BBC Radio 4 2016-02-23

BBC Radio 4 2016-02-23

Pope Francis and Donald Trump recently had an argument over a wall, so to speak. Mr Trump wants to build one between Mexico and America to stop illegal immigration. The Pope said: “A person who thinks only about building walls… and not building bridges, is not Christian.” Mr Trump initially called the sentiment “disgraceful”. He and the Vatican have since qualified their remarks and sort of moved on – the row did neither any favours. But me, I’m left thinking about the morality of that 2,000 mile wall that The Donald will construct if he becomes president.

It’s certainly true that many walls are a tragic necessity. We live in a fallen world where, historically, people have always had to protect themselves and their resources from thieves or invaders. Supporters of Donald Trump were quick to point out that the Vatican is itself partially surrounded by a wall. In the Bible, God’s protection is sometimes depicted as towers, fortresses or ramparts. The strength of Jerusalem as a holy city was reflected in architecture that kept it safe and separate from barbarians. “May there be peace within your walls,” reads one translation of psalm 122, “and security within your citadels.”

But - and this is an important distinction - Pope Francis was not denouncing all wall builders, just those who “ONLY think about building walls.” In this regard I’m reminded of the title character in Edward Bond’s brilliant play Lear, a king obsessed with building a wall in order to keep his enemies out. The wall represents the corroding influence of paranoia and envy - and while Lear promises that the fortification will bring peace it actually brings misery to those forced to build it and seals their ruler off from his own humanity.

So, yes, it’s psychologically unhealthy to be fixated on walls. But we still have to be practical. America does have an illegal immigration problem and it does have a right to protect its borders.

Perhaps, then, the Christian duty should not be to tear down every wall in sight but to try to find ways of making them less necessary. If Mexico was richer and more secure, its people wouldn’t desire a life elsewhere. We need to beat the drug cartels and enrich the Mexican people. That requires cooperation between rich and poor countries. It means, as the Pope indicated, building bridges.

For centuries Popes have been given the honorary title “pontifex maximus”, which literally translates as “the greatest bridge builder.” I think that’s what we need more of in the world today: dialogue and generosity of spirit. A willingness to reach over the wall and to grasp our neighbours by the hand.