Reflection: "King as Prophet and Theologian"

Summary 

Authored by Martin Luther King Junior, A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr. is a book that contains a compilation of sermons, writings, speeches, ad interviews of the author. The book has numerous works that were transcribed, written, and edited after the death of Luther King Jr. Notably, the book has six divisions. The first division, titled “Religious: Non-violence,” connects King's religious beliefs with their non-violent resistance. This section explores Biblical messages of love and the fight for equality for African-Americans. The second section, titled “Social: Integration,” consists of King's call for action and mostly resonates with the larger Civil Rights Movement, more than the passive methods he used for protesting against injustices. The section reveals that the passive resistance was an enduring characteristic of his’ in fighting for African-Americans' rights. The third section of the book, “Political: Wedged between Democracy and Black Nationalism,” reveals the challenges King faced while fighting for justice and equality (King, 1986). A core challenge in his pursuit for equality was to get the support of coalitions and activities while simultaneously maintaining sight of his right wing-followers. The fourth section compilation of his famous speeches such as “I have a Dream” and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” delivered a day before his assassination. The fifth section outlines King’s essential essays. Examples include “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” which he penned down while still imprisoned for protesting peacefully in 196. The other vital essay is titled “A Testament of Hope.” In this essay, he rebukes politicians who rely on the same power systems and do nothing to change the unjust systems. The last section of the book is titled Interviews, and as the name suggests, it is made of his interviews with various people and the media. The multifaceted conversations and the book, in general, reveal the roles of King in religion and theology. 

Reflection 

Reflecting on the third chapter of Cone’s Martin and Malcolm X on America: A Dream or Nightmare, there are great insights. First, it is evident that through Martin’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” he held at heart the American dream of achieving equality and justice for all regardless of color. He believed that justice could only be realized through some Biblical values, such as love. In his pursuit for the American dream, King advised Americans to hold dearly on the following core values; self-respect, high moral standards, working wholeheartedly, leadership, and non-violence (Cone, 1991). He set the pace for the rest of Americans by being a leader who led non-violent protests. The fifth chapter of the book made me realize that there were other underlying issues, such as religious conflicts between Africans and Americans. As King notes, religion had a tremendous impact on his fight against racism. Furthermore, the blacks upheld Christianity which majored on the themes of love, justice, and hope. Regardless of the injustices, King encouraged African Americans to love their white brothers. The eighth chapter of the book speaks on shattered dreams. Mostly this chapter makes the audience realize the numerous challenges, such as lack of support from the government that King underwent while fighting for justice. Eventually, the dreams were shattered when King was killed. Revolutionary leaders such as Malcolm and King do not live for long as the same forces kill them they are trying to change. 

Question for Discussion 

What was the role of Martin Luther King Junior in the Civil Rights Movement? 

References 

Cone, J. H. (1991).  Martin & Malcolm & America: A dream or a nightmare . Orbis Books. 

King, M. L., & Washington, J. M. (1986).  A testament of hope: the essential writings of Martin Luther King, jr . Harper & Row.