Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration - Paperback

by Karen González (Author)

★ Publishers Weekly starred review

"A top-notch Christian look at immigration, humane and full of heart."--Publishers Weekly

Many American Christians have good intentions, working hard to welcome immigrants with hospitality and solidarity. But how can we do that in a way that empowers our immigrant neighbors rather than pushing them to the fringes of white-dominant culture and keeping them as outsiders? That's exactly the question Karen González explores in Beyond Welcome.

A Guatemalan immigrant, González draws from the Bible and her own experiences to examine why the traditional approach to immigration ministries and activism is at best incomplete and at worst harmful. By advocating for putting immigrants in the center of the conversation, González helps readers grow in discipleship and recognize themselves in their immigrant neighbors.

Accessible to any Christian who is called to serve immigrants, this book equips readers to take action to dismantle white supremacy and xenophobia in the church. They will emerge with new insight into our shared humanity and need for belonging and liberation.

Back Jacket

"This book needs to be in the hands of those seeking to love immigrants and of immigrant advocates"

Many of us have good intentions, working hard to welcome immigrants with hospitality and solidarity. But how can we do that in a way that empowers our immigrant neighbors rather than pushing them to the fringes of white-dominant culture?

Karen González draws from the Bible and her own experiences to examine why the traditional approach to immigration ministries and activism is at best incomplete and at worst harmful. She advocates putting immigrants in the center of the conversation and helps us recognize ourselves in our immigrant neighbors.

"González brings clarity to how white supremacy and American exceptionalism play a role in our desire to be heroes of good immigrants. This book needs to be in the hands of those seeking to love immigrants and of immigrant advocates."
--Sandra Maria Van Opstal, pastor, author, activist

"An important and compelling work; it provides a road map to help all of us fully live out what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves."
--Rev. Adam Taylor, president of Sojourners; author of A More Perfect Union

"This book is a sacred and necessary gift to the church."
--Kat Armas, host of The Protagonistas podcast; author of Abuelita Faith

"Whether you agree with González's conclusions or not--I usually did, occasionally did not, and in a few cases am still wrestling with what I think, long after reading this poignant book--you will find Beyond Welcome to be challenging, constructive, and helpful."
--Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilization and advocacy, World Relief; coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger

"We all need to take the challenges in Beyond Welcome seriously, particularly those of us who care about Christian engagement in immigrant ministry."
--Rev. Alexia Salvatierra, academic dean, Centro Latino, Fuller Theological Seminary

Author Biography

Karen González is a writer, speaker, and immigrant advocate who emigrated from Guatemala as a child. She attended Fuller Theological Seminary, where she studied theology and missiology, and she has worked in the nonprofit sector for thirteen years. In addition to her first book, The God Who Sees: Immigrants, The Bible, and the Journey to Belong, González has written for Christianity Today, Christian Century, Sojourners, and the Baltimore Sun. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland.