Our Treatment of (Undocumented) Immigrants is an Affront to God

I am reading a book called The Gospel According to Eve (2019) by the Rev. Dr. Amanda Benckhuysen (what a great Dutch name!).

The book recounts the history of Western thought about Eve – her person and her role – throughout the Christian Era. Of course, men held (still have!) the power during that history, and their understanding and projection of Eve was not exactly complimentary:

“Influenced by Greek philosophy and Aristotelian thought, the majority of early interpreters concluded that Eve was an inferior and secondary creation who bore primary responsibility for plunging the world into sin and strife. As all women were Eve, this interpretive tradition provided divine sanction for a system of patriarchy and male headship that made women subordinate to the fathers, husbands, and brothers and denied them the right to own property, to pursue formal education, to marry freely, to vote for civic leaders, to participate in public affairs, to choose a profession, and to share in ecclesiastical leadership.”[1]

Despite the overwhelming influence exerted by men in the church and theology, there were women who engaged in biblical interpretation. They tended to be wealthy or well-connected, which gave them freedom to get tutoring, teach themselves, and make use of the libraries and other resources to which they had access. Some of them wrote pamphlets or books which are available to historians today.[2]

As these women read the story of Eve, they interpreted it through the lens of their own experience, context and situation and presented a perspective on Eve that lifted her up and ennobled her. Based on their perspective on her story, they promoted liberation for all women.

One of those women was Ester Sowerman[3]. In 1617 Sowerman published Ester Hath Hang’d Haman, designed to defend women against the attack of a popular pamphlet of the time which argued “that women are by nature worthless, deceptive creatures and the bane of man’s existence”.[4]

“For Sowerman, (the attack on women) is not only an attack on women but an affront to God, an attack on the very glory of God…Sowerman frames her work as a defense of both women and God”.[5]

 “I am not onely provoked by this Author to defend women, but I am more violently urged to defend the divine Majestie, in the worke of his Creation.”

“I have patiently borne insult to myself; but I have not been able to endure impiety against God.”[6]

In other words, by demeaning women and relegating them to the position of second-class in whatever way we do it, we are not only doing them wrong, we are doing the God who created them wrong.

When we come to the defense of marginalized or oppressed people (and I would add Creation to the mix), we promote justice for them, and we do so because God is the God of justice, and we want to emulate Him in our own actions. Good stuff. Keep it up.

But there is much more to it: any oppression or subjugation of people, or destruction of creatures or creation is an insult to the God who created it all and said “It is good”. When one destroys a painting, sculpture, or any work (art or not) made by someone, it not only is an injustice to that piece of work (depending on circumstances, of course – there may be a legitimate reason to tear down a building), it is a disrespect to the maker of that piece of work. It says to him or her: “I don’t care about you. I have no regard for the effort you put in to making this, your sense of beauty or usefulness, your joy and satisfaction in making a good thing.”

That is a dimension to the story of racism, sexism, environmental destruction, etc., etc., that is new to me – at least in this explicit way. I have come to believe strongly that we are called in word and deed to contribute to a just society for everyone and all of creation. But I have not seen so clearly before that our marginalization of people and destruction of creation is our middle finger to the God who made it all.

Maybe it’s just me. Perhaps I have missed this aspect in articles, blogposts, sermons, speeches, conversations with friends. But I don’t think so. The idea that oppression of any people (group) or the destruction of creation for exploitive purposes is an affront to the Creator of it all adds depth to my/our response to injustice on every level and roots our efforts for justice not only in the results for people and creation but in our worship of and relationship to God Himself.

When we defend people and creation we defend Him and His honor and worth.

When we oppress people or destroy creation we commit an “impiety”, not only against the oppressed but against the God who made them.

The implications for our political situation today are huge. Right now, undocumented immigrants, most of them of one particular ethnic background, are bearing the brunt of racism, oppression, violence and exclusion in this moment of our history. Those who instigate, promote, participate in, or support this treatment (even by silence) are not only committing injustice against people whom God has made, they are offending God Himself.

“Drill, baby, drill!” is more than destruction of our environment for profit, which we should do everything we can to resist: it is a direct affront to the God who created that environment.

So the next time you see on television people being cruelly plucked from the street, separated from family, sent to internment camps and deported; the next time you hear rhetoric about how a particular group of people is “poisoning our blood” or is “illegal”; the next time you read about a new plan to extract fossil fuels from First People’s lands or efforts to nullify regulations designed to protect us and our environment: don’t just think about the injustices done to these peoples and the creation.

If you believe in a personal God who created this world and everyone in it, remember Him and how He must feel as he watches us. Weep with Him. Follow the example of Ester Sowerman and do what you can to defend His honor. Remember that, in the end, He will receive the honor that He deserves. “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13)

May we be not onely provoked to defend the oppressed and exploited, but more violently urged to defend the divine Majestie, in the worke of his Creation.

That is piety.

[1] Pg 8

[2] The Dutch woman Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678) was proficient in fourteen languages, including Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic and Syriac – and often corresponded with learned colleagues (male and female) in Greek, Hebrew, Latin and French. (pg 9)

[3] There is a lot more which could be said about Sowerman and her writing, but that goes beyond the point I want to make in this brief post.

[4] Pg 43

[5] Pg 44

[6] Two quotes from Ester Hath Hang’d Haman