The Holy Scriptures clearly forbid all forms of racism. God created all men. And all men are descended from one man. Further, "The dignity of all human beings is given by God, not achieved or earned," as the LCMS president A.L. Barry has said. Barry also stated, "Any and all attempts to identify certain people or groups as some how lesser members of humankind are therefore a blasphemous affront to our Creator."
All men are created in God's image (Gen. 1:26-28). All men are identified with Christ. "Racism grounds the identity and security of human life in self rather than God, in creature rather than the Creator, apart from whom a human being has no identity or security. Self-indulgent pride in "race," therefore, must be regarded as idolatry in one of its crassest forms," says Barry. Thus, we can see the true danger of racism in all of its forms. Racism endangers our very souls.
Christ died for all men equally.
As for interracial marriages, we must again see every person as being in the image of God - valued through God in his identity with God and not distinguished or set apart by any physical characteristic.
We can also look to the book of Ruth, among other things. Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David, was a foreigner. Ruth was a Moabitess. Moabites were looked down upon by other races. Yet Christ specifically identifies Himself with David's line and therefore, Ruth. Yes, David was of mixed blood, so to speak. And our Savior identifies Himself with that line.
It is morally and ethically acceptable to have an interracial marriage. Anything to the contrary is ethically wrong from the Christian perspective and is a form of racism of which President Barry so eloquently warns.
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