Grace Can Lead Us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness
by Kevin Nye
Kevin Nye has lived and worked among the unhoused populations in Los Angeles for many years. In this book, he describes the intractability of the problem, the tragedy of the lives of people without secure housing, some suggested ways to address the situation, and what he sees as the most effective solutions, including responses to those who may not agree with him.
What I appreciated most about this book was how he presented clear policy suggestions that make sense from a financial point of view, but focuses most on what solutions treat people without housing as men and women (and children) with inherent worth and dignity, regardless of their actions, their mistakes, and even their sins.
If grace means that God gives us good things because of who God is, not because we deserve it, then who are we to base our approach to homelessness on whether those on the streets have earned or qualified for our help? If God's grace is enough for us, then it is enough for anyone experiencing homelessness, whether they are in that position because of moral failures, difficult circumstances, or any combination of reasons. (p. 24)
Mr. Nye reminds himself and us of the dangers of separating ourselves from those who are unhoused (or hungry or incarcerated or anything else). Many who serve in shelters experience a kind of "saviorism," seeing themselves as heroes for the work they do each day.
Especially for those who work with the economically vulnerable, it sets up a dichotomy of "us," the financial and moral superiors, who graciously serve "them," the people who need our help. It's a power dynamic that gets reinforced by the gratifying nature of service--we feel good about ourselves when we serve and help others, regardless of whether our impact is long-lasting or even remotely liberating. (p. 34)
One of the ways the author combats this tendency in himself is to meditate on the 25th chapter of Matthew.
...if each unhoused person I meet is Christ, then not only am I called to be kind and to offer help, but I am called in may ways to sit at their feet--to listen, to learn, and to change. (p. 36)
The author doesn't shy away from the "costs" associated with ending homelessness. The work is difficult. We are likely to feel uncomfortable. Our housing investments will not earn as much financially. These are sacrifices, the kind of sacrifices Christians make when we love each other as God calls us to love.
The idea that "it could have been me" is rooted in the myth that we all start from the same place and are products only of the choices we make along the way. (p. 147)
Those who are unhoused often suffer a fate that has as much to do with their environment as their choices. When we fail to recognize that fact, we place blame where it does not belong and justify our reluctance to provide justice.
This book is everything I wanted in a book on the Christian response to homelessness. It acknowledges the pain, suffering, complications, and uncomfortableness of the problem without shrinking from carefully and clearly outlining what seems to me what we should do about it. I found the authors arguments entirely persuasive, but I mostly agreed with him before reading the book, so I encourage everyone to get a copy and let me know what you think.
I am tossing around ideas in my head for a senior level high school course focusing on big problems of modern life, like homelessness and high incarceration rates, and how we as Catholic Christians should think about them and what kinds of policies we should support from our government officials, not from an economic point of view, but from a Christian point of view. This book will definitely be on the list for that course.
I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links. I read a library copy of this book, but will certainly purchase a copy for our home.
