The Faith Motivation of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Excerpt from Dr. Jemar Tisby Talk - Beyond the Quotable King.
Dr. Jemar Tisby's Talk, "Beyond the Quotable King."
In these times, and especially in light of Rev. Dr. King, Jr. holiday, it is fitting for us to recognize the value and importance of civil liberties and constitutional rights.
Only a few decades ago, our recent ancestors did not always have the right to vote, were not respected as human peers, experienced discrimination, hardship, and even death simply for being African American.
The facts of history, verified by events from the past to the present day, confirm that racism and white supremacy are not merely stains on the fabric of our nation. They are threads that helped form and shape that fabric. At the same time, we must also acknowledge that the fabric of our nation has many good threads.
As we observe the Dr. King holiday, let us remember the man, not only for his memorable quotes, but for his deep faith in God. It was that faith that motivated him to serve and ultimately to give his life for the humane treatment of all people and for the civil liberties of all Americans.
Dr. King’s work was consistent with Scripture.
The prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter 1, verse 17:
“Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
Jesus said in Luke chapter 4, verse 18:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians chapter 5, verse 1:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow yourselves to be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Today, we are witnessing an era of Christian nationalism that seeks to use the levers of government power to force people to follow their version of God. This approach inevitably leads to inhumane tactics and the punishment of those who do not conform.
This has always been the outcome of merging church and government. It is why people fled England—casting off the oppression of an authoritarian king who believed himself divinely appointed to rule without restraint. It is also why there is no Scripture embedded in the United States Constitution. The founders never intended the nation to be ruled by religion.
Yet that is precisely what Christian nationalists are attempting to do in our day.
The Christian nationalist worldview insists that the nation should look and behave like them. As a result, the Constitution becomes a barrier to their objectives. This is why constitutional mandates such as due process are often disregarded, and injustice is allowed to flourish, such as with the arrest and detainment of U.S. citizens on the suspicion (not probable cause) that they might be undocumented. Christian nationalist patriotism is rooted in self-service and racial superiority.
By contrast, the brilliance and righteousness of Dr. King’s movement was its commitment to being salt and light, influencing government to do right by the people. They did not seek to control government, but to influence those within it to make justice and righteousness the standard.
To Dr. King, the U.S. Constitution was a promissory note, one made to all people, especially Black Americans, at a time when they were not treated as beneficiaries of the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's embodied a genuine patriotism rooted in service to others.
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by Bryan Hudson
