For the Love of the King (Annotated)

His understanding of the eternal played a great role in his temporal actions fighting injustice during his life. King explores the nature of love, the interrelationship of all things, and the search for moral and ontological absolutes -- the existence of God -- rather than relativism. What he says is not necessarily original but it is expressed with power, eloquence, and sincerity.

The book focuses at least as much on God and on worship as it does on the need for action to combat injustice in the world. In King's view a religious outlook drives his temporal efforts. He recognizes in the sermons that humanistic people could share in his efforts for social justice while not sharing his religious commitments. King respects this view but clearly rejects it for himself. The sermons address important theological and philosophical issues such as the relationship between science and religion, the mixture of good and evil in human nature, the problem of evil, fundamentalism and liberalism in approaching Scriptural texts and much more.

King talks a great deal about his reading and studies and about the views that influenced him. I learned a great deal both about King and about the difficult questions he addresses. The sermons I most enjoyed included "A Tough Mind and a Tender Heart" which explores the roles of justice and love in religious life, "Transformed Nonconformist" which emphasizes how religious life requires in part a response to the divine rather than simply to the mores of a society.

In "How should a Christian View Communism" King both articulates his own strong Christian, idealist commitments which rejecting the materialism and ethical relativism of communism. The final essay"Pilgrimage to Nonviolence" explores some of King's activism but it includes as well a great deal of information about King's intellectual growth.

This volume taught me a great deal about King's religious and philosophical thinking and about his commitment to social justice using nonviolent methods. The book has little of the radicalism found in some of King's latter writings. The book shows King at his best as a outstandingly gifted, thoughtful religious individual and African American minister.

The book helped me understand King and his mission. Sep 21, Efox rated it it was amazing Shelves: He is able to give us the inner equilibrium to stand tall amid the trials and burdens of life. He is able to provide an inner peace amid outer storms. This inner stability of the man of faith is Christ's chief legacy to his disciples. He offers neither material resources nor a magical formula that exempts us from suffering and persecution, but he brings an impe "Admitting the weighty problems and staggering disappointments, Christianity affirms that God is able to give us the power to meet them.

He offers neither material resources nor a magical formula that exempts us from suffering and persecution, but he brings an imperishable gift: It still spoke to me this time, in a powerful and profound way. A collection of Martin Luther King Jr. It does a phenomenal job of explaining his intellectual and theological underpinnings for nonviolent activism and for general Christian activism against social injustice - wherever it may be found.

Additionally, the sermons were very heartening, thought provoking and spiritually uplifting, even though my time and situation are different. I strongly recommend this book. Mar 16, Will rated it it was amazing Shelves: Whether an agnostic, devout protestant, curious catholic or even aethist Read and discover why we celebrate this man. A visionary beyond words, yet it is through words that we understand the greatest realms of his imagination.

Im still an agnostic, but after reading I feel like ive finally discovered the power of "the word" and gained respect for a man of his time but who was o Two words: Im still an agnostic, but after reading I feel like ive finally discovered the power of "the word" and gained respect for a man of his time but who was outside of it. Oct 21, Marcian Enache-Poti rated it it was amazing Shelves: One must read this book to understand that Martin Luther King Jr.

Just as strength to love is more and beyond the mundane romantic understanding our society generally tends to invests in the word "love".

Unexpected, impressive, inspirational and a valuable lesson about life, virtues, attitude and meaning. And it all sums up to love. This book feels like the essence of the man and figure Martin Luther King Jr. Thus I very much look forward to reading his other writings. The last one, explaining how his ideas about non-violence developed, is excellent, and well worth the price of the book. I knew the timeline of events in his life, and what he stood for.

But apart from I Have a Dream, I had never read or listened to his work. I am so glad I remedied that. I could see the development of his scholarship and ideas, and how he used them to challenge his own Black Baptist church tradition, daring it not to be complacent, as well as challenging white churches. He called upon everyone to embrace the true spirit of Christianity, which he defined as brotherhood, inclusiveness, justice and equality, brought about by nonviolent means.

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He never stated that God would wipe away injustice if faith and belief were strong enough. He said the people must stand up, resist, suffer and persevere. He also believed that winning would not mean vanquishing the enemies, but would mean living together as one society. King had a good knowledge of philosophy, psychology and sociology as well as theology, and he often cited sources. In many of the sermons, he built a case for his views based on science and reason, and would then say pure knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient. Faith, hope, courage, love and suffering are also required.

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The sermons were meant to be delivered and not read on a page, so they use the cadence of spoken language. He especially liked to identify opposites and use repetition: He did use the stories and the work of women in a few examples. The sermons predate second-wave feminism. There is no doubt that he believed in social justice, and he spoke up for racial and religious tolerance. It is easy to think his beliefs would have eventually led him to speak for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community — as Coretta Scott King certainly did.

Throughout his sermons, Dr. In my opinion, there is a fine line in Christianity when it comes to glorifying suffering. But since he was a Baptist minister, I do not expect him to defend atheism and humanism. I thought this was a fantastic book. It showed the roots of Dr. It was optimistic and inspiring. And some of the lines could have been written this week: Our minds are constantly being invaded by legions of half-truths, prejudices and false facts. May 24, Jasmine rated it it was amazing.

Strength to Love is a compilation of sermons by Dr. King that includes many of the quotes by him that are circulated on MLK day and throughout the year. These sermons provide a necessary context for each quote. They reveal his disapproval of police brutality and poverty. They reveal the man who called on the church to address racism and segregation within its own walls and in communities across the country Strength to Love is a compilation of sermons by Dr. They reveal the man who called on the church to address racism and segregation within its own walls and in communities across the country through social action.

King, who was disliked by many, is often erased from conversations and lessons on his legacy. In contrast to erasing Dr. While the quotes that are circulated on MLK day and throughout the year are inspiring to Christians and non-Christians, it is important to remember that they are inspired by the Bible, rooted in Dr.

King without his faith in God. But now I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. God will be at your side forever. I was ready to face anything. The outer situation remained the same, but God had given me inner calm.

Three nights later, our home was bombed. Strangely enough, I accepted the word of the bombing calmly. My experience with God had given me a new strength and trust. I knew now that God is able to give us the interior resources to face the storms and problems of life. His faith in God— in spite of persecution, threats, ridicule, and mocking— is inspiring and serves as a reminder to me, as a Christian, that God is indeed able. May 15, Shari rated it it was amazing. One of the best books I've read in a long time. He says conquering the ignorance of those who promote segregation and prejudice requires love and forgiveness.

First, we must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. His ideas and goals are brilliant; his challenges so convicting! As he says, the church must be actively involved, individually and collectively letting God change us, and also acting to promote justice. I want to discuss these chapters with others. As a white person, how can I help make these goals our collective reality? How do we learn to forgive each other? Another note about the book. As I study the Bible, I see that God's first priority, from Genesis to Revelation, is to reconcile the relationship between Himself and all people, for His honor and glory.

If this book is an accurate reflection of King's priorities and values, it appears that his first priority is reconciliation and equality among people across racial lines by following the character, actions and values of Jesus, which in turn brings spiritual maturity. So while I agree with his assessments and challenges, I view this topic in a different larger picture than he does. This is a collection of 15 of Dr. King's sermons, which were originally published in I swear, almost all of them could have been written today, and they would still be just as relevant, just as applicable.

Here was an amazing man with an amazing point of view, who was passionate about justice and loving towards others, and who didn't need to scream the loudest in order to make a difference. I had never heard any of his sermons or speeches before, besides the "I Have a Dream This is a collection of 15 of Dr. I had never heard any of his sermons or speeches before, besides the "I Have a Dream" speech, so it was an honor to be able to experience more of his work.

Jul 02, Liz rated it it was amazing Shelves: This has to be one of my all-time favorite books. What a stalwart saint MLK Jr was, and I pick this book up again and again to be reminded what it means to love my enemy, persevere in trial, and be courageous in having a tough mind and soft heart. I'm grateful and so humbled. Originally copyrighted in , the content of this book still applies significantly to our lives today.

A book everyone should read.

Strength to Love

I had read it before many years ago, but re-read it now for an adult Sunday School class at a small black church. Many people knew little about King's speaking beyond the few video clips you hear over and over--"I Have a Dream" and "I've been to the Mountaintop. The book was originally published in , but this reprint is missing two of the original sermons, with no explanation. The main thing A book everyone should read. The main thing to say about this is how relevant these messages are to today.

It is uncanny, as though he is speaking to Donald Trump America.

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Nothing pains some people more than having to think. Let's cut funding for education more so that even more dumb people will swallow fake news and alternative facts. It occurred to me how much of contemporary TV and movies is filled with what I'd call "righteous violence. Then the show or movie ends and we assume that they live happily ever after. King emphasizes how false this is--that violence righteous or not leads to more violence, unless someone stands up to break the cycle.

And the problem is not just on the screen. If Trump has his way he will "wipe radical Islam off the face of the earth" that's righteous violence at its clearest , and God knows what will happen after that. We need the voice and spirit of King now more than ever: History is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued this self-defeating path" p. One drawback of the book which King himself acknowledges on p.

And in fact reading them is much more ponderous than listening to him preach. So it is useful to at least read some passages aloud. In our class we happen to have a man with a voice and cadence that sounds surprisingly like King, so it's fun to hear him read. Finally, I was interested to find that the quotation always attributed to King, that "the most segregated hour of the week is eleven o'clock on Sunday morning," is in fact attributed BY King to a "Professor Liston Pope" p.

But I was unable to discover where he said that. I am very happy to have read this collection of sermons over the past few months. I did so slowly, at times when I felt greatest anger over the GOP and Trump's repudiation of social justice and disregard for civil discourse. These sermons indeed grounded me and helped me think productively about the question "what can I do? Although King wrote and preached at the height of the the movement for desegregation and its violent aftermath, what struck me is just how little minds have changed, despite the "passing away" of "old systems of exploitation and oppression" that King references in the collection's final sermon Attorney General is a living relic of the violent resistance to desegregation, and the recent gutting of the Voting Rights Act has opened the way for greater exploitation.

Systems of economic injustice remain tied to racial injustice in this country, a legacy of slavery that is inescapable and no less relevant today than in or King also wrote at a time of great scientific change, just as we do now. Every day we see that technology helps us communicate faster and with greater ease, but it also has proved capable of manipulating national democratic processes!

Technology as made it easier to hurt one another on in deeply existential ways: Thus King's prophetic voice in "Paul's Letter to the Americans" is something we must consider today: How much of your modern life can be summarized in the words of your poet Thoreau: While we live in the midst of an "unimproved end," we need only turn inward and ask how we can take steps, individually and collectively, to speak truth to power, to follow King's example.

Dec 02, June Lee rated it it was amazing. So much goodness here that's relevant then and now. Every sermon is convicting. I also realized how optimistic he was. I felt conflicted by this. Perhaps that's his intent. Here are my favorite sermons and quotes. Sermons "A tough mind and a tender heart" "Transformed nonconformist" "A knock at midnight" "How should a Christian view communism?

Right and wrong are relatively to likes and dislikes and the customs of a particular community. We are gravely misled if we think the struggle will be won only by prayer" p "[Segregation] inflicts the segregated with a false sense of inferiority while confirming the segragator in a false estimate of his own superiority. You sense sometimes that the people doing it the most haven't spent a whole lot of time with his work. If they did, they might feel either unworthy or afraid to use his words so often and out of context. There might be something damning to their belief system or point right before or after the line they choose to quote.

In this collection, Dr. King the preacher and prophet calls out for Christian engagement with a troubled world. He's sharp, wide-ranging, and his ideas are embodied in the movements for which he calls. There's something inspiring, troubling, and disturbing for everyone here. That's the nature of good Christian thought.

I grew up in a faith tradition where he is often quoted and little read. Given room to develop in these sermons, his words helped lead me to clearer understanding of the role of the Church in politics, the shape that white supremacy takes, the traps set for Christians working toward justice, and the particular shape that sin takes in America. Sermons are brief, so reading this collection brought me into the company of great ideas, but it didn't develop them or show their source fully. I'm looking forward to reading and wrestling with more of Dr. King's work, both in my own studies and with my sons as they grow up.

Apr 24, Symon Hill rated it it was amazing. Too often Martin Luther King is treated as if he were simply a producer of random inspirational quotes with no context. In contrast, this short book gives a selection of his sermons and short writings that reveal both the depth of his ideas and their rootedness in concrete historical struggles. They also show how politics and theology cannot be separated when it comes to the ideas and life of Martin Luther King.

If you've not read King before and especially if you're coming from a Christian per Too often Martin Luther King is treated as if he were simply a producer of random inspirational quotes with no context. If you've not read King before and especially if you're coming from a Christian perspective , this is a good place to start. John Tyson, Houghton College. This excellent book should get more attention. It wasn't even offered for sale at the gift shop at the King historic site in Atlanta!

Five stars doesn't mean I always agree with him. But there are some chapters and passages that are worth all the attention I can give them. Jan 31, April rated it it was amazing. You can see the trailer for the documentary above. Or better yet, sign up for our daily email and get a daily dose of Open Culture in your inbox. Jonathan Crow is a Los Angeles-based writer and filmmaker whose work has appeared in Yahoo! You can follow him at jonccrow. We're hoping to rely on our loyal readers rather than erratic ads. To support Open Culture's continued operation, please consider making a donation.

And I wonder, why works of art present such polysemy? Because what we see in the deformable mirror, is our very own shifting self. Once I leave you, I expect you to carry out your responsibilities. I have to stress the negative aspect of the job because there are all these things which will come to mind once you are installed here. You see, even though Jack tried hard to kill his son he really, really loved him, you know? As a casting decision Nicholson was a no-brainer, since he excels at portraying men ruled by rage and libido.

Strength to Love by Martin Luther King Jr.

She manages to sustain her terror and avoid turning it into a one-note response — i. Squaring that circle is always hard. He drops them into his mind, so intricately designed, then replicated for the audience, and we watche. He plays his part, and we watch as inevitability takes its course. Not exactly; it means perplexed or puzzled, or at a loss. I would love to read the entire manuscript. The e-book is a great way to publish something like this, you could switch between the annotated and non-annotated versions instantly.

I highly recommend it. This article makes little use of this information. King disliked the film because the omission of much of the supernatural elements. While they were talking about the shining. Basically, Jack is the hero of the book. Kubrick made Jack the villain.

According to King, the character of Jack is supposed to descend deeper into madness, and he feels that Nicholson played the part as crazy from the start. This absolutely has to do with the movie. Click here to cancel reply. Get the best cultural and educational resources on the web curated for you in a daily email.

Unsubscribe at any time. Open Culture editor Dan Colman scours the web for the best educational media. Comments 19 You can skip to the end and leave a response.