Forcibly Displaced People

Lausanne Movement Occasional Paper (LOP # 78). This position paper was prepared by the Diasporas Issue Network of the Lausanne Movement. The primary authors are Paul Sydnor (USA/France), Sam George (India/USA), Jeanne Wu (Taiwan/ USA), and Clene Nyiramahoro (Rwanda/Kenya) and it was written in June 2024. It was developed with many inputs from the executive team of the Global Diaspora Network comprising TV Thomas (Malaysia/Canada), Bulus Galadima (Nigeria/USA), Rev Joel Wright (USA/Brazil), Elizabeth Mburu (Kenya), Hannah Hyun (South Korea/Australia), and John Park (South Korea/USA). Additional review provided by some of the GDN NextGen leaders: Stephen Kim (South Korea/USA), Miho Buchholtz (Japan), Fabiana Braun (Brazil/Germany), Minwoo Heo (South Korea/USA), Suhandy Wei Xuan Yao (Indonesia/Singapore), and Beatriz Tielmann (Brazil/Costa Rica).

Human displacement results in the creation of strangers, foreigners, migrants, aliens, exiles, nomads, refugees, and servitude. Faith, hope, and love in the Christian faith are shaped on the anvil of displacement. This paper begins with short descriptions of various terminologies associated with forced displacement and provides a brief historical survey and the current status of forcibly displaced peoples of the world. Then it traces the issue of forced displacements both in the Bible and theological literature. Finally, it presents select themes related to effective ministry among and with forcibly displaced people.

https://lausanne.org/occasional-paper/forcibly-displaced-people