This is the day Americans have set aside to remember the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We know that many of our readers don’t live in the U.S. and, over the past two years, we’ve worked hard to explore such important themes globally.
That’s why today we’re highlighting, first, how Dr. King’s life and legacy is intertwined with men and women around the world. Here is a 3-part series of chapters by the Rev. Daniel Buttry, international peace negotiator for American Baptist Churches from his book “Interfaith Heroes”:
Part 1 focuses on Gandhi, who was influenced by Tolstoy and went on to influence King’s work.
Part 2 focuses on King, who all Americans are remembering today because it is a national holiday here honoring this towering figure.
Part 3 focuses on Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner in Burma whose work is a direct result of this shared legacy.
So these chapters explore three people working in three different eras and areas: a Hindu, a Christian and a Buddhist, all learning from each other to help humanity struggle further toward human rights.
ALSO THIS WEEK, the University of Michigan’s Dr. Wayne Baker is inviting readers to dialogue at OurValues.org about King’s legacy for all Americans beyond King’s crucial achievements in civil rights for African Americans. OurValues.org is a nationally respected experiment in civil dialogue—exactly the kind of civic exercise King encouraged throughout his life.
So, if you want to do something right now to honor King—read today’s opening column of the week at OurValues.org and, before you leave OurValues.org, click on the Comment links to add just a few words.
FOR A KING HOLIDAY OVERVIEW, visit Stephanie Fenton’s current column, “What’s the Spiritual Season?”
FINALLY, we’re aware that religious groups nationwide are rethinking leadership right now. Near the ReadTheSpirit Home Office in Michigan, a new interfaith coalition is forming this spring. In Ohio, we’re talking with another interfaith network that is rethinking its future this year. We’ve been part of discussions from the deserts of New Mexico to the rain-drenched shores of Scotland on these issues over the past year.
That’s why ReadTheSpirit regularly publishes major interviews with men and women working on the principles of religious leadership that will shape this new century.
If you’ve got time on this Martin Luther King Day to read a little more, select one of these names below and read what they have to say about faith, community and the principles that should guide us:
Rob Bell
Mae Cannon
Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis
Seth Godin
Shane Claiborne
Samir Selmanovic
Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Harvey Cox
STAY WITH US ALL WEEK! On Wednesday, you’ll hear about another major religious leader: Rick Warren. We’re publishing an in-depth interview with his biographer, Jeffrey Sheler.
PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:
This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.
Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
You also can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
(Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)
