One of the signal moments in the biblical narrative about Abraham – ‘a father of many nations’ is his insistent and enthusiastic reception of three strangers, a starting point of inspiration for all three Abrahamic traditions as they evolve and develop the details of their respective teachings. Welcoming the stranger by remembering ‘that you were strangers in the land of Egypt’ is enjoined upon the ancient Israelites, and oppressing the stranger is condemned by their prophets throughout the Hebrew Bible. These sentiments are repeated in the New Testament and the Qur’an and elaborated in the interpretive literatures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Such notions resonate obliquely within the history of India and its Dharmic traditions. However, contrary to the scriptural commandments and ethical aspirations, marginalized religious and ethnic groups around the globe are deemed unwelcome and unwanted. Beginning with the story of Abraham’s hospitality to the three strangers described in Genesis 18, the essays in Welcoming the Stranger explore these issues from historical, theoretical, theological, and practical perspectives, offering an enlightening and compelling discussion of what the Abrahamic traditions teach us regarding the principle of ‘welcoming the stranger’, and its on-the-ground applications from India to Germany in the past to the present. Its contents could hardly be more relevant today.
