Moody Publishers has teamed up with Stephen Bauman, Matthew Sorens, and Issam Smeir for this very timely, very relevant book on the global refugee crisis. The staggering number of people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes is higher today than at any other time in recorded history. This fact puts us all, especially American Christians, in a critical position.
Seeking Refuge provides a Christian perspective to the refugee crisis along with a biblically based response. We are reminded in Matthew 2:13-15 that not long after Jesus' birth, He along with Mary and Joseph were refugees in a foreign land. As pointed out in the book, the Bible contains multiple examples of people who had to flee under the threat of violence or persecution including Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, and the early followers of Jesus.
What I love most about this book is that it is truly grounded in Scripture. Readers are encouraged to think of refugees as image-bearers of God and as such have inherent dignity and intrinsic worth. They have talents. They are answers to problems in the world. They need and deserve our time, our attention, our resources, our prayers, and perhaps most important of all our love.
Seeking Refuge is very well-rounded in that it addresses so many aspects and viewpoints. The reader gets economic facts and statistics, the processes for volunteers and their organizations, and interesting comparisons of refugees and immigrants. There are stories from refugees and volunteers. Also included is extensive information about the process for refugee entry into the United States.
I believe this book is perfect for churches, anyone interested in volunteer work concerning refugees, as well as the average everyday American citizen. Seeking Refuge addresses the many concerns some have about accepting refugees into the United States, particularly those from the Middle East. The only question that remains is one we must answer individually and as a nation which is: will we live by fear or by faith?
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review of it.
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