Beyond Welcome, Karen Gonzalez
Beyond Welcome, Karen Gonzalez
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Beyond Welcome
Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration

Author: Karen Gonzalez

Narrator: Karen Gonzalez

Unabridged: 5 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/08/2022


Synopsis

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 listeners grow in discipleship and recognize themselves in their immigrant neighbors.

Accessible to any Christian who is called to serve immigrants, this book equips listeners 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.

About Karen Gonzalez

Karen Gonzalez 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, she has written for Christianity Today, the Christian Century, Sojourners, and the Baltimore Sun. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Penny

Important questions for UU churches I think of myself as pretty informed and aware of issues around inclusion in the UU church. And, as I made my way through this book, I kept finding surprises and new information to consider. I would sit down and tell myself I would read one chapter —- and then I wo......more

Goodreads review by Natasha

Many parts of this book were poignant, and inspire me to bring up ideas with my congregation. For example, I liked the point that families should remain together rather than age-segregation. In this way, parents receive support and are recognized as teachers of the faith. I also agreed that the larg......more

Goodreads review by Lyn

“Beyond Welcome” offers essays from a variety of locations and viewpoints that delve into not only the practical work of creating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our communities but also the theology and spirituality that undergird those practices. It is very readable and would be great......more

A collection of thought-provoking essays that forces us to look at our congregations and their habits with fresh eyes. This is a must-read for church lay leaders who want to build diverse, welcoming places to worship.......more