Martin Luther King Jr. and Religion

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Martin Luther King Jr. and Religion

Throughout history our society has chose to recognize and remember certain individuals that have had a dramatic influence on our lives. Some of these individuals were of an evil nature, such as Hitler, but I would like to believe that the majority of the people we remember were the ones that had a positive influence on history, such as Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King Jr. I would like to reflect on the men who served a higher power that they called abba, father, or as we would recognize today, God.

Jesus Christ is worshiped around the world as being the savior of all mankind. His birth was a miracle because he was born from a virgin. Taken from the Holy Bible, in Matthew 1:18-25, it states that Mary (the virgin) was to marry Joseph, but before they were married, she found out she was pregnant with the Son of God. Joseph was a man of good morals and was ashamed when he heard of Mary being with child. He planned to divorce her in private so she wouldn't be disgraced. An angel from God came to Joseph in a dream and told him, "'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'" Joseph awakened and obeyed the angel of God, and He and Mary were married. "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

In a radio interview with the host Bob Edwards of the Morning Edition, and his guests Bruce Metzger, Professor, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Michael Coogan, Professor, Stonehill College, they discussed the history behind the story of Christ...

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Edwards, William D., Wesley J. Gabel, and Floyd E. Hosmer. "On The Physical Death of Jesus Christ". JAMA-Journal of the American Medical Association. Mar. 21, 1986, v256

Ehrlich, Eugene. Oxford American Dictionary. New York: Hearst, 1980

Holy Bible, New International Version. Michigan: Zondervan, 1984

King, Martin Luther Jr. The Measure Of A Man. Philadelphia: Pilgrim Press, 1959.

Renan, Ernest. The Life of Jesus. New York: Modern Library, 1927

Ridder/ Tribune News Service, Feb 7, 1994

"The Truth About Martin Luther King: He's frozen in myth, his heroism and humanity ever more distant. Why the radical King is the one we should honor." Newsweek. Jan. 24, 2000. v135 i4 p57

"King, Martin Luther, Jr." King, Martin Luther, Jr., and Encarta Encyclopedia Article Titled "King, Martin Luther, Jr. Encarta MSN. Apr. 28, 2000.

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