Borderland Ethics Sin Fronteras: Borderland Ethics Without Borders, Neighbor-Love in Liminal Spaces

Abstract

This article characterizes borderland ethics as ethics sin fronteras or without borders and argues that neighbor love is expressed as justice agency in the liminal spaces of the U.S.–Mexico “Third Space†borderlands. The author provides several definitions of liminal space such as a threshold for sacred encounter with the immigrant asylum seeker. The theological claim is that pastoral agents are Imago Dei to the immigrant who in turn reflects the Imago Dei as the immigrant Christ of the church.  The article presents an ethical framework based on these theological and ethical claims and further argues that conscience-bearing ethics takes the form of love and justice advocacy on behalf of the immigrant.