Finis Dake’s Racist Teachings: A Comprehensive Biblical and Theological Analysis

Introduction: The Problem of Racism in Christian Teaching

Finis Jennings Dake was a Pentecostal minister and Bible teacher whose Dake Annotated Reference Bible, first published in 1963, has influenced millions of Christians worldwide. While Dake’s study Bible contains extensive notes and cross-references that many have found helpful, it also contains deeply troubling racist teachings that contradict the gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear teaching of Scripture that all humans are created in God’s image and are one in Christ.

The racism in Dake’s teachings is not subtle or hidden—it is explicit, systematic, and presented as biblical doctrine. Dake taught that racial segregation was God’s eternal plan, that interracial marriage was sinful, and that different races would remain separated even in heaven. These teachings have caused tremendous harm to the body of Christ and have been used to justify discrimination and prejudice in the name of Christianity.

This article will examine Dake’s racist teachings in detail, using extensive quotations from his own writings to demonstrate the nature and extent of his views. We will then show how these teachings contradict Scripture and the heart of the gospel message. It is essential that Christians understand and reject these false teachings, which have no place in biblical Christianity.

Part I: Dake’s “Thirty Reasons for Segregation of Races”

Perhaps the most shocking example of Dake’s racism is found in his commentary on Acts 17:26 in the Dake Annotated Reference Bible, where he lists “30 reasons for segregation of races.” This list reveals the depth of Dake’s commitment to racial segregation as a divine mandate. Let’s examine these reasons in detail:

Dake continues through all thirty reasons, each one building his case for racial segregation. Some of the most troubling include:

Part II: The Pre-Adamite Theory and Racial Origins

Central to Dake’s racist theology is his “pre-Adamite” theory, which he elaborates extensively in his book “God’s Plan for Man” and throughout his Bible notes. This theory provides the theological foundation for his views on race and segregation.

The Pre-Adamite World According to Dake

In “Ages and Dispensations” (a section of God’s Plan for Man), Dake writes:

According to Dake, there was an entire civilization of human-like beings before Adam was created. These “pre-Adamites” were ruled by Lucifer before his fall. When Lucifer rebelled, God destroyed this world with a flood (which Dake distinguishes from Noah’s flood), leaving the earth “without form and void” as described in Genesis 1:2.

Dake further elaborates in his discussion of Lucifer’s rebellion:

Implications for Racial Theory

While Dake doesn’t explicitly connect his pre-Adamite theory to modern races in every instance, the implications are clear when combined with his other teachings. By positing multiple creations and multiple floods, Dake creates a theological framework where different groups of humans could have fundamentally different origins and natures.

This theory has historically been used to justify racism by suggesting that some racial groups might be descendants of pre-Adamite beings rather than Adam, and therefore inferior or fundamentally different. While Dake is somewhat careful not to make this connection explicit in every case, his overall theological system strongly implies it.

Part III: Dake’s Teaching on Interracial Marriage

One of the most harmful aspects of Dake’s teaching is his strong condemnation of interracial marriage, which he calls “miscegenation.” Throughout his writings, Dake presents interracial marriage as a serious sin against God’s created order.

Biblical Misinterpretation

Dake systematically misinterprets numerous Biblical passages to support his view. For example, he writes:

In each case, Dake interprets these passages as being about racial purity when they were actually about religious and spiritual concerns. The Canaanites were pagans who worshiped false gods and engaged in detestable practices like child sacrifice. God’s concern was not about race but about His people maintaining their covenant relationship with Him and not being led astray into idolatry.

The Moses and Miriam Incident

One of the most telling examples of Dake’s racial bias is how he handles Numbers 12, where Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of his Cushite (Ethiopian) wife. Dake lists this as:

This is a complete reversal of the biblical text! In Numbers 12, God punishes Miriam for opposing Moses’ marriage to the Ethiopian woman, not Moses for marrying her. God struck Miriam with leprosy for her criticism, clearly showing His disapproval of her attitude. Yet Dake uses this very passage to argue against interracial marriage, turning God’s judgment completely upside down.

New Testament Distortions

Dake even extends his prohibition to the New Testament era, writing:

These New Testament passages are about church discipline and separation from unbelievers or false teachers, not about race. Dake’s application of these verses to support racial segregation is eisegesis—reading his own views into the text rather than drawing out the text’s actual meaning.

Part IV: Eternal Segregation – Dake’s Vision of Heaven

Perhaps the most theologically problematic aspect of Dake’s racism is his teaching that racial segregation will continue throughout eternity, even in heaven and the new earth. This teaching fundamentally undermines the gospel message of unity in Christ.

Segregation in Heaven

According to Dake’s interpretation of Revelation, different racial or ethnic groups will worship separately in heaven:

This is a shocking misreading of Revelation 7, which actually describes “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9). The passage emphasizes unity in diversity, not segregation.

Eternal National Boundaries

Dake goes further, teaching that nations will remain separated forever:

In his book “Revelation Expounded,” Dake elaborates on this eternal segregation:

According to Dake, the current racial and national divisions will persist forever, with different groups occupying different territories for all eternity. This vision of eternity contradicts the biblical picture of all peoples united in worship of God.

The Problem with Eternal Segregation

Dake’s teaching on eternal segregation creates several serious theological problems:

1. It undermines the unity achieved by Christ’s sacrifice. Ephesians 2:14 says Christ “has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” between peoples.
2. It contradicts the vision of Revelation. Revelation consistently shows diverse peoples worshiping together, not separately.
3. It perpetuates earthly prejudices into eternity. If segregation is eternal, then racial division is part of God’s perfect plan, not a result of sin to be overcome.
4. It limits the power of the gospel. If the gospel cannot bring full unity between races, then Christ’s work is incomplete.

Part V: The Theological Errors in Dake’s Racial Teaching

Dake’s racist theology is built on several fundamental errors in biblical interpretation and theological reasoning. Understanding these errors helps us see why his teachings are not merely wrong but dangerous to the faith.

Error 1: Misunderstanding “After Their Kind”

One of Dake’s foundational arguments is that God made everything to reproduce “after its kind,” which he interprets to mean racial segregation:

This interpretation is scientifically and biblically false. The Hebrew word “min” (kind) refers to created categories of life—plants, fish, birds, land animals, and humans. All humans are one “kind.” We can intermarry and have children because we are the same species, descendants of the same original parents.

The variation in human appearance—skin color, hair texture, facial features—represents minor genetic variations within the human species, not different “kinds.” These variations developed over time as human populations spread across the globe and adapted to different environments. They are no more significant, biologically speaking, than variations in height or eye color.

Error 2: Confusing Spiritual and Racial Separation

Throughout his work, Dake consistently confuses biblical commands about spiritual separation with racial segregation. For example, he cites 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers”) as support for racial segregation, when Paul is clearly talking about spiritual incompatibility between believers and unbelievers, not racial differences.

This confusion appears repeatedly in his “30 reasons”:

• Old Testament prohibitions against Israel marrying pagan nations were about religious purity, not racial purity
• New Testament passages about church discipline concern false teaching and unrepentant sin, not race
• Biblical separation is always about holiness and faithfulness to God, never about skin color or ethnicity

Error 3: The Pre-Adamite Heresy

Dake’s pre-Adamite theory contradicts clear biblical teaching about human origins. Scripture is explicit that all humans descend from Adam and Eve:

The pre-Adamite theory has historically been used to dehumanize certain racial groups by suggesting they are not fully human or not descended from Adam. While Dake doesn’t always make this connection explicit, the implications are clear and dangerous.

Error 4: Misreading Revelation

Dake’s interpretation of Revelation as teaching eternal segregation is perhaps his most egregious error. The book of Revelation consistently presents a vision of unity in diversity:

These passages show diverse peoples united in worship, not segregated. The nations bring their glory into the New Jerusalem together, not separately.

Part VI: How Dake’s Racism Contradicts the Gospel

The racist teachings of Finis Dake don’t just represent bad biblical interpretation—they fundamentally contradict the heart of the gospel message. The good news of Jesus Christ is a message of reconciliation, unity, and love that breaks down barriers between people.

The Gospel Breaks Down Walls

The apostle Paul makes it abundantly clear that one of Christ’s primary accomplishments was breaking down the walls that divide humanity:

While Paul is specifically addressing the division between Jews and Gentiles, the principle applies to all human divisions. Christ came to create “one new humanity”—not multiple segregated humanities.

In Christ, There Are No Racial Distinctions

Perhaps no verse more directly contradicts Dake’s teaching than Galatians 3:28:

This doesn’t mean these categories cease to exist in an absolute sense, but that they cease to be barriers to fellowship and unity in Christ. In the body of Christ, racial and ethnic differences should not divide us—they should enrich our unity as we worship God together.

The Church as a Preview of Eternity

The church is meant to be a foretaste of heaven, where people from every nation worship together. The early church modeled this multi-ethnic unity:

Notice the diversity: Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus, Simeon was called “Niger” (meaning “black”), Lucius was from Cyrene in North Africa, Manaen was connected to Herod’s court, and Saul was a Jew from Tarsus. This diverse group worked together in ministry, showing that the early church practiced racial integration, not segregation.

Love Cannot Coexist with Racism

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) and even to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). How can we claim to love those of other races while teaching that God wants us permanently separated from them? How can we love someone while teaching that marrying them would be sin?

John makes the connection between love and Christian fellowship clear:

Teaching racial segregation as God’s will inevitably leads to viewing those of other races as “other” rather than as brothers and sisters in Christ. This contradicts the fundamental Christian command to love.

Part VII: The Historical Context of Dake’s Racism

To fully understand Dake’s racist teachings, we must place them in their historical context. Dake published his annotated Bible in 1963, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. His teachings provided religious justification for segregation at the very time when segregation was being challenged both legally and morally.

The Jim Crow Era

Dake was born in 1902 and grew up during the Jim Crow era, when racial segregation was legally enforced throughout the American South. His formative years were spent in a society where racial separation was considered normal and even divinely ordained by many white Christians. His “30 reasons for segregation” reads like a theological defense of Jim Crow laws.

When Dake writes that “God originally determined the bounds of the habitations of nations” and that “all nations will remain segregated from one another in their own parts of the earth forever,” he’s providing divine sanction for the racial segregation of his era.

The Civil Rights Challenge

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible was published in 1963, the same year as:

• The Birmingham Campaign, where civil rights protesters faced fire hoses and police dogs
• The March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech
• The assassination of Medgar Evers
• The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four young girls

In this context, Dake’s publication of “30 reasons for segregation” wasn’t merely abstract theology—it was a direct response to the Civil Rights Movement, providing religious ammunition for those opposing racial integration.

The Pre-Adamite Theory’s Racist History

Dake’s pre-Adamite theory has a long and troubling history in racist thought. This theory was popularized in the 17th and 18th centuries specifically to justify slavery and colonialism. By suggesting that some humans might not be descendants of Adam, or that there were different creations of humans, the theory provided a way to dehumanize certain racial groups.

Notable proponents of pre-Adamite theories used them to argue that:

• Black people were pre-Adamites and therefore inferior
• Only descendants of Adam could be saved, excluding certain races from salvation
• Slavery was justified because some races were created to serve others

While Dake doesn’t explicitly make all these connections, his use of pre-Adamite theory places him within this troubling tradition.

Part VIII: The Damage Done by Racist Theology

Dake’s racist teachings have caused immeasurable harm to the body of Christ and to Christian witness in the world. This damage extends far beyond mere theological disagreement—it has real-world consequences for real people.

Harm to Interracial Families

Consider the damage done to Christian families where Dake’s teachings have been accepted. Interracial couples have been told their marriage is sinful. Children of interracial marriages have been made to feel they are the product of sin. Christian parents have rejected their children’s godly spouses based solely on race, believing they are following God’s will.

One can only imagine the pain of a committed Christian couple being told that their love is “miscegenation” and an offense to God. Or the confusion of children being taught that their very existence violates God’s created order.

Division in the Body of Christ

Dake’s teaching that “Christians and certain other people of a like race are to be segregated” has been used to justify racially segregated churches. Even today, Sunday morning remains one of the most segregated times in American life, partly due to teachings like Dake’s that provide theological cover for racial division.

This segregation weakens the church’s witness. How can we proclaim a gospel of reconciliation while practicing segregation? How can we tell the world about God’s love while dividing His body along racial lines?

Hindrance to Evangelism

Racist theology creates enormous barriers to evangelism. Why would people of color be attracted to a gospel that teaches they should be permanently separated from white Christians? Why would anyone want to spend eternity in a segregated heaven?

Moreover, in our increasingly multiracial and multicultural world, a segregationist gospel appears not just wrong but absurd. Young people, in particular, who have grown up with diverse friendships, immediately recognize the falseness of racial segregation dressed up as biblical teaching.

Spiritual Damage

Perhaps most seriously, racist theology damages people’s relationship with God. It presents a false image of God as one who values racial purity over love, segregation over unity, and division over reconciliation. This is not the God revealed in Jesus Christ.

People who accept Dake’s teachings must constantly suppress their natural human empathy and love for those of other races. They must harden their hearts against forming deep friendships across racial lines. They must teach their children to maintain barriers that Christ died to tear down.

Part IX: Biblical Refutation of Dake’s Key Arguments

Let’s systematically address some of Dake’s key biblical arguments with proper scriptural interpretation:

The Old Testament Marriage Prohibitions

Dake repeatedly cites Old Testament examples of Israelites being forbidden to marry other nations as support for racial segregation. However, Scripture makes clear these prohibitions were religious, not racial:

The reason is explicitly stated: religious apostasy, not racial mixing. This is confirmed by the fact that faithful converts from other nations could marry Israelites:

• Ruth the Moabitess married Boaz and became an ancestor of David and Jesus
• Rahab the Canaanite became part of Israel and is in Jesus’s genealogy
• Moses married a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman, and God defended this marriage
• Joseph married an Egyptian, and his sons became tribes of Israel

The Tower of Babel

Dake sees the scattering at Babel as God’s establishment of racial segregation. But Genesis 11 presents this as judgment, not God’s ideal:

The people were rebelling against God’s command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). The scattering was judgment for their rebellion, not God’s original plan. Moreover, Pentecost reverses Babel, as people from many languages hear the gospel in unity (Acts 2).

Acts 17:26

Ironically, the very verse where Dake places his “30 reasons for segregation” actually teaches human unity:

Paul emphasizes that all nations come from “one man” (Adam), establishing human unity. The boundaries mentioned are geographical and temporal, not permanent racial barriers. The very next verse explains why God did this: “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him” (Acts 17:27).

The Book of Revelation

Dake’s claim that Revelation teaches eternal segregation is perhaps his most obvious misreading. Let’s look at what Revelation actually says:

Notice: They are together before the throne, not segregated. They cry out with one voice, not separate voices. This is a picture of unity in diversity, not eternal segregation.

Part X: The True Biblical Vision of Human Unity

In contrast to Dake’s vision of eternal segregation, Scripture presents a beautiful picture of human unity in diversity, culminating in the gathering of all peoples before God’s throne.

Created in God’s Image

The foundation of human unity is our common creation in God’s image:

Every human being, regardless of race or ethnicity, bears God’s image. This gives every person inherent dignity and worth. To promote racial segregation is to suggest that some image-bearers of God are incompatible with others.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Christians are given the ministry of reconciliation, not segregation:

How can we fulfill this ministry while teaching that God wants races segregated? Reconciliation means bringing together what was separated, not maintaining separation.

The Early Church’s Example

The early church modeled racial and ethnic integration:

The early church faced the challenge of integrating people from different racial and cultural backgrounds, and they did so under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They didn’t maintain segregation; they created a new unified community.

The Ultimate Vision

The Bible’s ultimate vision is not eternal segregation but eternal unity in diversity:

The nations bring their glory into the New Jerusalem, not to separate locations. The gates are never shut, symbolizing open access for all. This is a picture of unity, not segregation.

Part XI: Responding to Common Defenses of Dake

Those who defend Dake’s racial teachings often employ various arguments. Let’s address the most common ones:

Defense 1: “Dake was a product of his time”

While it’s true that Dake grew up in a segregated society, this doesn’t excuse his teachings. Many Christians of his era recognized the evil of racism and fought against it. Moreover, Dake claimed to be teaching eternal biblical truth, not cultural opinions. If his teachings were merely cultural, he shouldn’t have presented them as biblical doctrine.

Furthermore, the Bible itself transcends cultural limitations. Paul, writing in a highly segregated Roman society, proclaimed that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. If first-century Christians could embrace racial unity, twentieth-century Christians had no excuse.

Defense 2: “His other teachings are valuable”

While Dake’s study Bible contains extensive notes on various topics, the presence of racist teachings contaminates the whole work. Jesus said, “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (Galatians 5:9). Racist theology is not a minor error—it strikes at the heart of the gospel.

Moreover, if Dake could be so wrong about something as fundamental as human unity in Christ, how can we trust his interpretation on other matters? His racist teachings reveal a fundamental flaw in his hermeneutical approach.

Defense 3: “He’s just teaching what the Bible says”

As we’ve demonstrated throughout this article, Dake consistently misinterprets Scripture to support his racial views. He:

• Confuses religious separation with racial segregation
• Ignores the context of passages
• Contradicts clear New Testament teaching about unity in Christ
• Misreads Revelation’s vision of diverse unity
• Imposes pre-Adamite theories not found in Scripture

Far from teaching “what the Bible says,” Dake imposes his racial prejudices onto the biblical text.

Defense 4: “We shouldn’t judge past Christian leaders”

The Bible commands us to test all teaching against Scripture (1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11). When teaching is publicly published and continues to influence people, it must be evaluated and, if necessary, refuted. Paul publicly opposed Peter when Peter’s actions contradicted the gospel (Galatians 2:11-14). If apostles could be corrected, certainly Bible teachers can be.

Moreover, Dake’s teachings continue to be published and sold today. Current publishers who continue to print his work without addressing its racist content bear responsibility for perpetuating these false teachings.

Part XII: The Theological Implications of Rejecting Dake’s Racism

Rejecting Dake’s racist theology isn’t just about correcting a few wrong interpretations—it has profound implications for how we understand God, the gospel, and the church.

A Different God

The God revealed in Scripture is fundamentally different from the god of racial segregation. The true God:

• Shows no favoritism (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11)
• Desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4)
• Loves the whole world (John 3:16)
• Makes one new humanity in Christ (Ephesians 2:15)
• Gathers people from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 7:9)

A god who mandates eternal racial segregation is not the God revealed in Jesus Christ. Such a god would be partial, divisive, and contrary to love.

A Different Gospel

The gospel Dake presents is fundamentally different from the biblical gospel:

These are not minor variations but fundamentally different messages. One perpetuates division; the other creates unity. One maintains barriers; the other destroys them.

A Different Church

The church that follows Dake’s teaching will look fundamentally different from the biblical church:

The segregated church cannot fully display God’s wisdom to the cosmic powers (Ephesians 3:10) because it fails to demonstrate the unifying power of the gospel.

Part XIII: Moving Forward – Healing from Racist Theology

For those who have been influenced by Dake’s teachings or similar racist theology, there is a path forward toward biblical truth and racial reconciliation.

Acknowledgment and Repentance

The first step is acknowledging that racist theology is sin. It’s not merely a different interpretation or a minor error—it’s a serious distortion of God’s word that has caused real harm. Those who have taught or believed these ideas need to:

1. Acknowledge the error of racist interpretations
2. Repent of any prejudice or discrimination
3. Seek forgiveness from those who have been hurt
4. Commit to biblical truth about human unity in Christ

Biblical Re-education

Those influenced by racist theology need to relearn Scripture without racial prejudice. This involves:

• Reading Scripture in context
• Understanding the difference between cultural practices and eternal principles
• Learning from diverse biblical scholars and teachers
• Studying the biblical themes of unity and reconciliation

Practical Steps Toward Reconciliation

Rejecting racist theology must lead to practical action:

1. Build cross-racial friendships: Intentionally develop relationships with believers of other races
2. Support integrated churches: Attend or support churches that practice racial integration
3. Celebrate diversity: Learn to appreciate the richness that different cultures bring to the body of Christ
4. Advocate for justice: Stand against racism in all its forms
5. Educate others: Help others understand why racist theology is unbiblical

For Churches and Leaders

Churches and Christian leaders have a special responsibility to address racist theology:

• Remove racist materials: Stop using or recommending materials that contain racist teachings
• Teach biblical unity: Actively teach about God’s vision for racial unity
• Model diversity: Ensure church leadership reflects racial diversity
• Address past wrongs: Acknowledge any past participation in or tolerance of racism
• Create inclusive communities: Work to make churches welcoming to all races

Part XIV: The Witness of History Against Racism

Throughout church history, faithful Christians have recognized that racism contradicts the gospel. Even in eras when society was deeply segregated, there were always voices calling for biblical unity.

Early Church Fathers

The early church fathers, despite living in a highly stratified society, recognized human unity in Christ:

Reformation Era

While the Reformation era had its problems with racism, there were still voices for unity:

Modern Witnesses

In the modern era, many Christians have stood against racism:

These witnesses show that throughout history, faithful Christians have recognized that racism contradicts the gospel. Dake’s teachings stand opposed to this witness.

Part XV: The Beauty of God’s Diverse Kingdom

In contrast to Dake’s vision of eternal segregation, Scripture presents a beautiful picture of God’s diverse kingdom where unity and diversity exist in perfect harmony.

Diversity as God’s Design

The diversity of humanity is not an accident or a curse—it’s part of God’s creative design. Just as God created a world with countless varieties of plants, animals, landscapes, and ecosystems, He created humanity with beautiful diversity. Different skin colors, facial features, languages, and cultures all reflect different aspects of God’s infinite creativity.

Paul uses the metaphor of the body to describe this diversity in unity:

The body needs different parts to function properly. Similarly, the body of Christ needs people from different backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities to fully display God’s glory.

The Pentecost Promise

At Pentecost, God reversed Babel not by eliminating languages but by enabling understanding across linguistic barriers:

This miracle shows God’s intention: not uniformity but unity in diversity. Each group heard the gospel in their own language, showing that God values and preserves cultural diversity while creating spiritual unity.

The Final Gathering

The Bible’s vision of the end is not segregation but glorious gathering:

Notice: “all peoples” gather for one feast. The barriers between nations are destroyed, not reinforced. This is the opposite of Dake’s vision of eternal segregation.

Conclusion: Choosing the Gospel Over Racism

Finis Dake’s racist teachings represent a serious distortion of biblical Christianity. His “30 reasons for segregation,” his pre-Adamite theory, his condemnation of interracial marriage, and his vision of eternal segregation all contradict the clear teaching of Scripture and the heart of the gospel message.

The gospel that Jesus proclaimed and the apostles preached is a gospel of reconciliation—reconciliation with God and with one another. It’s a gospel that breaks down walls, not one that builds them up. It’s a gospel that creates one new humanity in Christ, not one that perpetuates divisions.

When we examine Dake’s teachings closely, using his own words from his published works, we see a systematic attempt to provide biblical justification for racial prejudice and segregation. He takes passages about religious separation and misapplies them to race. He reads segregation into texts that actually teach unity. He invents doctrines like eternal segregation that have no biblical basis whatsoever.

The damage done by such teaching is immeasurable. It has:

• Divided the body of Christ along racial lines
• Caused pain to interracial families and individuals
• Hindered evangelism and missions
• Misrepresented God’s character to the world
• Provided religious cover for discrimination and prejudice

As Christians, we must decisively reject these teachings. We must embrace the biblical vision of humanity created in God’s image, redeemed by Christ’s blood, and united by the Holy Spirit. We must work toward the day when the church on earth reflects the diversity and unity of the church in heaven, where people from every tribe, language, people, and nation worship together before the throne of God.

The choice before us is clear: we can follow Dake’s vision of eternal segregation, or we can follow the biblical vision of eternal unity in diversity. We can perpetuate the divisions that sin has created, or we can participate in the reconciliation that Christ has accomplished. We can build walls, or we can tear them down in Jesus’s name.

Let us choose the gospel. Let us choose love. Let us choose the beautiful vision of God’s kingdom where all people, regardless of race or ethnicity, stand together as one family, one body, one people belonging to God. This is the true biblical vision, and anything less is a distortion of God’s word and God’s heart.

May the church of Jesus Christ reject the racist teachings of Finis Dake and all similar distortions of Scripture. May we instead embrace the glorious truth that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus. And may we work toward the day when this truth is fully realized in the church and in the world.

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