What Does the Bible Say About Inclusion?

While the Bible seldom reflects in an explicit way on the term “inclusion,” the experience of “including” or “excluding” people from a community, an organization, or an activity runs deep in the Scriptures. This study explores the biblical wisdom regarding a select number of contemporary situations where the challenge of inclusion is in play: our racial and cultural divides, our concern about borders and migrants; the exclusion of the poor from our economic life; the inequities imposed on women; our obligation to “include” care for our created world in our moral universe; crossing the boundaries between world religions. The power and beauty of the biblical word has much to say about opening our hearts and minds to others.

About the author

Donald Senior

The late Fr. Donald Senior, was president emeritus and professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He was a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association and of the Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada. He served on the Pontical Biblical Commission under three popes, most recently Pope Francis. He was one of the leading Catholic biblical scholars and teachers in the English language.