Kinism

Kinism is a modern theological heresy that teaches that racial segregation and ethnic homogeneity are biblically ordained and should be practiced within Christian communities. This ideology promotes the belief that people should live, marry, and worship within their own racial or ethnic group, and that mixing races or ethnicities is against God's design. Kinism draws heavily on racial superiority, and though it claims to be based on biblical teachings, it distorts Scripture to justify racial segregation and exclusion.

History of Kinism

1. Roots in 19th and 20th Century Racism: Though the formal term "Kinism" emerged only in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, its ideological roots are found in the racial segregationist and white supremacist movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in the United States and South Africa. These movements justified racial separation using selective interpretations of the Bible to promote ideas of racial superiority and segregation, especially among white Christians.

   The historical context includes:

   • Pro-slavery theology in the 19th century, where some Christians justified slavery by misinterpreting biblical texts, particularly the so-called "curse of Ham" (Genesis 9:20-27), to argue that people of African descent were divinely ordained to be subservient.
   • Segregationist ideologies during the era of Jim Crow laws in the U.S. South, where white Christian groups often promoted the idea that racial separation was not only socially necessary but also biblically mandated.

2. Development of Kinism: Kinism has indeed been associated with certain fringe elements within the Reformed and conservative Christian circles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, particularly as a response to more inclusive movements within Christianity. Kinists developed as a reactionary movement, claiming that the Bible supports racial separation and the preservation of ethnic distinctions within Christian communities. This movement has strong ties to white supremacist and neo-Confederate ideologies, and these groups tend to be small and operate mostly through internet forums, blogs, or localized communities. They often use orthodox language to give their beliefs theological legitimacy, but their views are widely seen as a gross distortion of orthodox theology.

3. The Influence of Christian Identity and Neo-Confederate Movements: Kinism shares much in common with the Christian Identity movement, a racist theology that arose in the early 20th century and teaches that Anglo-Saxons are the true descendants of the Israelites and that other races are inferior. Kinism does not go as far as Christian Identity in claiming that other races are subhuman, but it similarly asserts that people should only associate and marry within their own racial or ethnic group.

   Kinism also overlaps with neo-Confederate ideologies, which seek to uphold the values of the Confederacy and romanticize the social order that existed in the antebellum South. These groups often claim that the South’s racial hierarchy was divinely ordained and seek to preserve racial separation.

Theology of Kinism

Kinism distorts several core biblical doctrines to support its views on racial and ethnic separation. The key tenets of Kinist theology include:

1. Racial and Ethnic Segregation as God's Design: Kinists claim that God ordained the separation of races and ethnic groups, arguing that different peoples should remain distinct in their cultures, worship practices, and even marriages. They often appeal to passages like Deuteronomy 32:8, which speaks of God setting boundaries for the nations, and Acts 17:26, where Paul says that God determined the times and places where nations should live. Kinists interpret these texts to mean that God wants races to live separately and that racial mixing violates God’s plan.

2. Miscegenation as Sin: A core tenet of Kinist theology is the belief that interracial marriage (often referred to as "miscegenation") is a sin. Kinists argue that God intended for people to marry only within their own race or ethnic group, and that mixing races leads to social, spiritual, and moral degradation. They selectively cite Old Testament laws prohibiting intermarriage with foreign nations (such as Deuteronomy 7:3) and apply these to modern racial categories, though these Old Testament laws were concerned with religious purity, not race.

3. Preservation of Ethnic Homogeneity: Kinists argue that preserving the purity of one's ethnicity is essential for maintaining God’s order. They claim that each race has unique traits and that these should be preserved by avoiding cultural and racial blending. This ideology extends into church life, where Kinists argue for racially homogeneous churches and communities, asserting that multiethnic congregations are contrary to God’s will.

4. Justification of Segregation: Kinists often advocate for racial segregation in society, claiming that the Bible supports the idea of different races living separately in different nations or communities. They view racial integration as a violation of the natural order and argue that it leads to social instability and moral decline. This belief is often tied to broader political ideologies, such as white nationalism or ethnonationalism.

Why Kinism is Heretical

From the perspective of historic Christian orthodoxy, Kinism is heretical because it fundamentally misinterprets Scripture, violates the gospel of reconciliation, and promotes a false view of human nature and God’s redemptive plan. Several key reasons for this condemnation include:

1. Denial of the Unity of Humanity: Kinism contradicts the biblical teaching of the unity of all humanity. The Bible teaches that all human beings are made in the image of God (Imago Dei, Genesis 1:26-27) and that all people are descendants of Adam and Eve. Kinism’s insistence on racial separation denies this shared human dignity and promotes division based on race, which is contrary to the biblical vision of humanity's unity in creation and in Christ.

2. Rejection of the Gospel’s Universality: The gospel is for all nations, tribes, and peoples. Ephesians 2:14-16 teaches that through Christ, the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles has been broken down, and people from all ethnicities are reconciled to God and one another through the cross. Similarly, Galatians 3:28 states that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek. The New Testament’s vision is of a multiethnic church united in Christ, with all barriers of ethnicity and race being transcended by the power of the gospel. Kinism directly opposes this by advocating for segregation and racial exclusion.

3. Twisting of Scripture: Kinists twist passages of Scripture to support their ideology of racial superiority and separation. For example, they misuse texts like Genesis 11 (the Tower of Babel) and Deuteronomy 32:8 (God setting boundaries for nations) to justify racial separation, when these passages are not speaking about race but about human pride, judgment, or geographical boundaries. Furthermore, Kinists’ use of Old Testament prohibitions against intermarriage ignores the fact that these laws were concerned with religious idolatry, not racial purity (as seen in the story of Ruth, a Moabite, who became part of Israel and an ancestor of Christ).

4. Distortion of Marriage and Family: Kinism’s prohibition of interracial marriage is not supported by Scripture. The Bible does not command racial segregation in marriage; rather, it emphasizes faith and spiritual compatibility as the central issues in marriage. For instance, 1 Corinthians 7:39 advises believers to marry "only in the Lord," focusing on shared faith rather than ethnicity or race. The early church was composed of people from many different ethnic backgrounds, and the New Testament provides no mandate for racial separation in marriage.

Historic Christian Orthodox View

The historic Christian orthodox view on race, ethnicity, and human unity is grounded in several key biblical principles:

1. All People Are Created in the Image of God: All human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and thus every person has inherent dignity and worth. This foundational teaching affirms the equality of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or nationality.

2. Salvation Is for All Peoples: The gospel is for all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues (Revelation 7:9). Christ’s redemptive work is universal, and the church is called to be a multiethnic, multicultural community united in Christ. The early Christian church included Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and barbarians, slaves and free, all of whom were one in Christ (Galatians 3:28).

3. Reconciliation in Christ: The gospel brings reconciliation between peoples, breaking down divisions based on ethnicity, social class, or nationality. In Christ, believers are called to live out this reconciliation in both personal relationships and within the church, rejecting any ideology that promotes division or hostility based on race (Ephesians 2:14-18).

4. Marriage as a Covenant of Faith: The Bible provides no prohibition against interracial marriage. What Scripture emphasizes is that believers should marry others who share their faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 7:39). The idea of racial purity in marriage is foreign to biblical teaching, which focuses on spiritual compatibility rather than ethnic homogeneity.

Modern Day Iterations of Kinism

While Kinism is not a widespread belief in mainstream Christian denominations, it has surfaced in fringe groups and white nationalist movements. Modern iterations include:

1. Neo-Confederate and White Nationalist Movements: Some neo-Confederate groups and white nationalist organizations promote Kinist ideas, claiming that racial separation is biblical. These groups often use Christian language to justify their ideologies of racial superiority and segregation and attempt to link their beliefs to traditional Christian values, despite being rejected by the broader church.

2. Kinist Groups in Reformed Circles: In recent years, certain fringe elements within the Reformed tradition have advocated for Kinist theology, though these groups are small and have been condemned by mainstream Reformed bodies. These Kinists claim to uphold the Reformed emphasis on the sovereignty of God and His providential ordering of the world, but they twist these doctrines to justify racial segregation.

3. Christian Identity Movement: Though distinct from Kinism, the Christian Identity movement shares many of the same beliefs, including the idea that different races should remain separate and that white Christians are superior. Christian Identity groups often use distorted interpretations of the Bible to promote their racist ideologies.

Conclusion

Kinism is a modern heresy that distorts the biblical teachings on the unity of humanity, reconciliation in Christ, and the universality of the gospel. It falsely claims that racial separation and ethnic homogeneity are God's design, promoting segregation and exclusion in contradiction to the clear teaching of Scripture. The historic Christian orthodox view rejects Kinism, affirming that all people are created in the image of God, that the gospel is for all nations and peoples, and that the church is to be a multiethnic, unified body in Christ. Though Kinism has emerged in fringe groups and continues to influence some white nationalist and neo-Confederate movements, it stands in direct opposition to the core message of the gospel, which brings unity and reconciliation through Christ for all people, regardless of race or ethnicity.