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As President Jimmy Carter said in 1977 when posthumously presenting the Presidential Medal of Honor to Dr. King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, “He was the conscience of his generation>”
Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 for courageously stepping outside the safe and familiar confines of Ebenezer Baptist Church and speaking truth to power to a nation-wide congregation.
He spoke of housing and employment discrimination; he spoke of voters rights denied; he spoke of wars that drained our country’s ability to care adequately for our needs; and he spoke of a widening gap of income equality. He challenged the Church to walk-the-walk and not hide behind self-serving platitudes. He spoke most compellingly about how the evils of white supremacy harm us all. In 1968, these were dangerous ideas.
On the commemoration of Martin’s 86th birthday, I thank God for his time among us and wonder, after nearly 50 years, how dangerous these ideas remain. I guess the same could be asked for Jesus, after two millenia.