Freedom for All - MASS MIGRATION – ACCIDENT, NECESSITY, OR A PROJECT?

Mass migration is a reality to which the world has gradually begun to grow accustomed. The problem with this growing familiarity is that a significant part of contemporary migration flows is no longer taking place within established legal mechanisms, but under conditions of weakened control, political indecision, and institutional fragmentation. Although national and international legal regimes provide clear procedures for the movement of people, these mechanisms often remain without effective application. One possible reason is the unwillingness or inability of political leaders to place the issue of migration at the center of their responsibility toward their citizens. Thus, the mass flows from Africa and the Middle East toward Europe, as well as from Latin America toward the United States, have become a phenomenon that combines organized movement with chaos in its consequences, social tensions, and significant costs for receiving societies.

Nevertheless, when we speak of “mass migration,” “waves of migrants,” or “crowds of newcomers,” we should not forget that behind the statistics are human lives. This collection has been compiled with the conviction that the Christian perspective requires both compassion for the person in need and a sober assessment of the consequences for societies that are called upon to preserve the order, peace, and security of their citizens. For this reason, we invited authors who follow these developments closely and offer different perspectives on how humane treatment of the stranger can be reconciled with responsibility for the common good.

The collection includes texts by Bulgarian authors as well as by two European thinkers—the Czech journalist Michal Semín and the German politician Stefan Körte. It was first published in Bulgarian in August 2026, followed by this English-language edition in October. Semín writes from the perspective of Central and Eastern Europe—a region that, for the time being, is primarily an observer of migration processes, but could become their object under the influence of policies adopted in Brussels. Körte analyzes migration from the perspective of a German living in a country that is a preferred final destination and that pursues a policy of active support for migration flows. This dual perspective—the perspective of the receiving country and that of the observer—allows the reader to see the phenomenon in its broader European context.

The authors belong to different Christian traditions—Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant. Although the collection is not organized along denominational lines, the reader will easily recognize the theological emphases characteristic of each tradition. Nevertheless, a broadly Christian tone prevails: all the authors place the question of migration within the framework of Christian ethics, responsibility toward one’s neighbor, and concern for the common good.

Migration as a Symptom of Civilization

The essays in this collection examine migration not only as a socioeconomic phenomenon but also as a symptom of deeper civilizational processes. Several authors emphasize that mass migration is a consequence of the weakening of European identity, secularization, demographic decline, and the loss of a Christian moral framework. Europe, having abandoned Christianity as a social foundation, has become vulnerable to external pressure and internal upheaval. This thesis appears both in the theological texts and in the political analyses.

The theme of cultural incompatibility between different civilizational models is particularly prominent. The authors examine the difficulties involved in integrating large groups of migrants, differences in social norms, tensions between religious traditions and liberal values, as well as the role of the media and institutions in concealing problems. These observations are not intended to demonize migrants, but to show that successful integration requires cultural proximity, the rule of law, and clear expectations—conditions that are often lacking.

The Christian Argument: Order, Mercy, and Responsibility

The Christian perspective presented in the collection is multifaceted. On the one hand, the authors emphasize the universal obligation to show mercy and care for the stranger. On the other hand, they recall the traditional teaching of ordo caritatis—the order of love, which places the family, community, and nation within a particular hierarchy of responsibilities. A statesman, like a father, has a duty to protect the common good and cannot risk the security of his citizens in the name of abstract ideals.

This dual perspective—mercy toward the individual and responsibility toward the community—is central to the Christian analysis of migration. It makes it possible to avoid both ideological extremes and the moral sentimentality that often obscures the real consequences of political decisions.

Ideologization and the Blurring of the Debate

Several authors note that the debate over migration has become highly ideological. On the one hand, illegal migration is often portrayed as the liberation of suffering people, without taking into account the complexity of the processes involved. On the other hand, migrants are sometimes portrayed as a threat, which is likewise simplistic and unjust. The collection offers an alternative to these extremes: a sober assessment of the facts, respect for human dignity, and a critical examination of political decisions.

In this context, Valentin Kozhuharov’s thesis is particularly important: Europe will not become more Christian merely through suspicion toward Muslims. It will become more Christian if Christians themselves restore prayer, moral responsibility, intellectual confidence, community life, and the missionary calling. Although this idea is formulated by one author, it is also reflected, in one way or another, in the contributions of the others and is, in fact, the concluding thread that connects all the essays. However, what is even more indicative of the context is Michal Semín’s thesis: we allow ourselves to ask the questions we are forbidden to ask.

Purpose of the Collection

The purpose of this collection is neither to propose a unified political program nor to provide definitive answers. Its task is to place mass migration within the broader framework of Christian thought, to shed light on its civilizational consequences, and to encourage the reader to think critically. The texts are not coordinated with one another, yet they remarkably often converge around common themes: the role of Babylon as a symbol of civilizational disintegration, the danger of ideological justifications of migration, the need to restore Christian identity, and responsibility for the common good.

The collection invites the reader to approach the subject with academic openness, theological depth, and civic responsibility. Mass migration is not merely a social phenomenon but also a mirror that reveals the condition of European civilization, the natural human inclination toward evil and domination over one’s neighbor, as well as corruption at the highest levels of power. The Christian response to this crisis is neither fear nor ideological aggression, but the restoration of spiritual order, moral clarity, and community life.

From the Editor-in-Chief
August 10, 2026

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MASS MIGRATION – ACCIDENT, NECESSITY, OR A PROJECT?

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