Reading a Letter from a Birmingham Jail
While "I Have a Dream" is an incredible speech and piece of writing, I encourage all to take 20-30 minutes to read Letter from a Birmingham Jail today. Dr. King reads a bit like the Apostle Paul, addressing the church leaders in Birmingham and making the case for justice and equality, often by quoting ancient biblical writers. Here are a few highlights that had me thinking deeper.
"I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes."
It's one thing to recognize that racism exists, but it’s another to go further and ask why it exists. Why is the rate of black home ownership so much lower than white home ownership? Why is there such a high percentage of black players in the NFL but such a low percentage of black coaches? Why did George Floyd’s murder happen? I would rather learn more about the source of the disease to root it out than focus on perpetually treating the symptoms.
“An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.”
As Christians, we believe all of humanity is made in the image of God, and we are instructed over and over and over again in Scripture to honor that image of God in others. If there are laws that exist that tarnish that image or impede the Kingdom of Heaven way of life that Jesus died for, whether it’s a result of the war on drugs or the impact of bail on innocent or low-income prisoners, we must not stand for it.
“So I have not said to my people: "Get rid of your discontent." Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. And now this approach is being termed extremist. But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
Scripture is filled with examples (like Jesus, Amos, and Paul) of people labeled extremists, but who helped draw their world closer to the Kingdom of God. This shouldn’t be abnormal to us, and rather than being opposed to Dr. King’s efforts or, perhaps worse, neutral and silent on his efforts, the Church should have been standing arm-in-arm with him.
“But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church. How could I do otherwise? I am in the rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists.”
I have spent plenty of time over the last few years being critical of the Church in the U.S. However, I’ve also been slowly reminded of how beautiful it can be when functioning as intended. Dr. King’s words have further encouraged me to both seek this unity and to be a part of the healing and service in the pursuit of a radical faith.