Brett C. HOOVER.  Immigration and Faith:  Cultural, Biblical, and Theological Narratives.  New York:  Paulist Press, 2021.  pp. viii + 198.  $24.95 pb.  ISBN 978-0-8091-5473-9.  Reviewed by Stephen S. WILBRICHT, Stonehill College, Easton, MA  02357

        Immigration and Faith is a particularly timely book, as images of thousands of migrants flooding to the southern U.S. border bombard the media every day, provoking a multitude of passionate questions.  Brett Hoover’s main prognosis in his book is that the underlying problem with these questions is the failure to consider all of the narratives that comprise the complete story of immigration.  Thus, he sets out to portray the many factors involved in this crisis, including the story told from the migrant’s perspective, the various points of view from the receiving country, and finally, the impact on the sending nation.  All three cultural narratives must be considered for dialogue and decision-making.  Beyond these, however, is the theological story, which is the book’s major contribution.

        Immigration and Faith is divided into four evenly distributed sections:  “Migration in Recollection and Reality,” “Cultural Narratives and Migration,” “Sacred Narratives and Migration,” and finally “Theological Narratives and Migration.”  One can quickly discern from perusing the table of contents that this book is all about story.  Hoover ends with theology because he believes that cultural narratives often overlook the deeper truths of migration to be gleaned from scripture and other theological sources.

            As suggested above, the first few chapters of this work tell the story of migration from the diverse realities of migrants themselves, from the perspective of the country that welcomes migrants (or fails to do so), and from the stance of the countries that permit them to leave.  Then, halfway through the book, the author turns to the theological narrative.  Chapter five reveals many figures from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam who demonstrate the migrant nature of these three chief monotheistic religions.  Chapter six explores many of the supporting principles of migration that flow from scripture.  All of this sets the stage for the creative theology that Hoover begins to develop beginning with the seventh chapter.  Catholic social teaching, Christian ethics, early Church writings, and contemporary theologies are all explored in chapters seven through nine. Hoover suggests that the theological story is much like the meandering of migrants themselves; he writes:  “In these pages we have wandered our way through the ethical reflections that alternately emphasized prioritizing citizens, the unity of humanity, human rights, family integrity, a preference for the suffering poor, and responsibility that comes from concrete historical relationships” (159).

            It is necessary to underscore the importance of the book’s conclusion, for it is here that the author offers basic “practices” to address the topic of migration.  Chief among them is the need for honest listening to all parties involved in the migration narrative.  Hoover concludes:  “It should be obvious by now that what we decide to do about migration, either individually or as communities, depends a great deal on the narratives we trust not only regarding migration but also about the world itself, about our communities, even about God and ultimate meaning” (169). 

Immigration and Faith is written to help Christians pose difficult questions regarding migration.  A Christian worldview must contend with and trust the reality that the God of Jesus the Christ is One who chooses the lowly to humble the mighty for the creation of a kingdom of right relationship.  Hoover challenges those baptized into Christ to participate in the telling of this crucial and transformative story.