Tuesday, April 4th, 5:30 p.m.
Prothro Hall, Room 100
(In the Perkins School of Theology)
Carlos Cardoza Orlandi, Professor of World Christianities and Mission Studies at SMU, and Paul Hunker, Chief Counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Dallas, will discuss insights from Christian theology and tradition on the complex issues surrounding immigration in America today.
From refugee policy, to the status of the undocumented, to the question of border security, immigration policy presents complex moral and ethical issues on which people of faith can and do disagree. Matthew Wilson, Director of SMU's Center for Faith and Learning, will moderate a discussion highlighting ways in which the principles of Christian faith can guide our approach to these contentious questions—with lots of time for interaction with the audience.
Carlos F. Cardoza Orlandi is Professor of World Christianities and Mission Studies and Director of the Doctorate in Ministry program at Perkins School of Theology, SMU. His teaching interest focuses on the history of the movement of the Christian religion, including the impact of colonialism and immigration in Christianity's movement. He studies interpretations of the movement of the Christian religion, socio-cultural interplay between Christians and people of other faiths, and theoretical and theological/ missiological constructions of current interplay between cultures and religions. Among his publications is the award winning book To All Nations From All Nations: A History of the Christian Missionary Movement with Justo L. Gonzalez (Nashville: Abingdon, 2013). Cardoza Orlandi is an active speaker in immigrant Christian communities in the DFW metroplex.
Paul Hunker is the Chief Counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Dallas. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, where he edited the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal. In 2012, Paul received an ICE Director's Award for his work in establishing and implementing ICE's "Student to Attorney Recruitment" (STAR) program. In 2013, he received the DHS Office of General Counsel's "One OGC" award for his assistance in the agency review of the Senate's 2013 Immigration Bill. In 2014, he received the ICE Director's Award for "Excellence in Management." In 2016, he received the Director's "I Am ICE" award for helping stand up the Office of Community Engagement. Paul has published in the Georgetown University Law Journal on the need for reasonable waivers of removal under the immigration law, and has written and lectured extensively on the ethical principles underlying immigration law.
Matthew Wilson is Director of the Center for Faith and Learning and Associate Professor of political science at Southern Methodist University. His research focuses on public opinion, elections, representation, and the role of race and religion in politics, both in the United States and abroad. He is the author, co-author, or editor of three books and several dozen articles and essays, including Understanding American Politics and Politics and Religion in the United States. He has received research grants from the American Political Science Association, the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies, and the Sam Taylor Foundation of the United Methodist Church, and he was recently honored with the President's Associates Award for outstanding teaching by a tenured faculty member at SMU. He routinely serves as a commentator on political affairs for local, national, and international media outlets.
Sponsored by SMU's Center for Faith and Learning
Office: 214-768-4541
Email: cfl@smu.edu