Perspectief 2017-36

2017-36 JT General introduction 7 Reageer the difference between a refugee’s disputable legal identity and his inviolable human dignity. By thoroughly studying “the signs of the times” 16 that we currently live in theology may make valuable contributions to refugee debates. From a societal point of view, we see that the heated debates surrounding the increasing numbers of refugees moving into Europe and North America are marked by one common concern: to what extent do we, inhabitants of these continents, have a duty to commit ourselves to the refugees’ fates? Christians can offer various answers to this question, some of which would perhaps not occur to non-Christians in the debates. It is vital to investigate such responses, since the choice in perception of refugees ultimately determines how they are treated. Finally, European and North American Christians cannot turn a blind eye to the refugee crisis, as it is unfolding in their own countries. A careful analysis of the statements they make in the on-going debates will render a clearer image of the added value of Christian faith in our times. 16 Pope John XXIII (1961) ‘Humanae Salutis’ AAS 54: 5-13, art. 4.