"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
 

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”

This was the greatest prediction of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he delivered his speech on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Washington, D.C., Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for jobs and freedom.

Surprisingly, 40 years, nine months and sixteen days from his assassination, when Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States, the dream of a great visionary, humanist and a Christian minister was finally taken a physical shape in America. As it is reported in Atlanta “this is history,” said Salaam Ali, a motorbike courier, 53, “I never thought I’d see the day when I could vote for a black president.” President Obama did choke when he mentioned about the contribution of Luther King for the oppressed Americans during his victory address at Chicago on 4th Nov.2008.

During the invocation prayer of the Oath-swearing ceremony of Obama, Pastor Rick Warren rightly mentioned that Dr.King and a cloud of witnesses in Heaven are rejoicing in this occasion. Like late K.R. Narayanan, the first Dalit President of India was the contribution of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the founder of Indian Constitution, the elevation of Mr. Obama as President of America is the fulfillment of the vision of Dr. King.

Recently, a friend asked me about my response to Obama’s grand victory in the Presidential election in America. Honestly speaking, I do not draw any theological or biblical conclusion on Obama’s success rather I am more convinced that a real and substantial vision of a man will fulfill one day or other. It would be appropriate to reflect upon this great Christian visionary leader, Martin Luther King and his involvement in the social transformation, which may motivate the Christian leadership in India.
 

During the invocation prayer of the Oath-swearing ceremony of Obama, Pastor Rick Warren rightly mentioned that Dr.King and a cloud of witnesses in Heaven are rejoicing in this occasion. Like late K.R.Narayanan, the first Dalit President of India was the contribution of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, the founder of Indian Constitution, the elevation of Mr. Obama as President of
America is the fulfillment of the vision of Dr. King.
 

Some Christian leaders are contended with only spiritual matters and ignoring the social realities and the need of accomplishing their responsibilities. Majority of Christians believe that raising their voice against social evils or participating in the social action is unspiritual or unholy.

We should not disregard the tremendous impact of some godly Christians like A.W. Hume, who founded the Indian National Congress for the freedom struggle in India. Though Indian historians deliberately overlook the role of William Carey and attach significance to Rajaram Mohan Rai on abolishing ‘Sati’, no one can ignore Carey’s long crusade in India and in the British Parliament along with William Wilberforce against the sacred killing of young widows.

We have developed a psychological syndrome to brand someone as liberal, Communist or unspiritual when they expose and fight against social anomalies. Instead, one should ask “what would Jesus do against such social problems if He were present?” In a recent discourse in New Delhi, while narrating his personal association with Dalit issues, a great Christian writer, Vishal Mangalwadi insisted on the active participation of the Indian Churches against social evils. History reminds us that every fight for the cause of humanity will be rewarded subsequently.

Amazingly, the revolutionary, Dr. King had a firm Christian background. Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 in the Ebenezer Baptist Church pastor’s family in Atlanta, where his grand father, father and he too pastored. His mother Alberta Williams King, was a school teacher. Although his original name was Michel Luther King Jr., after visinting Germany, his father changed it to Martin Luther King in honour of the Protestant leader from Germany. He had an older sister, Willy Christine King and an younger brother, Alfred Daniel William King.

Although young Martin was an excellent student during his early education, he too was a victim of colour discrimination. He attended several segregated public schools in Georgia and graduated from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. He did complete three years of theological study at a predominantly white majority institution, Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, where he was elected as the President and was awarded B.D. in 1951. With a fellowship won at Crozer, he received his doctoral degree in Systematic Theology at Boston University, in 1955. King was ordained in 1947 and in 1954 became minister of a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1953, he married a brilliant woman, Coretta Scott and they had two sons and two daughters.

Even though he was a minister of the Gospel, Dr. King was sensible to the deplorabe conditions of his black fellowmen around and could not remain silent. King believed in the core of the Gospel- human equality and dignity of life. He greatly admired the black social gospel proponents like his father and believed that Church is the best place to bring transformation in the life of the Afro-Americans. Benjamin Mays, the President of Morehuse College and other progressive thinkers inspired him to become a minister of the church and serve his people. So he declined other academic offers and joined the pastorate of Dexter Aveneue Baptist Church at Alabama.

He got involved with the civil rights movement and led the 382 days black boycott (1955-56) of segregated city bus lines, where the blacks were not allowed to travel in public bus service. He was elected as the President of the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association. Later, King became a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the leading organization of its kind in the nation.
 

Luther believed that fight against injustice is the bound responsibility of each Christian though the ransom would be huge. In his battle for his race, he was arrested almost twenty times and assaulted four times.
 

In 1957, he was the elected President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization which gave him a base to further the civil-rights activities, first in the South and later nationwide. In 1958 Martin published his first book, Stride toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. In 1959 he made his historic visit to India to learn about the Non–violence movement of Mahatma Gandhi. Meanwhile he resigned from Dexter and moved to SCLC headquarters at Atlanta.

In 1961, when the Albany movement initiated nonviolent campaign against all sorts of segregation, King also joined in their agitation and was arrested. Again when he returned in 1962 to the city, he was sentenced for forty-five days in jail or a fine of $.178; King did not favour his release. But after three days, the Chief Pritchett released him by depositing his fine.

Initially, King avoided public confrontation of the blacks but later he realized the need of mass meetings. During the spring of 1963, he and his staff guided mass demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, which was viciously encountered by the police and King was jailed. On 28 August, King and the other so-called “Big Six” civil rights groups organized the historic March to Washington D.C. for Jobs and Freedom with 2,50,000 protestors, where he delivered his master piece sermon “I Have a Dream” from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which marked him as one of the greatest orators of United States.

In 1964 King and SCLC promoted the black’s night demonstrations at St. Augustine, Florida which were brutally attacked by the whites and hundreds were jailed. The Civil Rights Movement suffered a major set back when an Alabama local judge barred their public gatherings and protests. However, King deified the order and addressed large gathering at Brown Chapel in 1965. The notorious Bloody Sunday March which was conducted on 7 March 1965 from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery was brutally encountered by the police.

Subsequently, on 25 march , 1965 at a major gathering at the steps of state capitol, King delivered his famous oration , “how long, not long.” In 1968, King and the SCLC organized the “Poor People’s Campaign” to address issues of economic justice. The campaign culminated in a march on Washington, D.C. demanding economic aid to the poorest communities of the United States.

As a valour in the battle field, King laid down his life for the cause he upheld. This great freedom-lover was shot by James Carl Ray, a carrier criminal at 6:01 p.m. April 4, 1968 on the balcony of Lorraine Motel, in Memphis, Tenneese while he was discussing about the evening performance with the musician Ben Branch. He was there to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of the city.

Throughout his struggle for justice, King pursued the philosophy of nonviolent resistance almost similar to the Gandhian Satyagraha. The concept of civil disobedience which Gandhi promoted during the freedom struggle was based on Henry David Thoreau’s On the Duty of Civil Disobedience (1849). Gandhi was a heavily influenced Thoreau’s view that the individual, who grants the state its power in the first place, must follow the dictates of conscience in opposing unjust laws.

Luther believed that fight against injustice is the bound responsibility of each Christian though the ransom would be huge. Howard Thurman, a theologian, educator and civil rights activist was another motivator of the King.Walter Fluker, who has studied Thurman’s writings, has stated, “I don’t believe you’d get a Martin Luther King, Jr. without a Howard Thurman.”

In his battle for his race, he was arrested almost twenty times and assaulted four times. His house was bombed and alleged him as a Communist due to his association with Lawyer-advisor Stanley D. Levison. He was the target of the Government and especially, the FBI director J.Edgar Hoover, who was very critical against King’s movement. King was a victim of character assassination and internal bickering in the movement. Militant blacks were not comfortable with the non-violent initiatives of King. Some Americans suspected his patriotism because of his open resentment against Vietnam War. He believed that the war took money and resource that could have been spent on the war on poverty.

Major Achievements of King
As Reformer & Social Activist
His fight for social justice and equality made tremendous impact on the American administration and judiciary. New initiatives were introduced to restore equal rights of public facility for the Afro-Americans. On Dec. 21, 1956, the Supreme Court of the United States had declared unconstitutional the laws requiring segregation on buses, began to operate on a desegregated basis. International community accepted his contributions for the freedom of the blacks. Thus, at the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. King announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the movement.

Writer
Besides his magical oratory, numerous articles and five books were credited to his authorship. His “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, is known as the Manifesto of the Negro Revolution.

Mass Crusader
During the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, this mass crusader traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, and action.

As a Christian Stalwart
Although he was leading a freedom struggle, King was keen to uphold the Christian ideals for his organization, though its operational techniques borrowed from Gandhi. When militant forces emerged in the group, Luther was firm on his uncompromising Christian values.

Political Legacy
Undoubtedly, the political mileage of the President-elect Barack Obama is greatly indebted to the accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is evident to the greatness of Martin Luther King Jr. that nearly every major city in the U.S. has a street or school named after him. Albert Lutuli, a black Nobel Peace prize winner and fighter of social justice in South Africa had gracefully acknowledged the influence and inspiration of King on Black Consciousness Movement and Civil Rights Movement. Undoubtedly, King has set a classical example of social responsibility of a Christian leader against unchristian and unethical treatment towards fellowmen. Due to his efforts, the history of America has been changed; otherwise it would have remained like South Africa as an apartheid state in the world.

Lesson to Indian Church
Both India and America were founded upon democratic values and emphasis. However, division and discrimination on the lines of caste and colour have denied the fortunes and prospects to many people in both countries. By and large, a major section of the society is out of the preview of such providence. Paradoxically, both the blacks and whites are Christians in America.
 

The Indian church is also looking for a Martin Luther King, who can fight for equal dignity and privilege within the fold. As long as the Indian Christianity remains in discrimination and disparity, we are demoralized in our claims of ‘one in Christ.’
 

Unfortunately, the Christian community in India is also divided on account of their race of origin. We call some original Christians, converted Christians, Dalit Christians and tribal Christians. Some Christians are practicing sheer exclusivism in the church and denominations. Many Christian institutions are not willing to accommodate the poor Christian children.

Christian establishments were once known for services of the poor and unprivileged. Now they have become refuge for the elites and wealthy and corruption is rampant. Power-mongers exercise cheap games to capture leadership and administration. The sense of unity is lacking in the Indian Church and some are treated as out casts and second level Christians in the community.

Even though, Church authorities and leaders are aware of such anomolies, no one is interested in the cause of the marginalized in the Christian community. Neo-economic liberalism has widened the gap between the rich and poor in the church. Prosperity theology and materialistic ideology has influenced many Christians to betray the purity of Christian dogma and to accumulate wealth and power.

The India church is also looking for a Martin Luther King, who can fight for equal dignity and privilege within the fold. As long as the Indian Christianity remains in discrimination and disparity, we are demoralized in our claims of ‘one in Christ.’

(Writer can be contacted at dasbless@yahoo.co.in)

This page is updated on February 21, 2009