ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the biblical concept of the stranger, from both its Old and New Testament uses. It describes that the biblical mandate to care for the stranger offers rich resources that correlate with and build on anthropological strategies for knowing the other. The chapter gleans resources from biblical perspectives on the stranger through examining three related areas. These areas include first, the biblical priority of welcoming the stranger; second, the scope of who qualifies as a stranger; and third, methodological approaches by which the stranger may be welcomed and known. The bible challenges God's people first to remember that we all carry the identity of being strangers in one way or another. Rather than narrating it in a negative and threatening light, the Bible invites the reader to consider what gifts the stranger might offer. The chapter also describes the process as three-fold: seeing the stranger, making space for the stranger, and ultimately shalom with the stranger.
