American Pastor Criticized for Claiming Black People Are Meant to Be Under White Race’s Authority
An Arizona pastor has drawn widespread criticism after claiming during a sermon that Black people were divinely intended to live under the authority of other racial groups, citing a controversial interpretation of a biblical passage.
Dale Partridge, pastor of King’s Way Reformed Church in Prescott, Arizona, made the remarks while preaching on Genesis 9, the account of Noah and his sons.
The passage has long been disputed by biblical scholars and has historically been misused to justify racial discrimination and slavery.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Partridge said Africans and some people from India were descendants of Ham, one of Noah’s sons.
He argued that God ordained them to be governed by descendants of Shem and Japheth, whom he identified as white Europeans, Asians, Jews and Arabs.
The comments triggered backlash online, with critics accusing the pastor of promoting racist ideology and misrepresenting scripture.
Many theologians have rejected interpretations of Genesis 9 that use the passage to justify racial hierarchy, saying they are unsupported by the broader biblical text and historical scholarship.