Abstract
In 1630, Puritan preacher John Winthrop delivered a sermon about the new American colony as a “shining city on a hill.” Many immigrants, in particular, saw this hill as a beacon of hope and freedom. However, others found that this hill casts a long, xenophobic shadow.
Few issues trigger more controversy and conflict today than migration. It is a topic so complex and comprehensive that it affects almost every aspect of contemporary society. While the Trump administration has devoted renewed energy to fostering nativist mindsets and exclusionary policies, the anti-immigration stance it espouses is not new. It has been part of the narrative of American history from the beginning.
Yii-Jan Lin’s book, Immigration and Apocalypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration, examines some of the roots of anti-immigration narratives in the American psyche and the exclusionary policies that have resulted from them. While there is much to ponder regarding how socio-political and economic forces shape public discourse about migration, L. explores various ways in which religion has contributed to this discourse.
Much of the research and debate surrounding migration falls within the political sphere and the social sciences. Theology is often excluded from the discourse on migration. L.’s work is significant not only because it contributes to a growing body of literature on theology and migration, but also because it critically examines how theology is used—or, arguably, misused—in discussions on migration.
L. is a historian of early Christianity who works with ancient texts and contexts. Her work in this instance explores American religious history and the concept of national identity in the light of those texts and context. She illustrates how political speeches, cartoons, novels, sermons, and newspapers have used language from the book of Revelation to shape the narrative around migration. While this narrative has leveraged the concept of the New Jerusalem to portray the United States as a “God-blessed refuge” with open gates, it has also cast migrants within this narrative as enemies of God who must be kept out of the country for its protection. Although this narrative presents America as a place of refuge, it also uses the book of Revelation to justify the marginalization of immigrants, who are often depicted as enemies of God associated with the idolatrous, the sexually immoral, and the criminal. This foundation has contributed to the idea of American exceptionalism, in which America is seen as inherently different from and superior to other nations. Closely related to this is the concept of Manifest Destiny, the belief that divine providence ordained the United States’ destiny to expand across the American continent.
In his book Not Fit for Our Society: Immigration and Nativism in America (University of California Press, 2020), Peter Schrag speaks about the “great awhitening” of America. L. expands on this narrative and examines many individuals who were deemed unfit and “other.” She highlights that few were more marginalized, excluded, and barred than the Chinese, particularly in relation to the 1882 Chinese Exclusionary Act. While other scholars have explored the underlying ideological forces behind this act, L.’s contribution lies in her analysis of how biblical theology has influenced these forces. She articulates not only how religious notions have impacted the way many Americans perceive migration, but also how these notions have shaped policies throughout history. Although her focus on the religious dimensions of this topic is central to her work, she draws from a variety of interdisciplinary sources that critically assess how religious narratives shape immigration policies and attitudes towards migrants.
Overall, the book makes a significant contribution to the growing body of literature on theology and migration. It prompts us to critically evaluate the default narratives in our socio-economic and political systems, as well as some of the ways biblical theology contributes to the formation of exclusionary mindsets. As it examines the ambivalent attitude that the United States has had towards migration, it highlights the need to reflect on how we think about God and all whom we define as “other.” It also asks us to consider the problematic notions of Christian nationalism and American exceptionalism, which are not just a one-off in our past history, but a recurring manifestation in our own times.