The immigration debate reminds me of a cork bobbing up and down in a turbulent pond. It pops up constantly and sometimes in the most unexpected ways. The storm that followed Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s observation that immigrants are colonising Britain is one example.

The forthcoming election season and better(?) weather in the Channel are likely to make it the focus of much attention in the days ahead too.

Sadly, it’s a divisive issue and all the more so given the fact that we are living in an increasingly polarised world.

It’s important to know that it’s not just a challenge for us in the UK. According to the United Nations, more people than ever are living in a country other than the one in which they were born and in 2024 the global number of international migrants was 304 million, a figure that has nearly doubled since 1990.

I can hardly do justice to such a complex issue in this short article of course, but I will highlight a few Biblical principles in the hope that they will help our thinking, because beneath the fierce political debate lie some profoundly moral questions.

Firstly, we should always speak the truth (as we see it) in love. As one writer helpfully says ‘We need to allow people to raise legitimate concerns about immigration without labelling them as ‘racists’. Equally, we need to listen to those who sympathise with asylum seekers without labelling them as ‘woke liberals’.

Secondly, whatever their background, whatever their motives, whether we’re talking about legal or illegal immigrants, we need to remember that every human being has been created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity. This is especially true of those who are fleeing persecution and danger.

It does not mean that the authorities have to adopt an open-door policy though. They have been instituted by God and have a duty to care for their citizens. Given this, it is obvious that they should police their borders, but it also means that people of faith should be praying that their decisions will be shaped by godly wisdom and compassion.

Finally, we should never forget that the church is meant to be a ‘sign’ of things to come, a world in which people from every tribe, nation and language will live and worship together in peace and love. One pastor wrote of this recently in an article intriguingly entitled ‘Are immigrants colonising our churches?’. It would appear that his church has grown considerably over the last few years with the result that roughly half his congregation is now from overseas. But in spite of their varied backgrounds he says they’ve known a great spirit of unity and harmony, and for the simple reason: they have a common commitment to the Christian gospel.

There’s much to ponder there and much to thank God for, and hopefully the church’s witness is having a positive impact on the surrounding community too.