Did Moses have a black wife? In the latest issue of the Criswell Theological Review J. Daniel Hays argues that “the case is extremely strong that Moses married a black Cushite woman from the Cushite civilization south of Egypt.”
What would normally be of minor historical interest can have important theological ramifications for a country in which black-white interracial marriages are still viewed with suspicion or actively discouraged—even by Christians who should know better.
As Hays explains in his introduction:
[T]he interracial marriage issue lies at the very heart of racial prejudice within the church. Church historian Elizabeth Isichei writes, “Inter-ethnic marriage is the litmus test of racial prejudice.” Many of our church members would affirm racial equality and view themselves as being accepting of other races. They would not consider themselves as being prejudiced or racist at all. However, many of these same Christians strongly oppose the marriage of anyone in their family to someone of another race or ethnicity. They often assume that the Bible supports them on this. But does the Bible actually oppose interracial marriage? What is the biblical view towards interracial or inter-ethnic marriage?
Hays notes that the theology derived from the marriage of Moses to a black woman corresponds well with the rest of biblical theology: ” Marrying outside the family is forbidden, but the clear biblical definition of family is based on faith in Christ and not on race or descent.” He also makes a powerful point about the misplaced priorities and hidden racism in our views on interracial relationships:
White families frequently rise up in arms when their children want to marry blacks, regardless of how strong their Christian faith is. On the other hand, white Christian young adults can marry other whites with little opposition even if the faith of their selected mate is virtually non-existent. Such behavior reflects the church’s weak theological understanding of Scripture on this subject. Furthermore, the common cultural ban on intermarriage lies at the heart of the racial division in the church. White Christians who say that they are not prejudiced but who vehemently oppose interracial marriages are not being honest. They are still prejudiced, and I would suggest that they are out of line with the biblical teaching on this subject.
Read the rest of the article, available as a free PDF download.
(Via: Justin Taylor)
July 10th, 2009 | 2:12 pm
As much as I agree with him and approve of what he’s trying to do, I’m not entirely sure that the folks who still oppose interracial marriage, even for “Biblical” reasons, are likely to be persuaded by academic theology.
It seems to me that it’s a cultural disease that needs to be corrected by cultural change, which will largely not come in the form of theological papers.
July 10th, 2009 | 9:26 pm
Although I find the research interesting, I doubt that anyone claiming the Bible forbids interracial marriage is going to care. When we chose to adopt transracially, the objections centered around the adoption (“Why don’t you do IVF? Some orphan won’t really be *yours*.”) and the social issues (“But how will you raise her in *her* culture?” Even from the Baptist social worker, who was not at all comfortable with our reply that we were naming her after an African saint). The objectors had no interest whatsoever in what the Bible might say.
Maybe our approach with our children has mirrored what the article was trying to point out: we emphasize our unity in faith. We named our children (all adopted) after saints from their ethnic background (two African saints, one Chinese martyr). We often talk about the Church present around the world, pointing out that Jesus is for everyone. It isn’t about the skin color or blood relations: the bonds are of love and faith.
July 11th, 2009 | 1:10 pm
I live in Nebraska, in a middle class neighborhood. I attend a mostly “white” ( I hate the labels white, black) but some what mixed parish. My question is “Where are these big objections to interracial marriage?” I just don’t here about them.
July 13th, 2009 | 10:47 am
[...] Black or not was likely less relevant than the common shared Semitic heritage. [...]
July 13th, 2009 | 10:49 am
[...] Black or not was likely less relevant than the common shared Semitic heritage. [...]
July 17th, 2009 | 7:43 am
http://reactor-core.org/moses-ethiopian.html
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