December 2000 Call to Action News

Riebe-Estrella: Samaritan crosses cultures

Hispanic theologian Gary Riebe-Estrella argued that multi-culturalism — mere diversity of cultures — isn't good enough. We need the many cultures to cross each other's borders, to interact, to affect each other.

Jesus' story of The Good Samaritan, Riebe-Estrella said, is a lesson in crossing borders. When the Samaritan crosses the road to see to the needs of the wounded Jew, his world changes. When he makes himself a neighbor to someone outside of his world, he creates a new world for both of them. “Crossing borders — of religion, race, culture or ethnicity — is what gives eternal life,” the theologian said. By nature we humans are communal, just as God is. We dehumanize when we separate. But God says: what makes you human is not your race, culture or gender, but the fact that I have created you as part of a larger community. The key to inter-cultural living is understanding that the ultimate identity of all human beings is in our relationship with each other.