Why I Love Martin Luther King

It's Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, and I love Martin Luther King Jr. He's one of those people you read about or watch a documentary on in history class. You hear about how he led the Civil Rights movement and helped achieve equality for the African-American population. You hear the first few words of his "I Have a Dream" speech, and even though I imagine very few Americans remember the rest of it, it's what he is known for, and that makes him an inspirational figure.

However, in school I don't remember learning much else about him. He was a great guy. He fought racism, got shot, and is a good example of what a good American should be, and that's about it. It really was not until last semester that I felt like I began to get to know Dr. King on a deeper level. A good portion of my Ethics class was focused on the witness that both Dietrich Bonhoeffer and King made to the gospel of Christ.

King was a pastor. That's something that is often mentioned in passing, but rarely do history texts or teachers really delve into how King's immersion within the tradition of the African American Baptist churches helped form in him a theology that did not simply remain frozen in the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church. To Dr. King, his faith moved him to act within the social sphere of his world. He saw the incompatibility between the Christian faith and the racial segregation that existed in the country at that time. Not only did he fight against the evils of racism, but also took on poverty and the Vietnam War. Of course, there were quite a few people who didn't like him. The people in power who are used to making victims of a social other (in this case the African Americans), never like it when they are exposed. Likewise, King's insistence on alleviating poverty and an end to a war that did not seem just, earned him the label of a "communist" by some.

Of course, King was not perfect. It was found out that part of his doctoral dissertation was plagiarized. The FBI, who were spying on him, made allegations of marital infidelity that are very likely true. Theologically, some of his beliefs about Christ may have been more in line with liberal protestantism than traditional or evangelical Christianity. For myself, I confess, these shortcomings have raised questions in my mind about the genuineness of his Christian faith. Will Martin Luther King Jr. be in heaven? That's something that we should not presume to try to answer. God, of course, is the only one who knows.

However, the fruit that his life bore, his love for his fellow human, his repudiation of hatred, racism, and violence, and his concern for the poor, did find its root in the gospel. He unapologetically used his faith in the reconciling power of Christ's love to promote his message. He realized that being a Christian did not simply mean sitting back while injustice was happening. (I would like to say something concerning the distasteful irony in regards to Glenn Beck's urging of Christians to flee churches that preach social justice, his alleged admiration of King, and his rally on the anniversary of King's speech, but I digress) He fought against the evil that was lurking in the collective conscience of this land using the weapons of nonviolence and forgiveness. For this reason, in my mind King serves as an example of what the socially conscious Christian should do in the face of racism, violence, and all other forms of injustice. As I think about King's legacy, I am reminded of the words of God to the Israelites, "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8). Let's consider how we can live out the gospel this weekend as we celebrate King's legacy,