Plough Quarterly No. 29 - Beyond Borders

Canwe move beyond borders that divide us without losing our identity?

Overthe past decade, theyearning for rootedness, for being part of a story bigger than oneself, hasflared up as a cultural force to be reckoned with. There's much to affirm in thisdesire to belong to a people. That means pride in all that is admirable in thenation to which we belong - and repentance for its historic sins.

Canwe move beyond borders that divide us without losing our identity?

Overthe past decade, theyearning for rootedness, for being part of a story bigger than oneself, hasflared up as a cultural force to be reckoned with. There's much to affirm in thisdesire to belong to a people. That means pride in all that is admirable in thenation to which we belong - and repentance for its historic sins.

Afocus on national identity, ofcourse, can lead to darker places. The new nationalists, who in Westerncountries often appeal to the memory of a Christian past, applaud whengovernments fortify borders to keep out people who are fleeing for their lives.(Needless to say, such actions are contrary to the Christian faith.) Is ouryearning for roots doomed to lead to a heartless politics of exclusion? Doesmaintaining group or national identity require borders guarded with lethalviolence?

Theanswer isn't artificial schemes for universal brotherhood, such as a universal language. Our differencesare what make a community human. Might the true ground for community lie deepereven than shared nationality or language? After all, the biblical vision ofhumankind's ultimate future has "every tribe and language and people andnation" coming together - beyond all borders but still as themselves.

In this issue:

- Santiago Ramosdescribes a double homelessness immigrant children experience as outsiders inboth countries.

- Ashley Lucasprofiles a Black Panther imprisoned for life and looks at the impact on hisfamily.

- Simeon Wiehlerhelps a museum repatriate a thousand human skulls collected by a colonialist.

- Yaniv Sageecalls Zionism back to its founding vision of a shared society withPalestinians.

- StephanieSaldaña finds the lost legendary chocolates of Damascus being crafted in Texas.

- EdwidgeDanticat says storytelling builds a home that no physical separation can takeaway.

- Phographer RiverClaure reimagines Saint-Exupéry's LePetit Prince as an Aymara fairy tale.

- Ann Thomas tellsof liminal experiences while helping families choose a cemetery plot.

- Russell Moorechallenges the church to reclaim its integrity and staunch an exodus.

You'll also find:

- Prize-winning poemsby Mhairi Owens, Susan de Sola, and Forester McClatchey

- A profile of Japanesepeacemaker Toyohiko Kagawa

- Reviews ofFredrik deBoer's The Cult of Smart,Anna Neima's The Utopians, and AmorTowles's The Lincoln Highway

- Insights onfollowing Jesus from E. Stanley Jones, Barbara Brown Taylor, Teresa of Ávila,Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King Jr., Eberhard Arnold, Leonardo Boff, MeisterEckhart, C. S. Lewis, Hermas, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer