Theos Report on the Church and the Integration of Refugees

A report from Theos has recently been published:

George Lapshynov, From Strangers to Neighbours: The Church and the Integration of Refugees (London: Theos, 2025).

Here’s a summary:

‘Migration dominates political discussions, but the focus typically remains on reducing net migration rather than enabling those who have already arrived to settle and flourish. What if we told a different side of the story?

‘From Strangers to Neighbours explores the significant yet frequently overlooked role of churches across the UK in supporting the integration of refugees and asylum seekers. Addressing misconceptions and challenges surrounding church activities, the report highlights how churches complement the work of voluntary and statutory organisations. It identifies the strengths that enable churches to play a pivotal role in refugee integration, particularly their ethical framework based on Christian teachings that rejects the alienation and commodification of immigrants.

‘Ultimately, it calls for an improved national integration strategy, urging policymakers, charities and churches to collaborate more effectively. By recognising and supporting the unique contributions that churches can make, Britain can better welcome refugees – not merely as strangers living on this island, but as neighbours who belong, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to our society.’

A pdf of the full report is available here.

Refuge Reimagined

Brothers Mark and Luke Glanville, one an expert in biblical studies and the other in international relations, have teamed up to write the recently-published Refuge Reimagined: Biblical Kinship in Global Politics (Downers Grove: IVP, 2021).

According to the publisher, they ‘offer a new approach to compassion for displaced people: a biblical ethic of kinship’, in which ‘God’s people… are consistently called to extend kinship – a mutual responsibility and solidarity – to those who are marginalized and without a home’.

They spoke about the book on a recent OnScript podcast (here), and were also interviewed (here) by Justine Toh of the Centre for Public Christianity ‘about how the plight of the Tamil family from Biloela is making Australians rethink the kind of welcome we might offer to vulnerable people’.