Sanctuary for Asylum Seekers: Revisiting the Religious Principle and Practice of Refuge in the Church

This article argues for a reconsideration of the tradition of church sanctuary. First, I analyze the reality of Central American asylum seekers who are systematically denied protection in the United States. Second, using the earliest Christian references to sanctuary from the fourth century, I show...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Guardado, Leo (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2021
In: Theological studies
Year: 2021, Volume: 82, Issue: 2, Pages: 285-309
Further subjects:B Canon Law
B Deportation
B Violence
B Migration
B Ecclesiology
B Patristic
B Politics
B Sacramental
B Mercy
B Borders
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article argues for a reconsideration of the tradition of church sanctuary. First, I analyze the reality of Central American asylum seekers who are systematically denied protection in the United States. Second, using the earliest Christian references to sanctuary from the fourth century, I show that sanctuary was a religious and pastoral response to persecuted persons fleeing violence and death. Third, I trace the process that led to sanctuary’s disappearance from the Code of Canon Law in the late twentieth century, and argue that there is a need to reintroduce sanctuary as a religious principle and practice of the church.
ISSN:2169-1304
Contains:Enthalten in: Theological studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/00405639211010846