What is the Immigrant's Creed?

"The Immigrant's Creed" recasts Christian theology to highlight specific views of immigration. The creed uses phrasing resembling other famous expressions of faith, such as the Apostles’ Creed. It connects aspects of both the Old and New Testaments to topics such as migrants, foreigners, and diversity. However, the Immigrant's Creed drastically misrepresents many of these ideas. The new creed originated several years before it was included in printings and worship services of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It is primarily a means to express support for progressive political views on those topics.

Below is the text of the Immigrant's Creed, along with notes about its relationship to biblical teaching:


This is very biblical. In the Old Testament, God often reminded Israel to be kind to refugees, migrants, travelers, and others displaced from their homelands (Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:33). Joseph (Genesis 37:28) and Daniel (Daniel 1:3–4, 6) are among those forcibly removed from their families and homelands and subject to oppression. The Lord cares deeply for the "other," the non-natives, and those separated from family.


Jesus was not "displaced" from Galilee, nor born "away from his people" in any meaningful sense. His family was from Nazareth (Matthew 21:11; Luke 1:26–27), about a week's walk from Bethlehem. That town was associated with Joseph's lineage through David (Luke 2:4; Micah 5:2). The family freely moved between there and Jerusalem and returned to Nazareth for most of Jesus' childhood.


Jesus' family did not flee from one sovereign state to another. Judea and Egypt were adjacent provinces of the same Roman government. Mary and Joseph were fleeing the reach of a regional power, so they went just outside that ruler's reach. Here, the creed parallels inaccurate claims that Jesus was a "refugee," as defined in modern political terms. Especially relevant to how this story is misused today is that no aspect of Jesus' travels broke local or Roman law.


Christ's suffering and death were certainly unjust and filled with persecution. But Pilate's interactions with Jesus had nothing to do with Jesus' immigration status. Jesus was neither a migrant nor a refugee, nor was that idea mentioned in His trials. The context of the creed's statement suggests that Jesus' suffering was motivated by racial or ethnic factors, rather than religious and political views (Matthew 27:24–26; Mark 15:9–15).


Nothing about Christ's death, burial, or resurrection involved Him being "foreign." He lived and preached to His native people group in His native land. He was crucified at the request of His native people group. After rising from the dead, He appeared to His own native people in His native land.


Describing the Holy Spirit as an "eternal immigrant" is not only misleading but borders on heresy. Scripture strongly affirms that racial, ethnic, cultural, and lingual differences are irrelevant to the gospel (Galatians 3:28; Acts 10:34–35) and will be widely represented in eternity (Revelation 7:9). But the Holy Spirit is not "relocating" to earth and living in separation from the Trinity. The Spirit did not come as a helpless infant, nor does He exist as a marginalized or misplaced entity. Moreover, the earth is God’s (Job 41:11; Psalm 24:1; Exodus 9:29), which means the Holy Spirit did not come into the world as a foreign visitor.


This phrasing is accurate if properly applied. As noted, the singular Church of believers consists of all who put their faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). This transcends race and language. So far as believers are unified in obedience to Christ, they can be said to share a common "language" and purpose (1 Corinthians 1:10).


This statement is abject heresy. The term "Communion of the Saints" refers to the shared common salvation of all believers worldwide, past, present, and future. Joining that communion means accepting the gospel. It does not require agreement with a particular social view. While unity and tolerance are important aspects of healthy Christian living, it's dangerously false to imply additions to the gospel (Galatians 1:8).


This is true, as phrased. As noted, the Bible speaks of redeemed believers from all races and languages living forever under God's benevolent rule (Revelation 7:9; 21:24–26). As part of this, our earthly prejudices and sins will be purged, giving us a proper perspective (1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 13:12).

Believers can draw legitimate parallels between Jesus' experiences and those of the stereotypical modern immigrant or refugee. He came into a world that misunderstood and rejected Him (Isaiah 53:3). He was deeply connected to social outcasts (Mark 2:16) and identified with them more than with elites (Mark 2:17; Matthew 21:31–32). In the same way, Paul speaks of our inclusion into God's kingdom as if we were foreigners being integrated into a new nation (Ephesians 2:12, 18–19). Believers can also reflect on Jesus' experiences as they consider our obligation to care for the disadvantaged and displaced (Matthew 25:34–36).

However, the "Immigrant’s Creed" goes well beyond biblical principles. It does not explain Jesus' experiences; it reimagines them with an inappropriate focus on a certain social-political view. While it includes valid points and is not as blatantly detached from biblical truth as the Sparkle Creed, the Immigrant’s Creed is not a biblically sound expression of faith or doctrine.