positive view of the presence of the undocumented.

In this first installment, I offer a review that appears in Denver Journal, the online review journal of Denver Seminary. It is a summary and evaluation of James K. Hoffmeier, The Immigration Crisis: Immigrants, Aliens, and the Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009). The gist of Hoffmeier’s argument is that the positive biblical material concerning immigrants refers only to legal immigrants in ancient Israel, rather then to all who may have crossed that nation’s borders. As you can imagine, I disagree. This is a significant book, as some are citing it as a resource in certain Christian circles that are speaking against comprehensive immigration reform. The full review can be found on the Denver Seminary website at:

http://www.denverseminary.edu/article/the-immigration-crisis-immigrants-aliens-and-the-bible/