Christians challenged to live as asylum seekers
-03/11/05
A church agency is challenging Christians and others to take on the life of someone who has been refused asylum.
The challenge is part of Church Action on Poverty’s (CAP) Living Ghost’s campaign to change Government policies that make people seeking asylum destitute.
CAP is challenging people to take on the life of someone who has been refused asylum for one week as they experience UK poverty.
The initiative is scheduled for the first week of advent (27 November – 4 December) as Christians prepare for Christmas, and remember that Jesus too was an asylum seeker according to gospel accounts.
The new initiative follows a call by the Pope ahead of World Refugee Day, which called for a more Jesus-centred view of asylum seekers.
CAP has previously challenged people to try living on the minimum wage during the season of Lent, which has previously been taken up by some well know figures such as Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
Participants will be asked to live on £5 and a food parcel.
“We know this will be very difficult – but it well help you, your friends and anyone you tell, to know how degrading destitution is” a statement from CAP said.
CAP has also produced some resources which accompany the initiative including a campaign Pack with details of the advent endurance challenge, ideas for lobbying your MP, resources for reflection and background to the campaign.
Living Ghosts is a campaign of Church Action on Poverty with the support of the Churches Commission for Racial Justice, Churches Refugee Network, Enabling Christians in Serving Refugees, Jesuit Refugee Service and the National Catholic Refugee Forum.
A church agency is challenging Christians and others to take on the life of someone who has been refused asylum.
The challenge is part of Church Action on Poverty’s (CAP) Living Ghost’s campaign to change Government policies that make people seeking asylum destitute.
CAP is challenging people to take on the life of someone who has been refused asylum for one week as they experience UK poverty.
The initiative is scheduled for the first week of advent (27 November – 4 December) as Christians prepare for Christmas, and remember that Jesus too was an asylum seeker according to gospel accounts.
The new initiative follows a call by the Pope ahead of World Refugee Day, which called for a more Jesus-centred view of asylum seekers.
CAP has previously challenged people to try living on the minimum wage during the season of Lent, which has previously been taken up by some well know figures such as Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
Participants will be asked to live on £5 and a food parcel.
“We know this will be very difficult – but it well help you, your friends and anyone you tell, to know how degrading destitution is” a statement from CAP said.
CAP has also produced some resources which accompany the initiative including a campaign Pack with details of the advent endurance challenge, ideas for lobbying your MP, resources for reflection and background to the campaign.
Living Ghosts is a campaign of Church Action on Poverty with the support of the Churches Commission for Racial Justice, Churches Refugee Network, Enabling Christians in Serving Refugees, Jesuit Refugee Service and the National Catholic Refugee Forum.