On The Legacy of Dr. King

Today's lesson plan for my ninth grade English class centered on the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing specifically on the sermon he delivered entitled Our God Is Able. As I went through the biographical information in the textbook with my students, I realized that today is the 38th anniversary of his assassination, which occured April 4, 1968. Dr. King is, of course, remembered for his contribution to civil rights in America, but what I stress to my students is that he was an incredibly well educated and theologically sound expositor of God's word. I am not certain of his influences, but certainly I can detect the presence of Spurgeon, Edwards, and Schaeffer. He demonstrates a profound understanding of the sciences, as well as a vast depth and breadth of literary knowledge. Dr. King aspired to be a complete man, if only that message had permeated deeper into the culture he inspired.

In the following passage from the aforementioned sermon, Dr. King directs his listeners to accept God's sovereignty in the existence of evil.

At times other forces cause us to question the ableness of God. The stark and colossal reality of evil in the world - what Keats calls "the giant agony of the world;" ruthless floods and tornadoes that wipe away people as though they were weeds in an open field; ills like insanity plaguing some individuals from birth, the madness of war - why do these things occur if God is able to prevent them?

This problem, namely, the problem of evil, has always plagued the human mind. Of course much of the evil we experience is caused by our own folly, ignorance and also by the misuse of our God given freedom.

Beyond this I can only say that there is and always will be a penumbra of mystery surrounding God. What appears at the moment to be evil may have a purpose that our finite minds are incapable of comprehending. So in spite of the presence of evil and the doubts that lurk in our minds, we shall not surrender the conviction that our God is able.

Read the full text of Our God Is Able

Category: Theoblogia