One On One with Ken Davis

What exactly is a theology of ethnicity?
In the Scriptures, ethnic groups are often referred to as “peoples” (OT=ammim) or “nations” (OT=goyim; NT=ethne). An ethnic group is usually identified by one or more of the categories of race, religion, or national origin. Ethnicity is a little different concept than “race” as we use the term today. For starters, ethnic group membership is normally determined by common culture, birth, or ancestry—not by skin color.

To develop a biblical theology of ethnicity, I recommend we use the “biblical-theological method” to discover how the Divine Author has gradually revealed His purpose and plan for human diversity. Tracing the way in which that particular topic progressively unfolds in the corpus of Scripture is the best approach to uncovering biblical teaching on any given theme. Coming to grips with the multi-ethnic, non-Caucasian, cultural context of the OT is a critical first step in developing a truly biblical theology of ethnicity (a helpful supplemental text in this task is J. Daniel Hays’ From Every People and Nation). With this OT foundation, we can then move on to exegete relevant NT texts.

Finally, we need to synthesize and systematize all this biblical revelation, showing its implications for church ministry and modern missions. I believe a careful study of Scripture in this fashion reveals an overarching theme: Throughout history, God’s great goal has been to bless all earth’s diverse “peoples” and thereby more fully display His own glory to all.

Why is it important to develop a theology of ethnicity?
This is an urgent question which twenty-first century Christians must face. More than ever before, the nations are a mosaic of different ethnicities. They are nations within nations.This is most evident in America. We are now the most ethnically diverse nation in the world with an extraordinary variety of colors, classes, and national origins. Thus, the greatest challenge for getting the gospel out in our postmodern world may well be crossing the “distance” of race and ethnicity more so than that of geography and culture. In a time of increased ethnic strife and fragmentation within the human family, how will Christians respond, both in America and globally?

Our response, I am convinced, will largely depend on whether we have the courage to develop and implement a truly biblical perspective on ethnicity. The staggering diversity of our postmodern world will continue to overwhelm our theological senses, unless we stop and seek to better understand from Scripture God’s plan and purpose for ethnic diversity. In short, the evangelical church urgently needs to develop a biblical theology of ethnicity.

How would a theology of ethnicity manifest itself practically in a local church?
From my study of ethnicity in Scripture, here are some obvious implications and applications that relate to local churches and the way we do missions today:

1—We should accept people from other cultural and ethnic group as our neighbors, treating them with mutual respect and dignity. To be more evangelistically effective in our own Jerusalem and Samaria, we will need to read about and seek to better understand the history, heritage, and culture of our ethnic neighbors with whom we are seeking to build bridges and intentional friendships.

2—Furthermore, churches must pursue ethnic and cultural diversity, not because it is politically correct or because it is the latest theological fad or even because it is a good conservative or liberal ideal. We should do so because it is integral to both God’s creative and redemptive plan. We must begin to show a watching world that the gospel of Christ is the only real answer to the racial discord and divide in our society.

3—Finally, I’m convinced from study of ethnicity in Scripture that biblical Christians should probably drop the term “race” in our conversation. The modern day categorization of mankind into four basic “races” (largely based on external features such as skin color and an outgrowth of Darwinian evolution) has no basis in Scripture and therefore should not be used by Christians. As we’ve said, a better way of perceiving and describing humanity would be in terms of “peoples” or “people groups.”

What passages are important to formulating a theology of ethnicity?
Genesis chapters 10 and 11 are key to our understanding of God’s perspective on peoplehood. The Table of Nations (or “Peoples’) shows us the value of belonging to an ethnic group to provide us with identity and security. The Tower of Babel account helps us see that human differences of language and culture are not the result of man’s sin but part of God’s original purpose of diversifying and scattering the human race.

Ken Davis (M.A.) has been involved in church planting for over 25 years. He served as chairman of BMM’s North American Church Planting Ministry Council, and he co-founded the School of Church Planting, which has provided training for over 270 Church planters worldwide.

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