This week, much has been written about Martin Luther King, Jr., and rightfully so. Much can—and should— be said.
By all accounts, King was a complex, hard-to-categorize thinker. He was a force of nature and I’ll leave the complex analysis for all those who understand much more than me. Nonetheless, I will offer the briefest reflection on a feature of King’s thought that has helped deeply in pastoral work.
From undergraduate studies, through my theological education, and in the process of understanding the contours of the culture of the American South, I’ve read much from him. In this journey, it is King’s core philosophy of *Christian personalism* that has left a mark on me. By his own admission, this way of viewing the world gave him a philosophical basis for his activism.
This is complicated. But, in short, “personalism” is a term that describes various philosophical frameworks that emphasize the fundamental importance of human persons. Pressed a bit further, it is a way of thinking that claims something bold—understanding the basic reality of “personhood” (human or divine) is central to understanding the universe and reality itself. This accords with Christian theism, of course, because the Scriptures teach that a loving, good, and wise person (though not a human creature) sits at the center of all there is.
Personalism sounds obvious but, trust me, it’s not. We live in a world that considers people to be objects for use.
“Christian personalism” would take these ideas and root them in the basic reality of human persons having been created in God’s own image. Therefore it emphasizes the sacredness of persons. In this way of thinking, if someone you meet is a person (and every human being you meet is) then the only true posture toward that person is love and respect.
King has helped me think more deeply about the fundamental dignity of each human person. I’ll leave these lines. I remember where I sitting when I read them.
“The image of God is universally shared in equal portions by all men . . . . Every human being has etched in his personality the indelible stamp of the Creator. Every man must be respected because God loves him. The worth of an individual does not lie in the measure of his intellect, his racial origin, or his social position. Human worth lies in relatedness to God. An individual has value because he has value to God. Whenever this is recognized, ‘whiteness’ and ‘blackness’ pass away as determinants in a relationship and “son” and “brother” are substituted.”
In that last line, King is not arguing for ignoring the ethnic or racial differences that God has brushstroked into the beauty of our world. He is simply saying that an understanding of each person’s infinite worth is a starting point toward uniting human persons together, in solidarity, across any barrier.
These ideas, from him in his own unique way, and from others throughout the Christian tradition, have helped me immensely in the care of souls. For the pastor, it makes one curious about each church member. It makes me long to know the secret thoughts of those I shepherd so that I can apply the truths about Jesus to those things. It fills me with fresh enthusiasm to discover the Spirit-given gifts in my own church family. It should push me toward humility, patience, and gentleness in my posture toward others.
I’m thankful for this part (and other parts) of King’s legacy.