Two weeks after Parliament passed legislation to allow offshore processing of asylum seekers, Christian leaders from around the country have come together to express “grave concerns” on the laws.

“Core to the Christian faith is the principle of ‘welcoming the stranger’, and Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan guides us as we seek to care for those who are vulnerable and marginalized in society. As Christians, we are called to cross the road to help, to not turn away those in need,” says the statement.

Signatories to the statement, released yesterday, include:

• Anglican Church in Australia primate, Phillip Aspinall

• Churches of Christ in Australia federal coordinator, Craig Brown

• Salvation Army, Australian Eastern Territory, Commissioner James Condon,

• Religious Society of Friends meeting clerk, Maxine Cooper

• Uniting Church in Australia president, Andrew Dutney

• Congregational Federation of Australia and New Zealand moderator, Joe Goodall

• Australian Catholic Bishops Conferences president, Denis Hart.

“It cannot be right to harm people. There’s no future in that. And it cannot be right to lack compassion. There’s no future in that,” Phillip Aspinall told ABC News last night. “We have to be hard-headed, not hard-hearted.”

The statement comes as news services across Australia report more asylum seeker boats intercepted off the Australian coast.

“We are deeply troubled by the potential for asylum seekers to suffer adverse mental health consequences and to experience other detrimental impacts as a result of this legislation,” the statement says.

“…as a rich and secure nation, Australia has a particular responsibility to ensure that we work positively with other nations to develop a range of strategies that are grounded in compassion and that seek to honour the moral responsibility we have to victims of violence and persecution.”

Read the full statement here.

Featured image: Department of Immigration and Citizenship – Flickr