Dr Martin Luther King Links
I've previous post on Letter from a Birmingham Jail on how I like to read Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail every year.
After reading it again today I thought I'd post a few links on the day we celebrate his life. There is much more to the man than the few quotes we see every year on this holiday.
This quote from his letter has been bouncing in my head today. Like John Piper's Letter to Dr King, I think this is prophetic:
But the judgement of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. I am meeting young people every day whose disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust.
Some links from the always interesting Jemar Tisby. First, he had some great comments on #BlackLivesMatter and the pro-life movement. His is not the only opinion on the page, but he resonated with me most.
Next, take time to read this: The Master Narrative: The Popular, but Problematic Memory of the Civil Rights Movement.
And finally, a great video of Tisby, Trip Lee, and Alex Medina discussing "What About the Minority Experience in America Do Whites Often Miss?"
Speaking of Trip Lee, I watched a great 3 minute video from him on the Gospel and Race. It's worth your time.
Finally, two book suggestions. Both of these help give you an idea of who Dr. King was, not just the sanitized version that is popular today.
The first is The Radical King. It is a collection of speeches and writings from Dr King that give you an idea of how the man thought. It's organized by category, and is easy to read in small bites. The comments from Cornel West help supply context without getting in the way.
The second book is Death of a King, about the final year of his life. Tavis Smiley does a great job showing how, while he is popular today, King's views about state violence and poverty made many people withdraw their support. Before reading about this I had never heard this part of the story. There is also a great interview with Smiley on The Daily Show discussing the book.
Take some time and learn about Dr. King. He truly is an American icon, and with good reason. I believe it will be time well spent.