Martin Luther King Jr.

In his memorable “Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr., threw down the gauntlet in his great Civil Rights crusade when he refused to obey what he regarded as an immoral man-made law that did not match up with the law of God.

Just as our nation urgently needed (and needs) a civil rights movement to advance equality for all Americans, so too do we need a spiritual movement to advance morality for all Americans.

Dr. King understood the significance of Israel, and his visit to Jerusalem was remarkable in many ways. But he also understood, and indeed reflected on, the significance of Israel to Black slaves in the U.S.

Though President Ronald Reagan signed into law a national holiday to honor Civil Rights Movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1983, it was not fully observed by all 50 states until the year 2000. While in recent years, some of King's views and actions have been called into question, one thing is clear, King was sure about the doctrine of the image of God. The way that this exclusively Christian idea shaped his leadership and activism demonstrates what a world-changing doctrine it is.

While Martin Luther King Jr. Day is mostly commemorated with quotes and clips of King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and footage of bus boycotts and the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, some of the most important moments of King’s work came later, as he turned his attention from civil rights to poverty and the Vietnam War. Here’s a sampling:

 Commemorations of the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. look different this year, with few in-person opportunities to preach, pray and volunteer in person amid the coronavirus pandemic. But many online gatherings will apply his messages of years ago to the current crises the country is facing.

As a work of moral philosophy, Colson and the Georges are absolutely correct about their assessment of Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” It is unparalleled in its clarity about the nature of law, what constitutes an unjust law, and our responsibility to respond to unjust laws. Twenty years ago, Chuck Colson reflected on Dr. King’s legacy, and the most important contributions from his Letter from a Birmingham Jail: Here is Chuck Colson:

David Vryhof of the Society of St. John the Evangelist: “Why would we choose to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us? Because this is the way of God. 

“God never stops loving, never stops caring, never stops blessing. Yes, it’s outrageous. It’s impractical. It’s unrealistic. It’s beyond us. Which is why we need God and why we need each other."

American is celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, so it's possible you are wondering why I am leading today's column with football. Here’s what the teams who competed yesterday and Dr. King have in common: they illustrate the cultural leverage of excellence.

As Americans come together to celebrate the birthday of the late, great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. his daughter shares insight on how we can all live out his legacy by loving one another.