Welcoming the Stranger - by Ori Z Soltes & Rachel Stern (Paperback)

About the Book

"One of the signal moments in the narrative of the biblical Abraham is his insistent and enthusiastic reception of three strangers, a starting point of inspiration for all three Abrahamic traditions as they evolve and develop the details of their respective teachings. On the one hand, welcoming the stranger by remembering 'that you were strangers in the land of Egypt' is enjoined upon the ancient Israelites, and on the other, oppressing the stranger is condemned by their prophets throughout the Hebrew Bible. These sentiments are repeated in the New Testament and the Qur'an and elaborated in the interpretive literatures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Such notions resonate obliquely within the history of India and its Dharmic traditions. On the other hand, they have been seriously challenged throughout history. In the 1830's, America's 'Nativists' sought to emphatically reduce immigration to these shores. A century later, the Holocaust began by the decision of the Nazi German government to turn specific groups of German citizens into strangers. Deliberate marginalization leading to genocide flourished in the next half century from Bosnia and Cambodia to Rwanda. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the United States renewed a decisive twist toward closing the door on those seeking refuge, ushering in an era where marginalized religious and ethnic groups around the globe are deemed unwelcome and unwanted. The essays in Welcoming the Stranger explore these issues from historical, theoretical, theological, and practical perspectives, offfering an enlighening and compelling discussion of what the Abrahamic traditions teach us regarding welcoming people we don't know" -- supplied by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Embracing hospitality and inclusion in Abrahamic traditions

One of the signal moments in the narrative of the biblical Abraham is his insistent and enthusiastic reception of three strangers, a starting point of inspiration for all three Abrahamic traditions as they evolve and develop the details of their respective teachings. On the one hand, welcoming the stranger by remembering "that you were strangers in the land of Egypt" is enjoined upon the ancient Israelites, and on the other, oppressing the stranger is condemned by their prophets throughout the Hebrew Bible.

These sentiments are repeated in the New Testament and the Qur'an and elaborated in the interpretive literatures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Such notions resonate obliquely within the history of India and its Dharmic traditions. On the other hand, they have been seriously challenged throughout history. In the 1830s, America's "Nativists" sought to emphatically reduce immigra-tion to these shores. A century later, the Holocaust began by the decision of the Nazi German government to turn specific groups of German citizens into strangers. Deliberate marginalization leading to genocide flourished in the next half century from Bosnia and Cambodia to Rwanda. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the United States renewed a decisive twist toward closing the door on those seeking refuge, ushering in an era where marginalized religious and ethnic groups around the globe are deemed unwelcome and unwanted.

The essays in Welcoming the Stranger explore these issues from historical, theoretical, theo-logical, and practical perspectives, offering an enlightening and compelling discussion of what the Abrahamic traditions teach us regarding welcoming people we don't know.

Welcoming the Stranger: Abrahamic Hospitality and Its Contemporary Implications is available from the publisher on an open-access basis.

Published by The Fritz Ascher Society for Persecuted, Ostracized and Banned Art and the Fordham University Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyer's Work

Review Quotes

This timely book offers theoretical and practical reflections on 'welcoming the stranger.' From the theological analysis of Abraham to the legal and political discussion of immigration and refugees, the volume explores how hospitality--welcoming the 'other' into our tents--leads to peace and improving the world.---Mehnaz Afridi, Director, Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center and Professor, Religious Studies, Manhattan College

About the Author

Ori Z Soltes (Edited By)
Ori Z Soltes teaches at Georgetown University across a range of disciplines, from art his-tory and theology to philosophy and political history. He is the former Director of the B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum.

Rachel Stern (Edited By)
Rachel Stern is the founding and executive director of the Fritz Ascher Society for Persecuted, Ostracized and Banned Art in New York.

Endy Moraes (Foreword By)
Endy Moraes, LLM, Director, Institute on Religion, Law, and Lawyer's Work at Fordham Law School, is a Brazilian lawyer with extensive experience in interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Endy has an LLM, cum laude, from Fordham Law School, and is admitted to practice in New York. She is a member of the Focolare Movement of the Catholic Church, living in community.