immigration in the bible wncc-umw school of christian missions pfeiffer university phil...

Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM 1

Immigration in the Bible

WNCC-UMWSchool of Christian MissionsPfeiffer UniversityPhil Wingeier-RayoJuly 28, 2012

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Deuteronomy 24: 19-21When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the

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Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.

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When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this. End 7/27/2012


In this reading of Deuteronomy, what are the three categories of people that God commands us to have mercy upon?

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PrayerGod of refuge, you have traveled with us throughout the ages. You are walking with us in our darkest moments and crying with the trafficked, enslaved, oppressed and marginalized.

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We come to you today asking that you change and open our hearts, our minds and our doors to sisters and brothers who throughout the ages have been victimized. We give you thanks for Scriptures that guide us and for Christ who came

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to us as a migrant and refugee and offered us salvation. We give you thanks for the Holy Spirit who moves with us as we migrate physically, emotionally and intellectually to new lands

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That you have prepared for us. As we continue this study, we ask that you change us according to your divine will to be the hands and feet of Christ in our world as we seek

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To offer hospitality to strangers, remembering that to them we are the stranger. Change us, O Lord. Change us, we pray.Amen.

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Group Exercise:

In small groups place the Bible stories about movement in chronological order.

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1. The Seven Days of Creation Gen 1-22. Adam and Eve Gen 2:4-253. The Fall Gen 34. Cain and Abel Gen 45. The Great Flood Gen 6-8

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6. The Table of Nations Gen 107. The Tower of Babel Gen 11:1-98. Abraham is Called to the Holy Land Gen 129. God's Covenant with Abraham Gen 15-1710. Jacob Competes with Esau Gen 25-27

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11. Jacob Flees to Aram Gen 27:41-28:2212. Jacob Returns to Face Esau Gen 31-3313. Jacob Returns to Bethel Gen 3514. Joseph Sold into Slavery Gen 3715. Joseph in Egypt Gen 39-4116. Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt

Gen 42-45

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17. The Israelites live in Egypt Gen 46:1-49:2818. Israelites oppressed by pharaoh Exodus 119. Moses flees Egypt Exodus 320. 10 plagues in Egypt Exodus 8-1121. Moses and Israelites cross the Red Sea Ex. 1422. Moses and Israelites in the wilderness Ex. 15-40

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Reading

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Story of Ruth and Noemi

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Background: The text is set in the period of the judges following the period of slavery in Egypt and Joshua’s conquest of Canaan (1200-1000BCE). Ancient Middle Eastern culture was very patriarchal and women were considered the responsibility and property of their fathers, and then after marriage their husbands.

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The role of women was to procreate and women who didn’t or couldn’t have children were considered to be cursed by God. Ancient Middle Eastern Culture did not understand reproductive anatomy and placed the blame for infertility on women.

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Men whose first wife did not produce a child had the right to have a concubine to produce children (i.e. the case of Abram, Sarah and Haggar). They also believed that women produced children and generated the gender. Women didn’t have the right to own property and if they were widowed were often left to beg for their subsistence.

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Widows were pitied by society and the recipients of charity. After the Israelites harvested the fields, they were encouraged to not plow under their fields and leave any grains for the orphans, widows and sojourners to glean from the fields. The Israelites were a very closed nation.

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They were internally organized according to the twelve nations of Israel (the descendants of the twelve nations of Israel). They were not open to intermarriage and suspicious of foreigners—although there were Bible verses calling them to treat strangers with compassion.

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The Hebrew Bible also called for the Law of Leviticus that required the younger brother to procreate with the widow of the older brother if she was barren. Foreigners were considered very different in this homogenous, intermingled society. 7/27/2012


Ruth 1: 1-2 This family of mother, father and two boys faced famine of no fault of their own. Have you every fallen on hard times? Or someone you know? What did you/they do to survive?

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Ruth 1: 3-5 Are you a widow or do you know of widow? What are some of the challenges that widows face today? What challenges did widows face in ancient Israel?

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Ruth 1: 6-7 When Naomi heard that the conditions were better in her home country of Judah, she prepared to go home. Have you ever moved from one place to another because you heard conditions were better? Or had a better job offer?

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Ruth 1: 8 Naomi told her two daughter-in-law to return to their homes. Orpah obeyed and return to her family, but Ruth refused. Do you live close to your parents or in-laws? Or have you moved away from them? Where is home for you?

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Ruth 2: 10 After going to Judah with Naomi, Ruth gleans the fields of Boaz for extra grain. How does he treat her? How are widowed and/or single women treated in our society? How were they treated in Ancient Israel?

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The Pentecost Journey by Jeannie Trevino Teddlie

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Justice for our Neighbors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcwJaXrRXbI

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immigration in the bible wncc-umw school of christian missions pfeiffer university phil...

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