The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland Eugene Sutton has posted a pastoral letter titled “Are Not These Our Children?”
The question is in reference to the swarms of illegal minors pouring over the border.
No, they are not “our children”.
They most likely “belong” to Mexico.
The phrase “our children” implies that their continued upkeep is our ongoing responsibility.
The only children you are responsible for are those that you procreate
yourself or voluntarily agree to take care of through formalized
arrangements such adoption and foster care.
The Bishop answers, “...the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland will take its marching orders from the Bible.”
This ecclesiastical functionary further clarifies, “who we are as
Christians who base our ethical actions from the Holy Scriptures that
remind us of the sanctity and dignity of every human being.”
If that is the standard that the Episcopal Church intends to rally
around as fundamental Christian doctrine, does it intend to renounce gay
marriage and ordination as well as abortion?
For these issues are much clearer in divine revelation than how the
denomination is deciding to interpret and implement admonitions
regarding the treatment of strangers.
The passage emphasized in the pastoral letter is from Matthew 25 which
says, “I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
There is nothing in that text demanding you turn over your house without question and allow it to be ruined beyond recognition.
It is an observation of fact that the Episcopalians are one of the denominations that revel in ornamentation and finery.
So is the Bishop a bigot and a snob if he does not invite the unmannered
rabble into his cathedral to use the baptismal font as a toilet and
urinal?
There is a proper way of doing things.
It is exactly because these individuals are worthy of dignity as human
beings made in the image of God that they should be expected to abide by
the laws and regulations imposed upon the remainder of the species.
By Frederick Meekins