Statements from most of our Faiths on Welcoming the Stranger from June 18, 2025

Statements from most of our Faiths on Welcoming the Stranger from June 18, 2025 (You can also watch the webinar at this link: https://tinyurl.com/WebinarWelcome

 American Baptist

Our Christian faith places a strong emphasis on welcoming and integrating new members into our community. This practice is deeply rooted in our faith, mirroring the compassionate and inclusive nature of Christ's teachings, as exemplified in passages such as Matthew 25:35 and Mark 12:30-31. We believe that fostering a supportive and welcoming environment is essential to nurturing spiritual growth and strengthening our fellowship. -Rev. Victoria Nelson

Baháʼí Faith

All the teachings of the Baha’i Faith revolve around one basic principle: that all of humanity was created as one single unit. This principle is entwined in all the teachings and practices in the Faith. We will explore what this means when we highlight how we welcome the stranger or anyone into our lives. -Doug Jordan .

Buddhism

Buddhism recognizes every being as sacred. Humans are singled out only because their minds make them suffer in a significant way. No person is a stranger in themselves, but we create these differences and separations through our dualistic thinking. How can that be overcome? -Rev. Reirin Gumbel

Episcopalian

In the Baptismal Covenant of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, Episcopalians promise to “Strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” This understanding flows from the teaching in Genesis that all humans are made in the image of God and called “Very Good” at their creation. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus reminds us that the essence of being a neighbor is showing mercy to each other. Therefore, we are to do likewise in his name, proclaiming the love and mercy of God to the entire world, remembering that even the most unlikely or unlikable person is our neighbor and deserving of respect and dignity. -The Rev. David Simmons

Hindu

In the Hindu tradition, welcoming strangers is not just a social gesture—it is a Dharma (sacred duty)rooted in the teachings that “The Guest is Divine” (Atithi Devo Bhava) and “The World is One Family”(Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam). These timeless principles inspire us to see the divine in every guest and recognize all of humanity as our kin. At the Hindu Temple of Wisconsin, we embody this through open doors and open hearts—welcoming all visitors regardless of background, sharing prasadam (blessed food), inviting the community to our festivals like Diwali, and fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding. Through these actions, we transform hospitality into a spiritual practice that celebrates unity, respect, and shared humanity. -Sarvesh Geddem

Islam

Islam contains many teachings that require Muslims to treat the needy, our neighbors, and strangers with kindness and goodness, indeed, just as you are to treat your parents, your family or orphans. One of the many examples from the Qur’an (4:36) is the command to: “Serve God, and join not any partners with Him; and do good – to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet),and what your right hands possess.” In addition to revelation, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, and how immigrants were treated, is the best example regarding this issue in Islamic history. -Ahmed Quereshi

Islamic Sufism

A stranger is defined as someone different in belief, background, or identity than ours. Most major world religions and faiths, have advocated kindness and compassion toward others, especially those in need. Despite centuries of spiritual guidance, humanity still struggles with truly embodying these teachings. Respecting others begins with self-respect and self-knowledge, emphasizing the need to understand our shared origin and metaphysical connection. Citing the Sufi teachings and Sufi poet Saadi, I conclude that all humans are interconnected, so lacking empathy for others denies our own humanity. -Dr. Kourosh Hassani

Judaism

In the Torah (the Five Books of Moses), the injunction most often repeated is not to oppress the stranger for you, the Israelites, were a stranger in a strange land when enslaved in Egypt. From this teaching emerges centuries of clear laws on welcoming the stranger, values that guide our day-to-day practices, and the principles behind creating a safe space for all. Indeed, we learn in Genesis that every single person was created in God's image, and it is our responsibility as Jews and as human beings to uphold and embody that ideal. -Rabbi Moishe Steigmann

Lutheran

The Lutheran understanding of the Christian faith places a great emphasis on the call to love and serve our neighbor, following the example of Jesus. We affirm the dignity and value of every single person as created in the image and likeness of God, and we strive to follow the teaching of Jesus as articulated in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew: "for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." (Matthew 25:35-36) -Bishop Paul Erickson

Roman Catholic

The Catholic Church in the United States is an immigrant Church with a long history of embracing diverse newcomers and providing assistance and pastoral care to immigrants, migrants, refugees, and people on the move. Our Church has responded to Christ’s call for us to “welcome the stranger among us,” for in this encounter with the immigrant, the migrant, and the refugee in our midst, we encounter Christ. -Susan McNeil

Sikhism

The way in which Sikhi intentionally welcomes the stranger is to hold true that there is no such thing as a stranger. There is only the illusion of separation in this lifetime, but the truth of sacred consciousness and our earthly journey towards God reveals through sacred scripture and tradition that we are all one and belong to that same One, and will return to that same One. -Pardeep S. Kaleka

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Jesus Christ taught, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Echoing this, our modern prophets have taught that we are to be “a defense” and “a refuge from the storm.” We have found refuge. Let us come out from our safe places and share with the stranger, from our abundance, hope for a brighter future, faith in God and in our fellowman, and love that sees beyond cultural and ideological differences to the glorious truth that we are all children of our Heavenly Father. “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16 -Brooke Cutler

United Church of Christ

Welcoming the stranger is more than a polite gesture—it is a deep act of hospitality, compassion, and justice—core values in the United Church of Christ. To welcome someone who is unknown, unfamiliar, or different is to affirm their dignity and worth, to create a space where they can be seen and valued, and to remind ourselves of our shared humanity. When we open our hearts and doors to those who arrive—whether neighbors new to town, refugees seeking safety, or visitors who cross our paths—we create the possibility of transformation, not only for the one received but also for the one who welcomes. In such encounters, we discover that strangers often bring unexpected gifts, and that in welcoming them, we may ourselves be welcomed into a wider, richer, more generous life. -Rev Jane Anderson

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church understands that at the center of Christian faithfulness to Scripture is the call we have been given to love and welcome the sojourner. We call upon all United Methodist churches to welcome newly arriving migrants in their communities, to love them as we do ourselves, to treat them as one of our native-born, to see in them the presence of the incarnated Jesus, and to show hospitality to the migrants in our midst, believing that through their presence we are receiving the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. -Rev. InSun Lee