Christian Cosmopolitanism: Faith Communities Talk Immigration

While religious institutions have been gateways for immigrants into local communities, religion has also coalesced with nationalism to discriminate against foreigners. Felipe Amin Filomeno asks, can “deliberative dialogues” about immigration in Christian congregations play a cosmopolitan role and bridge differences of nationality, race, and culture regarding immigration? To find the answer, he visited numerous Christian congregations in Baltimore with varying demographic makeups to discuss intergroup tensions and similarities in their communities. He developed dialogues to promote mutual understanding and collaboration between immigrants and U.S.-born people in religious spaces. Christian Cosmopolitanism shows that mutual understanding can result when people share their personal stories, feelings, and thoughts about immigration. They reflect and deliberate on collaborative action to advance common interests and shared values, which can unleash the cosmopolitan potential of the Christian community. Including practical tools for church leaders, Christian Cosmopolitanism promotes dialogue as a cultural practice that can help diverse communities overcome segregation and become socially cohesive.