Remembering Another King Family Victim of Gun Violence

Last updated on: January 19, 2016 at 7:51 pm by Dwight Lee Wolter

Remembering Another King Family Victim of Gun Violence 2016-01-19T19:51:59+00:00 Dwight Lee Wolter

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.

Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta. Photo by Dwight Wolter.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was not the only member of his immediate family who was murdered. Dr. King’s mother, Alberta King, was fatally shot as she sat at the Ebenezer Baptist Church’s new organ, playing “The Lord’s Prayer” as her husband, Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. was in the pulpit, preaching. She was 70 years old. Her husband, Rev. King, Sr. watched it all as it happened during a Sunday morning church service.

Rev. King, Jr. was killed by a white man who had something against black people. Mrs. King was killed by a black man who had nothing against black people, but hated Christians. Rev. King, Sr., had to bury his son and his wife: both victims of gun violence.

If, as Dr. King famously said, injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere ~ then so too is it true that hatred anywhere is hatred everywhere ~ and violence anywhere is violence everywhere.

I felt sick to my stomach as I stood at the organ at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. But the sickness soon faded and was replaced by the resolve to look beyond whose lives matter and whose lives don’t. I felt the resolve to look beyond white-on-black, black-on-white, black-on-black and white-on-white violence to see just plain old, common as mud violence.

The other day, I heard, once again, many of the pleas of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for non-violence. And I heard Mrs. Alberta King’s plea from the grave for the same. Lord, have mercy on us. And may we learn to have mercy on each other.

Dwight Lee Wolter is the author of several books and the pastor of the Congegational Church of Patchogue on Long Island, New York. He blogs at dwightleewolter.com

Previous Post

January 15, 2016

Turning Wine Into Water and Other Everyday Miracles

Next Post

January 25, 2016 Curing our Theological Laryngitis: A Q&A with Tripp Fuller

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Author Interviews Battle Over the Body and Blood of Christ Bearing Beauty Book Reviews Christian Education christian spirituallity christianity Christmas Church Church Leadership Contemplation Creation Care Death and Dying Death Penalty Disruptive Change Disruptors Series Easter Education Evolution and Faith Future of Progressive Christianity Gun Violence Health & Wellness Holy Week Interfaith Israel-Palestine Leading Differently Lent LGBTQ Living with Cancer Meditations on the Cross Mental Illness millennials Mimetic Mondays Monday Meditations Movie Reviews New Monasticism Pando Populus Parenting Patheos 10+1 Q&A Series PC(USA) Politics Pop Culture Practical Theology Series Prayer progressive christian Race Relations Reformation religion Religion and Politics Religion in America Rethink Church Social Justice Spirituality Spirituality of the Body Stump a Scholar Technology and Faith Thanksgiving Theodicy Trust Me Church Uncategorized Why I'm Still Christian Youth Ministry

Select a Month December 2025 April 2025 January 2025 September 2023 September 2022 May 2022 February 2022 January 2022 November 2021 October 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 June 2019 March 2019 January 2019 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus say about judging people?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Judge fairly Judge not Judge yourself only Judge justly