In Retrospect on this MLK day: Things we can learn about non-violent demonstration

For all those who ask what place non-violent demonstration has in our society (i.e. Occupy Wall Street etc.) and our participation in it as Christ’s church, here is a helpful reflection from MLK on the day named after his honor. Here, in this broadcast of Meet The Press, Dr. Martin Luther King responds to the statement by Harry Truman “the march of Selma was silly.” I think all missional communinities have to ask the question, how is God working (or not working) in the demonstrations we see in the world today, and how do we bring the authority of the Kingdom of Christ into these places when these demonstrations come into our midst. The rest of the piece (on just and unjust law for instance) is food for much discussion as well. Enjoy!

David Fitch

David Fitch (Ph.D) is a longtime pastor in Chicago, and the B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary. He teaches on the issues the local church must face in mission including cultural engagement, leadership, and theology. He's written multiple books, including Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines that Shape the Church for Mission (2016), and the forthcoming 2024 release, entitled Reckoning With Power: Why the Church Fails When it's on the Wrong Side of Power (Brazos, Jan 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Substack.