Thread: Saulito of the Border

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Saulito of the Border
Written by Robert Klein Engler
Tuesday, August 29, 2006


CHICAGO (28 August '06)--There is yet to be written in the twenty-first century a systematic theology of African-American Christianity. Such a systematic theology is overdue. It will aid those African-American Christians who seem to be confused about elements of Christian theology and scripture. It will also help other African-American churches that blur the traditional separation of church and state which many U. S. Christians strive to maintain.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson's alleged shakedown of corporations, for example, seems more political then theological or scriptural. At the same time, Operation PUSH, which once meant People United to Save Humanity, obviously contradicts the biblical assertion that Jesus Christ, not people united, saves humanity. For many, PUSH is not a place of worship, but a place of politics. This confusion cannot be covered up by singing and clapping.

In recent days we see also some African-American clergymen coming to the support of the fugitive Elvira Arellano as she attempts to evade deportation by seeking sanctuary in a Methodist church in Chicago. The theological and biblical justification for both this support and her sanctuary status is shaky at best.

Just comparing the actions of Elvira Arellano to those of Rosa Parks offends many African-American Christians. Rosa Parks was first of all a U. S. citizen. Elvira Arellano is a Mexican national. Nor was Rosa Parks a felon or a fugitive. Furthermore, those who want Elvira Arellano deported do not care if she sits in the front of the bus or the back of the bus. All they care about is that the bus is headed to Mexico.

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune by Oscar Avila "Nine influential African-American ministers...prayed and laid hands on Elvira Arellano, an illegal Mexican immigrant defying a deportation order...the ministers, part of a broad coalition called Clergy Speaks Interdenominational, said Arellano is contesting an immoral government policy...They say even though Arellano broke the law, she should not face the prospect of being separated from her young son, who is a U.S. citizen."

Oscar Avila's article continues: "Speaking from the pulpit at Adalberto United Methodist Church, where Arellano has lived as a fugitive since refusing to report for deportation last week, Reverend Albert Tyson said he hopes their support would increase the bonds between Latinos and African-Americans."

Regrettably, this simple issue of deportation now forces us to ask questions that are "pure and fiery." Just because a clergyman stands for a cause does not mean the cause is right or the clergyman's motives are true. The Reverend Tyson, at the very least, should offer scriptural and theological reasons for why he claims it is immoral for the U. S. government to deport Elvira Arellano. Likewise, good investigative reporters should demand to know those reasons.

To the best of my knowledge reporter Avila never asked Reverend Tyson, who sits on the City Colleges of Chicago's board of trustees, and by some accounts presides over a failed community college system, why it is an immoral government policy in the light of Christian scripture or theology to deport Elvira Arellano. If you are going to hide behind a Christian argument, you'd better make sure it's not full of holes, otherwise we may see the Father of Lies on the other side.

There is an insightful story in John's Gospel about pious sounding critics. In chapter 12 we read: "Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil."

"Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, 'Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days wages and given to the poor?' He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions."

The early Christians knew that there are men who hide their selfish motives behind a public declaration of good intentions. Now we hear that Elvira Arellano must stay in the United States even though she is a fugitive because of her young son Saul. Is Elvira hiding behind her claim for Saul the way Judas hid behind his plea to help the poor? Christian theology and scripture forces us to consider this possibility.

Poor Saul, through no fault of his own, has become "Saulito de la Frontera," Little Saul of the Border. Yet, should we not ask if it is moral for his mother, Elvira, her communist and anarchist supporters, and the clergymen that Reverend Tyson represents to use Saulito in this way? Most Christians believe it is immoral to use anyone, let alone a child, as a means to a political end. It seems evident to many, that Elvira Arellano is using her son Saul as an anchor to stay in the United States.

Let's look at the claim that Reverend Tyson and his fellow clergymen make, that the law which deports Elvira Arellano is an immoral law. Do these clergymen offer us any scriptural or theological arguments for their assertion? So far, I have heard none. The Reverend Tyson's only argument is that "Injustice is injustice. Period." That tautology proves nothing. Nor does it demonstrate familiarity with Christian scripture and theology. In fact, both scripture and theology may support deportation as a just punishment for Elvira's crimes.

Christian and Jewish scriptures recognize the nations of the world. If there is a world without borders, it is a world ruled by chaos and Babylon, not a nation guided by biblical morality. Do Reverend Tyson and his fellow clergymen want this kind of world? Furthermore, St. Paul encourages Christians in his epistle to follow the laws of the land.

In light of the lawlessness the communists and anarchist who support Elvira Arellano have to offer, support for the government and laws of the United States seems to be a better Christian position then support for breaking those laws. In their one world where human rights prevail, who will support the human rights those communists and anarchists want so badly? Fidel Castro of Cuba? Stalin of the old Soviet Union? President Ahmadinejad of Iran? The United Nations? It is prudent, given these options, for Christians to support the laws of the United States of America over all those others.

But what if those laws are immoral? What if it is immoral to deport Elvira Arellano because her son would be left to live alone? Here we must look for an answer by theological reasoning.

Saul Arellano will not be left alone. If Elvira Arellano is sent to Mexico as punishment for her law breaking, which includes Social Security fraud, the Christian church is here to support her son. Those same clergymen who disregard scripture and theology may now regard it by helping to raise funds to support Saulito in his need. He is not the only child to have a parent who is a criminal. Are we to let everyone out of prison who claims a child in need? To do that is neither scripturally nor theologically correct.

Elvira Arellano has a duty as a Christian to follow the laws of the land, but she also has a duty to seek the support of her son's father and to return to Mexico where she may work for social justice in her native country.

Certainly, a seven year old boy would be better off living with his mother and father in Mexico than living with a fugitive, single mother in a Chicago media fishbowl. Christian family values are served by finding this boy's father, uniting this family, and following the laws of the United States.

The Reverend Tyson's support for Elvira Arellano and her son seems more concerned with the politics of this world than with the hope of the World to Come. Not only does Reverend Tyson confuse the issue of separation of church and state involved in Elvira Arellano's case, but to follow him and claim her deportation is immoral is to be left in the end without a church or a state.

With a shepherd like Reverend Tyson leading a flock, is it little wonder that the City Colleges of Chicago is thought to be an institution gone astray? Let's hope misguided clergymen do not lead little Saul astray, as well.


About the Writer: Robert Klein Engler is an adjunct professor at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and a versatile writer of op-ed articles, poetry, and philosophy. His recent book, "A Winter of Words," is available from amazon.com.



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