Is Inter-racial Marriage Biblical?

   I realize that the subject I am about to address is extremely touchy.  In fact I am preparing myself for a number of  letters of  feedback.  But please try to read and understand the following statements carefully.

   Many people have asked if  inter-racial marriage is forbidden in the Bible.  Well first let me state clearly, according to the Bible there is only one "race" of  physical humans.  In fact when you get married you do marry your relation (because we are all related and go back to Adam and Eve) you just don't marry your close relation.  I find it appalling that, especially in America, Christian parents are more concerned that their son or daughter date or marry someone who is of  the same so called physical 'race', than whether their son or daughter dates or marries someone from the same spiritual 'race'.   So is the Bible against inter-racial marriage?  The answer is yes.  But what kind of  inter-racial marriage?  Paul tell us in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 when he says,

   "Do not be unequally yoked togther with unbelievers.  For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?  And what communion has light with darkness? . . . or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?" [NJKV]

   Paul isn't talking about physical races when he say "light" and "darkness" as some people would like to twist that verse to say, but rather what he is referring to is the condition of  the soul.  Or in other words, ". . .what communion has the saved with the unsaved?" [Russo’s interpretation for light and darkness though it is clear from the context that this would be correct.]

   So we can see that the Bible is against only one type of  inter-racial marriage, not American marrying African, but Christian marrying Non-Christian.  That is the ONLY type of  inter-racial marriage the Bible is against; the saved race should NEVER knowingly marry the unsaved race.  Or to put it another way, the Bible does NOT condemn the marriage of  different physical "races", but rather the marriage of  different spiritual races. [Caps are his.]

   Now, certainly a great deal of  caution should be taken  when people from two different cultures consider matrimony. Due to customs, traditions, and the environmental shock one spouse could experience once married, inter-cultural dating should be cautioned, but never under any circumstances should it be forbidden.  Why?  Let me explain.  An American man could marry a Japanese woman, but due to the difference in culture, the American wouldn't be awae of  certain traditions and customs.  For example, the American may not know to take his shoes off  before entering a friend's house, as is the custom in Japan.  There are other things as well that would be hard for each spouse to get used to, but certainly none of  these differences justifies the prohibition of  intercultural marriange, although counseling would be strongly advised.  Many other examples of  why cautionary measures should be take when dealing with inter-cultural relationships, but the bottom line is, there is NO biblical support for the fobidding of  physical inter-racial marriage. [Caps are his.]  There is not, zip, zero, zilch, and I would challenge anyone to show me biblically whre I am wrong; though I won’t hold my breath waiting.

[Website writer’s note:  Though he agrees with Mario Russo, such couples should be cautioned as to possible stigma that might be involved.]

Mario A. Russo is the Founder of  Truthquest Ministries, P. O. Box 16662, Greenville, SC  29606.

This article appeared in the January 5, 2005 issue of  The Times Examiner, 44 Pine Knoll Drive, Suite E-2, Greenville, SC 29609