Dr. King: Progressive Baptist - Essay Example

It is the general tendency with the leadership of the vested interests to dub those who stand for the welfare of the downtrodden masses, as radicals. From this point view, it is reasonable to make a general statement that most of the founders of religion/reformers were radical, as they fought against tyranny, injustice and negative tendencies of the individuals and society as a whole. Dr. King showed to the entire world that it is possible to be deeply religious as well as be an excellent political leader.

Adulterated and corrupt politics is bad; politics in its pure form is essential to create a healthy and harmonious society. Therefore, in the real sense of the term Dr. King was a progressive Baptist as religion and politics were alternative beats of the same heart to him. Michael Luther King, Jr., was born on January 15, 1929, and fell to the assassin’s bullet on April 4, 1968. He had his name birth name modified as Martin. Religion was the family heritage for Dr. King. His grandfather was a pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta for a fairly long term of seventeen years from 1914.

His father continued as the pastor. From 1960, till he was liberated from the mortal bindings, he assisted his father as co-pastor. In his short span of life of 39 years, he had extraordinary achievements to his credit. They say some are born great; some achieve greatness. Dr. King belonged to the latter category. He received the best education a youngster from the black race could aspire for, and his richly deserved what he achieved. At the age of fifteen he was a graduate from high school from a segregated public school.

In 1948, he took his B.A. degree from Morehouse College, a famous Negro institution of Atlanta. He did his theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He was elected president of a senior class where whites were in majority. He received B.D in 1951 and had his doctorate in 1953 from Boston University. He married Coretta Scott, an intellectual and an individual of artistic talents, and was blessed with two sons and two daughters from her. In 1954, became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

He began to intensively work for the welfare of his race and for the legal rights and blended his religious moorings with political wisdom. He became a member of the executive committee of the National Association. This national level organization worked for the advancement of the black race of America. Due to his socio-political activities, he suffered untold personal abuses, was arrested, his home was bombed. He won the legal battle when on December 21, 1956 the Supreme Court of the United States delivered judgment favoring the blacks and the laws requiring segregation on buses ended.

Constitutional provisions came to the rescue of the black race and their rights were put on par in actual practice. His rise as a religious leader took a significant turn in 1957, with his selection as President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and he took the ideals from Christianity. He was inspired from Mahatma Gandhi’s socio-spiritual ideals to transform the negativities of the American society and the attitude of superiority of the white race against the blacks. Politics was not a way of life for Dr.

King, but the view of life. It was synonymous with his religious