This story was updated on Nov. 28 to fix a transcription error.
What exactly is a “stranger,” and why do we often blame them for our problems?
In a new book, “Strangers and Scapegoats: Extending God’s Welcome to Those on the Margins,” Covenant College sociologist Matthew Vos details the caustic effects of our tendency to understand ourselves by the groups we associate with, at the expense of people on the outside.
In an interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press this month, Vos argued the Christian faith offers an escape from this cycle — a potential basis for turning “strangers” into neighbors and friends.
Q: When did this become a book in your mind?