The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr

Last updated on: January 8, 2024 at 8:39 am by Rob Dalrymple

The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr 2024-01-08T08:39:49-08:00 Rob Dalrymple

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Just over a year ago I wrote an article titled, “Donald Trump is no saint” (https://www.patheos.com/blogs/evangelicalpulpit/2018/10/donald-trump-is-no-saint-rob-dalrymple/). The article was in response to a letter sent to me. The premise of the letter was that since God has used “very flawed” persons throughout the Bible, perhaps, he could use such today (i.e., Trump).

I responded by noting that “very flawed” was not a proper designation for Noah, Moses, and Paul (some of the persons the letter characterized as used by God and “very flawed”). Now, I don’t deny that all persons in history, including those men and women that God has used, are sinners. But, to use “very flawed” for Noah, Moses, Paul, et al, leaves us no recourse to distinguish Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot from the rest of humanity. Indeed, we are all sinners in need of the grace of God. Some just seemed to have cornered the market of “flawedness” more than others.

Yesterday morning, while I was attending a breakfast to honor Martin Luther King Jr, I happened to take a quick peek at my email, only see to one titled, “Another very flawed man” sitting in my inbox. The brief note contained a link to an article that contends that the FBI was about to release extensive details regarding MLK’s troubling sexual misconduct. I was deeply grieved by the email.

My dismay stems from that fact that yesterday was the day that the U.S. government had set aside to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Now, there is a simple culturally accepted notion that regardless of one’s past transgressions it is not appropriate to bring them forth during a memorial service. A memorial service is to honor a person’s legacy not to detract from it.

More significantly, the attempt to denigrate MLK’s character on the day the nation had set aside to honor his legacy was an attempt altar the conversation from the issues that King was fighting for and against and to direct it instead to his character. In otherwords, even if the accusations of the FBI against King were true, yesterday was not the day to discuss them.

Instead, yesterday was the day to address the issues that MLK was trying to bring to the forefront: the radical, systemic injustices that proliferate our country.

Yesterday was a day for all Americans to recognize the realities under which people of color live on a day to day basis.
Yesterday was a day for us all to realize that we are all created by God and in His image—regardless of the color of our skin, our gender, or our socio-political status.
Yesterday was not the day to question the character of MLK. To do would be to detract from the very important conversations that King and many others fought so hard, and for which King paid his life, to bring to the fore.

Now, does this mean that MLK lived a life without blemish? Certainly not. As I already noted, one of the core teachings of Scripture is that we are all sinners.

As for the accusations against Dr King, allow me to address them briefly.

There is no question that the FBI was doing everything possible to undermine MLK and others. King was consistently accused of working with the Communists. Because of this “accusation” (for which, to my knowledge, no evidence was ever found) he was deemed a threat to the U.S.’s national security and served as the primary justification for the FBI’s investigations.

This alone should cause suspicion as to what they found. Could it be the U.S. government wanted to supress the work of the foremost civil rights leader and that they were willing to do so at all costs? Did they “find” a “just” reason for the surveillance of America’s foremost civil rights leader in order to justify their intense scrutiny and the bugging of his hotel rooms?

Now, I realize that this is a significant accusation. And, maybe there are truths in what the FBI may have found in regard to MLK and sexual misconduct. Maybe. But the actions and motives of the FBI were suspect and as a result their findings should be questioned.

If these findings are deemed true, it will be sobering for many. It will confirm that we are all sinners in need of a savior. It will detract from MLK’s legacy. What it cannot do, what we cannot let it do, is deter us from the conversations that King was bringing to the fore.

Our pledge of allegiance says, “with liberty and justice for all.” May this indeed be true!

Martin Luther King Jr

Previous Post

January 13, 2020

The Gospel and Mission pt 5

Next Post

January 27, 2020 The Christian Life is About Making God Known: The Gospel and Mission pt 6

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 000 1 Cor 11:17-34 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Peter 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 10 Commandments 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Peter 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John 666 Abortion Acts 2:42 Ahmaud Arbery AIPAC All Saints Day America antisemitism BDS Beast Betting Bible Bible study Biblical Interpretation Biden Book of Acts Boycott Campus Protests Catholicism Ceasefire Chavez Ravine Christian Nationalism Christian Zionism Christianity Today Christmas Church Colossians Communion Convict Leasing Covid-19 Craig Blaising creation Crucifixion Daoud Nassar Deception Deconstruction Democracy Devotional guide Discipleship Easter Eden Education Election End-times Ephesians Eschatology Ethnic Cleansing Evangelicalism Evangelicals Evolution Fall Famine Fascism FIFA Freedom of Speech Galatians Gary Burge Gaza Gaza; Genocide; Boycott Genesis Genocide George Floyd Global Warming God's will Gospel Gospel of John Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Government Grace Great Prostitute Hamas Harris healthcare Hebrews HeGetsUs Holy Spirit Holy Week Honor Father and Mother ICJ Immigration Indigenous peoples day Iran Israel Israel Palestine Itamar Ben Gvir James Jesus Joel Willits Jude Just war Justice Kamala Harris Kingdom Of God Kings and Queens land of Israel Law (OT) Lazarus Les Miserable LGBTQ+ Love Luke Mahmoud Khalil Man of Lawlessness Mark Mark of the Beast Marriage Martin Luther King Jr Mercy Mexican Repatriation Military-Industrial-Complex Ministry Mission Money NAFTA Nakba Netanyahu New Creation New Testament Nicaragua Nicodemus Non Violence Occupation Pacifism Palestine Parable Paul Peace Pentecost Peonage Philemon Philippians Politics Poor Power Prayer Pride Month Priests Pro-life Propaganda Prophesy Prophet Qatar Queen Elizabeth Racism Reconstruction Redemption Reformation Resurrection Revelation Roe v Wade Romans Romans 13:1-7 Rome Russia Sabbath Samaritan Seals Sermon Settlements Slavery Spiritual gifts Taxes Tent of Nations Terrorism The Beast Theology Titus Torture Trump truth Ukraine Uncategorized Veteran's Day War Warsaw Ghetto wealth Wedding Women World Cup 2022 Worldview Worship Wrath Yemen Zionism

Select a Month September 2026 May 2026 February 2026 November 2025 October 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 March 2018 September 2017 July 2017 May 2017 November 2016 October 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was Elijah's successor, receiving a double portion of his spirit?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Micaiah Obadiah Elisha Samuel

Support this
Column