Assignment 2: LASA 1 – Letters from Birmingham

Martin Luther King, Jr. was many things, a civil rights activist, nonviolent protestor, organizer, teacher, son, husband, father, and a black man. Many forget that he was first, a Christian Southern Baptist minister and preacher. His religious faith informed his ethical actions. After reading selections from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, Letters from the Birmingham Jail, explore the role of Christian ethics in King’s actions during the turbulent times in the South in the 1960s. Consider the following:

King was in Birmingham to address the issue of injustice by organizing a protest. Define the injustice and the protest and explain how Judeo-Christian ethics were applied to allow for civil disobedience. How was the injustice in Birmingham tied to all communities in the South?
King lists four steps to nonviolent campaigns. Name them. How did these flow from King’s Christian ethical principles? How did King reconcile the “eye for an eye” Jewish ethical principle with the Christian “love one another” ethical principle of nonviolence?
How do King’s ethical principles help him defend against the charges that his protests and law breaking were “untimely” considering the political situation in Birmingham at the time?
Consider areas of conflict in the world today. Pick one and discuss how King’s actions and his ethical principles might resolve the issue.

Reference

King Jr., M. L. (1963). Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database Academic Search Elite. Letters from Birmingham Jail

Post a 600–750-word paper discussing all of the questions to the M3:

………………………..Answer Preview………………………

One of the most influential people to take part in the civil rights movements that saw the liberation of the African-American community to realize the current day rights and freedoms the community can now enjoy was Martin Luther King Jr. He is remembered as a man who stood his ground ready to face any consequences that came with the role he played in the struggle for the recognition of the African-American….

APA

708 words