Martin Luther King Jr Day, January 15, 2024
Martin Luther King Jr was a Baptist minister and civil rights leader. He identified social ills, including racism, in the United States, and how hurtful they were to so very many. He declared a dream for our country–”I have a dream that my four little 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.” His message was a message of love, to care for the common good, for non-violence. He advocated for public policy that increased the rights of African Americans and others (Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965). And he was assassinated in 1968.
Martin Luther King, Jr. described the “Beloved Community” as a society where “caring and compassion drive political policies that support the worldwide elimination of poverty and hunger, and all forms of bigotry and violence. At its core, the “Beloved Community” is an engine of reconciliation.” (Source: The KingCenter.org)
With Dr. King’s leadership and the support of so many others at that time and since then, our country has made great progress toward justice and equality. Even so, there is still much to be done.
In the Episcopal Church, we are guided by the vision of Becoming Beloved Community, our church’s long-term commitment to racial justice, healing and reconciliation. We’re all on a lifelong journey toward God’s dream, taking intentional and faithful steps as if moving through a labyrinth.Tags: News & Notes
