Memorializing The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Prophet of Progress

Many would say that the Washington Mall's recognition of the most important religious and civic figure of the 20th century is long overdue, and they would be right. But what is clear is that America needs this monument to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- right now.

The MLK Monument is meant to encourage the visitor to move, literally, from despair toward hope. The design is clearly based on the quote from King's "I Have A Dream" speech that reads: "With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope." With this in mind, the visitor approaching the monument is forced to pass through the Mountain of Despair, which stands like two forbidding sentinels, or to my mind, two sides of the threatening Red Sea, parted by God as Moses led the Hebrew people out of bondage.

I would encourage us not to pass through that mountain too quickly. History demands we should tarry there, staring despair in the face, acknowledging the brutality of racism, hatred and oppression perpetrated with our nation's explicit participation and consent. The blunt reality of this mountain of despair, and the lives of actual human beings that it represents, reminds us of a central tenet of King's theology -- that religion matters only when it deals with the actual physical reality of the lives of people, and not merely the spirit that lies within. As King wrote: "the Gospel deals with the whole man, not only his soul but his body; not only his spiritual well-being but his material well-being. Any religion which professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the social and economic conditions that scar the soul, is a spiritually moribund religion only waiting for the day to be buried."

At the monument, the Stone of Hope carved with King's figure calls us away from the Mountain of Despair. Yet, as a nation, we appear to have collectively stumbled and faltered in our progress toward the hope of King's dream. In this moment when African Americans experience an unemployment rate that is 100 percent higher than whites, when fear of Muslims and others tarnishes our sense of religious freedom and fairness, when violence abroad and at home seems to be the first resort rather than the last, when a quick buck and insatiable consumerism is more important than sustaining the environment, and when the inequity between rich and poor is higher than any time since 1917, we seem to be wandering in the wilderness, lost, without a clear sense of direction. I'm not sure, in August of 2011, which way America is headed: to the Mountain of Despair or the Stone of Hope?

While the truth and the heaviness of the Mountain of Despair must affect us, it cannot paralyze us. The promise of Martin Luther King Jr. that we memorialize is that we are certain to pass through these monumental obstacles and again make progress toward Hope. We can do this when we call upon the faith that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. embodied and exemplified. I don't necessarily mean faith in one religion or in a particular understanding of God. It is clear to anyone who studies King that he was an early practitioner of interfaith cooperation and respect. Rather, it is an even more transcendent faith that reaches deep into the spirit of the universe -- that, if heeded, will lead us on "the moral arc" toward justice and toward a better world.

The faith of King is not conservative, based on a misguided insistence on looking backwards for the "better days" that in reality never were. Rather, it is a faith that faces forward, toward a better day in a promised land. King's faith does not allows for failure; it demands progress. In his address in Washington 48 years ago, King does not say "if" we allow freedom to ring, he says "when":

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

With a phrase prescient of a time such as we face right now, America's prophet encourages us, exhorting us: "As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back." As Americans, let us heed the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s call and welcome our prophet to guide our nation's conscience. May the stone monument that we have built in King's memory transform our stone hearts back to living flesh that beats justice, mercy and peace through our our great country. Let it be so on Aug. 28, 2011 -- right on time.

Follow Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on Twitter www.twitter.com/raushenbush

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• "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

• "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

• "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

• "Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in."

• "I oppose the war in Vietnam because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world."

• "If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective."

• "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

• "I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits."

• "It is not enough to say, 'We must not wage war.' It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but on the positive affirmation of peace."

• "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

• "Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies."

• "We are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

• "We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience."

• "True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice."

WATCH:

MLK Memorial Unveiled on National Mall

 

 

 

Follow Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on Twitter: www.twitter.com/raushenbush

Comments

[julie anne49]

12:29 AM on 09/02/2011

Magnificent! What a moving and fitting memorial. I wish I could have witnessed the unveiling of this beautiful monument to honor the legacy of a Christian on the Washington Mall. Praise God!

[RevJacquelineJLewisPhD]

04:28 PM on 09/01/2011

Hurricane Irene's wind and rain postponed the events on the Washington Mall set to celebrate the unveiling of the King memorial. And I hope that in these days and times a storm is brewing in our hearts to move from beyond a dream deferred to interfaith powerful action to create a more just society. Yes, Dr. King was a Baptist preacher, but one who had been deeply influenced by other traditions and leaders, and one whose sense of God's Reign extended to Christianity and beyond it. It will take fierce winds of change and rushing waters of understanding to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. As we look the 10 year anniversary of 9-11 in the face, I want such a storm, such a force of nature, to go before us like a pillar of cloud and make a way where there seems to be no way. Thanks for these thoughts, Paul.

[Otherday]

01:34 PM on 09/01/2011

Much that animated MLK seems to be missing from the discussion of this religious leader. He was a Protestant Christian minister by profession, a Baptist. How were those core values reflected in his life's work? His middle name was Luther - what did he have in common with that long tradition of religious decent? The most important figure in his life was, most likely, Jesus Christ, true? Why not mention that? Leading a selfless, community-centered, justice oriented life, even one ending in crucifixion/assassination, was the point. Yet, MLK is presented as a singular figure all too often, a man apart. And I say this as a secularist myself.

[Coffee4Me]

10:33 PM on 08/31/2011

We took my daughter to DC when she was 7. When we returned home, there was a photo that she took of her feet standing next to the "I Have a Dream" that is carved into the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. When I saw it, I asked her why she took a photo of her own feet. She told me the words were important and she just wanted to remember standing there. I always thought it was cool that for such a little kid, she found that spot significant before she even knew how powerful those words really are, or how courageous MLK was to say them.

[lhanderson86]

02:31 PM on 08/30/2011

I just hope some white supremacist doesn't get up the gall to go and deface it.

[lhanderson86]

02:25 PM on 08/30/2011

...I still don't know if I like it or not... I like the idea of an Dr. MLK memorial, but I'm still on the fence about its execution... maybe I'd like it more if I saw it in person.

[Rev David Huber]

11:29 AM on 08/30/2011

Preach it, brother Paul!

[vesaversa1]

06:55 PM on 08/29/2011

My family is already planed a trip to DC. I think it's a wonderful monument.

[Sanndy Myer]

06:37 PM on 08/29/2011

Wow, I appreciate the monument pictures. The monument appears to be magnificent and respectfully represents Dr. King’s message to us about humanity.
Even though he died before I ever lived, I honor the impact his struggle has bestowed on our nation and my life. (Thank you Dr. King)
What a profound honor to a deserving man.

[bpd9227]

04:26 PM on 08/29/2011

Not skin color, but content of ones character. Let's ALL remember that message. That goes for everyone, including black people.

[vesaversa1]

06:48 PM on 08/29/2011

Including black peoples"
African American are forgiving compassionate peoples .They would be the first to hold out a hand in friendship with any race of peoples . But you and i know that there are still peoples in this country who will never except blacks as their equal . Why do i get this feeling that you are one of those peoples ?

[lhanderson86]

02:28 PM on 08/30/2011

I know some very closed-minded and resentful black people and I know some wonderful, warm-hearted black people. You can't make a blanket statement about everyone in a specific culture, good or bad. Everyone is human and has human merits and human failings.

[jonesygal]

04:09 PM on 08/29/2011

What a beautiful monument. I'm just sorry it took us so long to get it. Can't wait to see it in person!

[GirlUsingBrain]

03:10 PM on 08/29/2011

I think this memorial is fantastic and I hope to see it someday. I imagine that when I am standing there, it will be a very emotional experience.

[sunshine14]

10:44 AM on 08/29/2011

The real issue is not the art the real issue is when will mankind get it, truly get what is important in Life.Knowing what MLK already learned, saw and  knowing that life is a gift to be share among all. Life was to be experience to know Love, joy and peace and to seek righteousness equality rights for all doing only what one would want done unto them. Receive what is only good in return  and the respect to live life in freedom and peace, an without judging others, in what one chooses in  their own personal life. What does all this babbling, judging others accomplish or gain? Nothing. Like sitting in a chair, coming back 20, 30, 60 years later seeing one still sitting in the same chair doing the same thing, experiencing nothing and accomplished nothing. Like one has never left. Love all

[GirlUsingBrain]

03:13 PM on 08/29/2011

Nice post.

I don't know ... I don't think man will ever learn. Not just here in America of course, but worldwide, where human rights abuses never seem to end.

[sunshine14]

09:30 AM on 08/29/2011

The art is beautiful, but greater then that MLK engraved his message of what life should be upon the earth. MLK had no massive media like today, yet MLK, the man himself, touched the  hearts of millions here and around the world. I have a dream. MLK touched the very hearts, minds of millions here and around the world, to exam our very own conscience, that all mankind are created equal and morally what Life should be truly all about. Men like theses since the beginning of time, come far and few and are with us only  but for a  moment. MLK pointed his finger at no one, but made millions upon millions around the world, instead exam their own conscience, judging not, but giving a  prophet message for the good of all, given with just 4 words. I Have a Dream. MLK lived his life not a Repub or Dem but a human being, who sought only to serve all for the good of all, that true meaning of  Peace will only be found where Righteousness lives for all. Love all

[erehwon man]

09:14 AM on 08/29/2011

It is a impressive sculpture, for sure. And it should be monumental in scale to memorialize
the tremendous contribution to humanity that King made.