Building Community Through Hospitality: Insights from Ethiopia for America’s Loneliness Epidemic

Loneliness plagues the West, and members of American Protestant churches are not immune. This book examines potential causes for the loneliness epidemic and considers biblical teaching and insights from a non-Western context--specifically Ethiopia--in search of antidotes and an alternative way of living that can lead to a greater sense of community and belonging for the generations to come. Ethiopia is a country known for its hospitality and has been deeply influenced by both Judaism and Christianity for many centuries, making it a fascinating example of what the ancient biblical practice of hospitality can look like in the present day. Based on a presupposition of the interconnected interdependence of all of life, the Ethiopian way of building community through hospitality goes beyond inviting friends to dinner on a weekend. It is a lifestyle of valuing connection with God and with others as his image bearers. Learning from this perspective has great potential to help American Christians cultivate connectedness and belonging in their congregations and wider communities.

Jessica A. Udall is professor of intercultural studies at Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and adjunct professor of intercultural studies at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina. She has been involved in cross-cultural ministry in Ethiopia and among immigrants in the United States. She is the author of Loving the Stranger: Welcoming Immigrants in the Name of Jesus.