Editorial - January 2004

MLK Jr. was guided by church teachings

Published January 19, 2004

When you think about Martin Luther King Jr. on this special day of celebration, his church orientation comes immediately to mind. Many insist on using the “Rev.” title before his name. His base of support was made up of black churches all across the nation, and especially in the South. King was born the son of a Baptist minister in Atlanta, Ga. His father served as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, a church founded by King Jr.’s maternal grandfather. He was brought up in church surroundings as he attended segregated public schools. He entered Morehouse College and graduated in 1948 with a degree in sociology before going to Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania in 1951. He went to Boston University where he earned a doctoral degree in theology in 1955. His academic performance and his pursuit of an extensive Christian education showed his intelligence as well as his commitment to religious principals he learned from his family.

It was in college that he discovered his speaking ability, and, obviously, it was during his school years that he came to know the divisive segregation practices of his time. In 1954 King became a pastor himself at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. It was in Montgomery that he found widespread grievances among blacks, especially with the bus drivers who forced them into the back seats. He soon became a protest leader, not only in Montgomery, but in southern cities every where. He helped found the Southern Christian (notice the word Christian) Leadership Conference in 1957. It was the SCLC that led many of the protest campaigns in Georgia and Alabama. His “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” dwelled on the moral responsibility of disobeying unjust laws.

One of the greatest attributes of King’s long battle for civil rights was his advocacy of non-violence. While he was willing to break a law (he considered unjust) he was not willing to pursue acts of violence. It was that belief, enkindled by his Christian upbringing and schooling,  that made many listen to his message.

These lines came from his “I Have a Dream” speech: “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”

It was in that spirit that King became known as the “peaceful warrior.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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