Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Image of God

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity, Church, Church & State, Theology
Cover of the book Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Image of God by Richard W. Wills, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Richard W. Wills ISBN: 9780190294809
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: May 14, 2009
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Richard W. Wills
ISBN: 9780190294809
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: May 14, 2009
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Scholars universally acknowledge the role that Christian belief played in the social movement engendered by Martin Luther King Jr. Yet few have actually delved into the complexity of King's theology itself. The centrality of one aspect of his theology in particular - imago Dei, the belief that human beings are made in God's image - has been surprisingly overlooked. In this book, Richard W. Wills Sr. offers a comprehensive analysis of King's appeal for civil rights by investigating his understanding of imago Dei. Wills begins by tracing the evolution of this idea through the history of Christian thought, showing the intellectual sources King drew on in constructing his own beliefs. Wills then demonstrates how King employed this idea in his civil rights work. The belief that we are all made in God's image was crucial, Wills shows, to King's understanding of human nature and equality. While King shared with many of his black church forebears the view that humanity's creation by God was a powerful argument for the equality of all people, he also took the concept much further. For King, being made in God's image meant that human beings have not only the right but also the power to reshape society and to build a "beloved community" on earth. Though explicitly grounded in Christian faith, the doctrine of imago Dei provided King with a theological rationale that was capable of addressing the needs of the community well beyond the walls of churches. Wills's thorough reconsideration King's thought makes the case for his importance as a theologian. It convincingly demonstrates that the concept of imago Dei formed the heart of his theology and, in turn, that his theology was central to the unfolding of the civil rights movement.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Scholars universally acknowledge the role that Christian belief played in the social movement engendered by Martin Luther King Jr. Yet few have actually delved into the complexity of King's theology itself. The centrality of one aspect of his theology in particular - imago Dei, the belief that human beings are made in God's image - has been surprisingly overlooked. In this book, Richard W. Wills Sr. offers a comprehensive analysis of King's appeal for civil rights by investigating his understanding of imago Dei. Wills begins by tracing the evolution of this idea through the history of Christian thought, showing the intellectual sources King drew on in constructing his own beliefs. Wills then demonstrates how King employed this idea in his civil rights work. The belief that we are all made in God's image was crucial, Wills shows, to King's understanding of human nature and equality. While King shared with many of his black church forebears the view that humanity's creation by God was a powerful argument for the equality of all people, he also took the concept much further. For King, being made in God's image meant that human beings have not only the right but also the power to reshape society and to build a "beloved community" on earth. Though explicitly grounded in Christian faith, the doctrine of imago Dei provided King with a theological rationale that was capable of addressing the needs of the community well beyond the walls of churches. Wills's thorough reconsideration King's thought makes the case for his importance as a theologian. It convincingly demonstrates that the concept of imago Dei formed the heart of his theology and, in turn, that his theology was central to the unfolding of the civil rights movement.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book When Men Dance by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book The New Turkey and Its Discontents by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Through the Valley of Shadows by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Evidence-based Social Work Practice: Finding Evidence: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book The Marvel of Martyrdom by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Revisiting Gendered States by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Hollywood: A Very Short Introduction by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Toxic Cocktail by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Making Sense in the Life Sciences by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Heaven Can Wait by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Boost! by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Early Tantric Medicine by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book On Race by Richard W. Wills
Cover of the book Digital Feminist Activism by Richard W. Wills
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy