Living out our faith isn’t always as straightforward as we would like—especially when the realities of our broken world are too loud to be ignored. Being both bilingual and bicultural, Dr. Danny Carrol thought he would be fully comfortable in his new life living and teaching across Latin America. In reality, the opposite happened. But processing this discomfort actually became the catalyst of his mission to bring the Bible’s view of immigration center stage, showing others how the story of migration is a chapter within all of our stories, and the positive response we can have knowing that our true citizenship always lies in Heaven.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Danny Carroll is half-Guatemalan and was raised bilingual and bicultural. In his youth, he spent many summers in Guatemala and later taught at El Seminario Teológico Centroamericano in Guatemala City for thirteen years. The realities of Central America sparked Dr. Carroll’s fascination with the Old Testament. 

The relevance of the biblical text for the challenges of poverty, war, and politics in those developing countries led him to a passionate focus on Old Testament social ethics and the social sciences. Additionally, his studies in English literature and literary theory have generated an ongoing engagement with literary approaches to the Old Testament and critical studies. Experiences in this country and abroad have led him to a deep appreciation for the unique contributions that ethnic minorities, women, and the global church make to the interpretation of the Old Testament. 

Dr. Carroll has been involved with Latino/a believers and teaching on the Bible and immigration for many years. His research focuses on prophetic literature and Old Testament social ethics. He has recently published a major commentary on the book of Amos and a book on the prophetic voice for today. Currently, Dr. Carroll is co-editing an extensive project on the state of Old Testament studies in addition to working on a volume on Old Testament ethics. He also is the senior editor of a new Old Testament commentary series, The Bible in God’s World (Wipf & Stock).

Notes & Quotes:

• “Because once you begin to look at it, you begin to realize that the history of humanity is the history of migration—whether it’s voluntary or forced.”
• “Migration is actually used as a metaphor for the Christian faith, like in 1 Peter. We were all foreigners and strangers. All of us are. This is not our homeland. We have a different king. We have a different citizenship. We are strangers in a strange land.
• “We know what it means to be strange. Language, food, nonverbal language, with how you dress, how you celebrate Christmas and birthdays. We know what it means to be strange. . . and maybe God has brought us to this place to help them remember.”
• “Oftentimes, in evangelical circles, [theology] is receiving what has been given to you and then applying it or something. Whereas, liberation theology is about rethinking how you do theology and you’re doing it from your context in a commitment to that context.”

Links Mentioned:

• FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
• Get your copy of Dr. Carrol’s book, The Bible and Borders, here. 
• Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email. 
• Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review. 
• Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.
• Follow VOICES on Instagram.

Verses Mentioned:

• Romans 13
• Genesis 12
• Genesis 1:28
• Exodus 2:22
• Exodus 23:9 
• 1 Peter 2:13–14

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