Abstract:
This article provides a theological reading of Acts 6–7, combining biblical and social-scientific
insights to support constructive Christian engagement with the phenomena of twenty-first century migration. It responds broadly to US-American migratory phenomena, while drawing on insights from the Bible,
migration studies, and the author’s own work with Colombian victims of forced migration. The article
begins with an exegetical examination of the dispute between Hebrews and Hellenists in Acts 6 and
Stephen’s speech in Acts 7, arguing that migratory issues underlie both the conflicts in these texts and
the theological arguments Stephen adduces in his own defense. These biblical-theological reflections are
then supplemented with an introduction to two social-scientific concepts that have been influential in
migration studies, specifically, the notions of identity hybridity and migrant integration (as opposed to
assimilation). The article demonstrates how the book of Acts reflects the benefits of healthy forms of identity
hybridity and migrant integration and commends similar approaches for contemporary migrants and
Christian communities in the Americas (both the United States and Colombia).
