From strangers to neighbours: The Church and the integration of refugees
Think tank: Theos
Author(s): George Lapshynov
June 17, 2025
This report from UK think tank Theos explores the distinct and crucial role of churches in the integration of refugees and asylum seekers.
This report explores the significant but often overlooked role that churches across the UK play in supporting the integration of refugees and asylum seekers. Despite migration dominating political discussions, the focus typically remains on reducing the number of migrants rather than on enabling those who have already arrived to settle and flourish.
Drawing on extensive interviews with church leaders, charities, and local authorities, this report uncovers the practical and relational ways churches help refugees find community in the UK. Addressing misconceptions surrounding church activities, including unfounded allegations of proselytism and ‘fake conversions’, it highlights how churches complement the work of voluntary and statutory organisations.
It identifies the strengths of churches that enable them to play a key role in refugee integration, particularly their ethical framework, based on Christian teachings, that rejects the alienation and commodification of immigrants. The report also highlights the challenges that churches face, such as limited resources, volunteer burnout, and tensions between faithbased motivations and public perceptions.
Ultimately, it calls for an improved national strategy for integration, urging policymakers, charities, and churches to collaborate more effectively. By recognising and supporting the distinct contribution churches offer, Britain can better welcome refugees – not merely as strangers living on this island, but as neighbours who belong, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to society.
