In a world where intellect and faith are often portrayed as opposing forces, Dr. YoungHoon Kim stands as a remarkable counterexample. As the verified holder of the world’s highest IQ at an astonishing 276 points, this South Korean scientist recently made headlines not for a scientific breakthrough, but for a bold declaration of his Christian faith. His statement that “Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life” has sparked global conversations about the relationship between exceptional intelligence and spiritual conviction.
Dr. YoungHoon Kim, holder of the world’s highest recorded IQ of 276, has gained global attention for his public declaration of Christian faith.
An Unprecedented Intellectual Achievement
Dr. YoungHoon Kim’s cognitive abilities have been verified by multiple prestigious organizations, establishing him as a truly extraordinary intellect. His IQ of 276 stands as the highest ever recorded, far surpassing the threshold for membership in even the most exclusive high-IQ societies in the world.
Dr. Kim’s record has been validated by organizations including the Giga Society, Mensa, World Memory Championships, and Official World Record.
His intellectual credentials extend beyond mere test scores. As the founder and CEO of NeuroStory, a brain health AI company backed by the South Korean government, and a board member of the Lifeboat Foundation, which focuses on mitigating risks from advanced technologies, Kim stands at the forefront of neuroscience and artificial intelligence research.
“Our consciousness is not just brain activity. It may be quantum information — something that continues after death.”
His work in global memory and neuroscience communities has established him as a leading voice in understanding human cognitive potential. As chairman of the United Sigma Intelligence Association and vice president for the World Memory Championships, Kim has dedicated his career to exploring the frontiers of human mental capacity.
A Bold Declaration of Christian Faith
On June 17, 2025, Kim posted a statement on social media that quickly went viral: “As the world’s highest IQ record holder, I believe that Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life.” This direct reference to John 14:6 garnered over 14 million views and a quarter-million likes within just 48 hours.
Dr. Kim’s declaration of faith on social media quickly went viral, reaching millions worldwide.
Following the tremendous response to his initial post, Kim further elaborated on his beliefs in subsequent messages. “I will use this opportunity to lead many souls to God,” he wrote, and in response to a commenter, simply stated, “Amen. Christ is my logic.”
Beyond his scientific work, Dr. Kim earned a BA in Christian Theology from Yonsei University, which he describes as “the ultimate discipline of all fields of study.”
In the days following his initial declaration, Kim continued to share his perspective on faith. “As the world’s highest IQ record holder, I believe the Bible is the perfect, eternal, and final Word of God. Therefore, the Bible doesn’t need to be updated. The world needs to catch up,” he stated in another widely-shared post.
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Kim’s theological background adds depth to his declarations. He previously shared that earning a BA degree in Christian Theology from Yonsei University, described as “the #1 private university in Asia,” was “one of the best things I have ever done in my life.” He believes that “theology is the ultimate discipline of all fields of study,” suggesting a deeply considered approach to his faith.
From Neuroscience to Faith: Dr. Kim’s Remarkable Journey
Dr. Kim’s professional achievements span multiple disciplines, making his faith declaration particularly noteworthy in scientific circles. As a recognized leader in global memory and neuroscience communities, his perspective carries significant weight.
Dr. Kim’s work in neuroscience explores the frontiers of human cognitive potential.
His company, NeuroStory, focuses on developing “AI-powered brain health solutions” with support from the South Korean government. This work places him at the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, two fields that probe the fundamental nature of consciousness and cognition.
Beyond his corporate work, Kim serves on the board of the Lifeboat Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting scientific advancements while mitigating potential risks from technologies like artificial intelligence. This role reflects his concern with the ethical dimensions of technological progress.
His intellectual achievements have been recognized by numerous organizations. The Giga Society, which accepts only those with IQs in the 99.9999999th percentile (one in a billion), counts him among its members. He has also been verified by Mensa, the World Memory Championships, and the World Memory Sports Council in partnership with Guinness World Records.
Dr. Kim has received numerous accolades for his contributions to neuroscience and AI research.
Reconciling Supreme Intelligence with Religious Faith
Dr. Kim’s declaration challenges the common perception that exceptional intelligence and religious faith exist in opposition. His statement explicitly links his intellectual credentials with his spiritual convictions, suggesting that his belief is informed by, rather than despite, his cognitive abilities.
Dr. Kim’s declaration exemplifies the harmony between deep faith and exceptional intelligence, challenging popular misconceptions.
In his posts, Kim has suggested connections between quantum physics and spirituality. “If our consciousness is quantum information, it may continue after the body is gone,” he stated, proposing that “our consciousness may not be trapped in the brain. Quantum entanglement suggests that our consciousness is part of a bigger system beyond the physical world.”
“God exists. 100%.”
This perspective aligns with a long tradition of intellectual engagement with faith. Many of history’s greatest scientific and philosophical minds—from Isaac Newton to Blaise Pascal—maintained strong religious convictions alongside their intellectual pursuits. Kim’s declaration places him within this tradition of thinkers who see no contradiction between rigorous intellectual inquiry and spiritual belief.
Throughout history, many brilliant minds including Newton, Pascal, and C.S. Lewis have embraced both intellectual pursuits and religious faith.
The Catholic Church has long maintained that God’s existence can be known through reason alone. As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 36): “God, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created world by the natural light of human reason.” Kim’s approach to faith appears to embrace this tradition of finding spiritual truth through rational inquiry.
Global Reactions to an Intellectual’s Faith Declaration
The response to Dr. Kim’s declaration has been swift and widespread, generating discussions across both religious and scientific communities. His statement has resonated particularly strongly with those who seek to bridge the perceived gap between faith and reason.
Dr. Kim’s declaration sparked widespread discussion across social media and news outlets worldwide.
Evangelist Stuart Knechtle commented that Kim’s faith “harkens back to the greatest minds this world has ever seen, many of whom have said that Jesus is God, from Newton to Kepler, Galileo, Boyle, CS Lewis, Flannery O’Connor, Dostoevsky, the list goes on and on.”
Theologians and academics have noted the significance of Kim’s declaration in contemporary discourse about faith and reason.
In academic circles, Kim’s declaration has prompted renewed discussion about the relationship between scientific inquiry and religious belief. His unique position as both a record-holding intellectual and a person of faith makes his perspective particularly valuable in these conversations.
Christian communities have widely celebrated Kim’s public profession of faith. Online personality David J. Harris Jr. shared Kim’s declaration with the enthusiastic comment: “YES! Jesus is KING! 🙌🏽” This response reflects the affirmation many believers feel when seeing a person of Kim’s intellectual stature embrace faith.
The scientific community’s response has been more varied, with some embracing the compatibility of faith and science that Kim represents, while others maintain skepticism about religious belief in general.
Kim’s declaration has sparked academic discussions about the relationship between scientific inquiry and religious belief.
Implications for the Faith and Reason Debate
Dr. Kim’s declaration comes at a time when discussions about the relationship between faith and reason continue to evolve. His unique position as both a record-holding intellectual and a person of faith offers a compelling counterpoint to narratives that position religion and rational inquiry as inherently opposed.
Dr. Kim’s perspective challenges the notion that faith and reason must exist in opposition to one another.
The significance of Kim’s declaration extends beyond his personal belief. By explicitly connecting his intellectual credentials with his faith statement (“As the world’s highest IQ record holder, I believe…”), he suggests that his belief is not despite his intelligence, but potentially informed by it.
This perspective aligns with a growing body of academic work exploring the compatibility of scientific and religious worldviews. Rather than seeing these as competing explanations, many scholars now approach them as complementary ways of understanding different aspects of reality.
Kim’s declaration encourages thoughtful dialogue about the relationship between intellectual pursuit and spiritual conviction.
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For those who have felt that their intellectual pursuits and spiritual beliefs must exist in separate compartments, Kim’s example offers an alternative vision—one where the highest levels of cognitive ability can coexist with, and even enhance, religious faith.
The Continuing Journey of Faith and Intellect
Dr. YoungHoon Kim’s declaration stands as a powerful reminder that the relationship between intelligence and faith is far more complex and potentially harmonious than often portrayed in popular discourse. As the holder of the world’s highest recorded IQ, his affirmation that “Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life” challenges simplistic narratives about the incompatibility of reason and belief.
Dr. Kim’s journey represents the ongoing dialogue between exceptional intelligence and profound faith.
His statement that he “will use this opportunity to lead many souls to God” suggests that Kim sees his intellectual platform as a means to share his faith perspective with others. This approach echoes the tradition of intellectual evangelism practiced by figures like C.S. Lewis, who used their scholarly credentials to lend credibility to their spiritual convictions.
As discussions about the nature of consciousness, quantum reality, and human purpose continue to evolve, voices like Kim’s offer valuable perspectives that bridge traditional divides between scientific and religious worldviews. His declaration reminds us that the harmony between deep faith and exceptional intelligence remains not only possible but potentially enriching for both domains.
For those seeking meaning in an increasingly complex world, Dr. Kim’s example suggests that the answer may not lie in choosing between intellect and faith, but in discovering how these two aspects of human experience can inform and strengthen one another.
