Pope Francis on Taking In Refugees in Europe: A Basis for an Alternative Approach to

Christianity
As tens of thousands of refugees from the Middle East were seeking refuge in the
E.U., Pope Francis called on every parish, religious community, monastery and
sanctuary in Europe to shelter refugees. 1 It was not enough, he said, to tell them,
have courage, hang in there.2 Providing the Christian basis, he said that the
Gospel calls us to be close to the smallest and to those who have been
abandoned.3 Jesus went to those who had been abandoned by the hegemonic
Temple-centric Judaism of his day, and healed them. In the Gospel of Mark, it is the
strangers rather than the disciples who understand his message. I submit that this
approach to Christianity could serve as an alternative to the dominant one that
applies Christianity to every issue.
The complete essay is at Pope Francis on the Refugees.

1 Alison Smale, Pope Calls on All of Europes Catholics to Shelter Refugees, The New
York Times, September 6, 2015.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.