Choose one christian person, or organisation, that has contributed to racial harmony and explain why they did this work.
I can think of what Martin Luther King did but I'm not too sure why they did this work other than trying to resolve the inequality, discrimination etc.
- King's father lead a number of protest movements for black equal rights and this inspired King to do the same - King himself was black and therefore could feel the effects of discrimination and racism towards black people - King was a Christian and so beleived in equal rights for everyone. (his father was a Christian minister) - King was inspired by Ghandi's campaign for independence in India. He realized he could do the same with black independence in America.
To expand on Ben's point about MLK being inspired by Christian beliefs, he organised a number of non-violent protests, - for example, the Washington March - which is a form of spreading God's love. This can be supported by the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, where it also expresses Jesus' two greatest Commandments of love. By applying the morals of these parables and teachings into one's own life, MLK was therefore inspired to work for racial harmony.
Another point is that because MLK came from a Baptist background, the Church would also condemn racism. If MLK didn't do anything about racism and just ignored, for example, segregation on buses, this would have meant rejecting God's perfect plan for him (Jeremiah 29:11) to an extent. On the other hand, because he took action, and worked for the American Civil Rights Movement, therefore he helped a lot of people - or loved a lot of his neighbours - in the name of God.
Apart from this, he may have been inspired by Paul's teaching in Galatians 3:28 - "there is neither Greek nor Jew ... slave nor free ... for you are all one in Christ Jesus". This reiterates the fact that every human being was made equally in the "image of God" (Genesis 1:27), therefore everybody - regardless of the colour of their skin - should have equal rights and be treated equally in a world that was created for every single unique human being.
Actually, I'm not too sure about the point about the Churches condemning racism - America is after all a Christian country and statements condemning racism probably would not have been issued at a time when racial segregation and discrimination was seen as right by the general public, even from the Churches.
I think the main focus of the question is on Christian beliefs and how they relate to promoting racial harmony. So this is basically the same question as "Why should Christians help to promote racial harmony", for which some of the points are
He (MLK) believed God was on the side of the poor and oppressed (e.g. Moses and the Israelites)
Acts 10 - what I have made clean you have no right to call profane.
Jesus supported racial harmony - the black African carrying his cross, healing a roman centurion's servant, and asking the Samaritan woman for a drink.
Jesus taught in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats that we must help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
- King's father lead a number of protest movements for black equal rights and this inspired King to do the same
ReplyDelete- King himself was black and therefore could feel the effects of discrimination and racism towards black people
- King was a Christian and so beleived in equal rights for everyone. (his father was a Christian minister)
- King was inspired by Ghandi's campaign for independence in India. He realized he could do the same with black independence in America.
To expand on Ben's point about MLK being inspired by Christian beliefs, he organised a number of non-violent protests, - for example, the Washington March - which is a form of spreading God's love. This can be supported by the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, where it also expresses Jesus' two greatest Commandments of love. By applying the morals of these parables and teachings into one's own life, MLK was therefore inspired to work for racial harmony.
ReplyDeleteAnother point is that because MLK came from a Baptist background, the Church would also condemn racism. If MLK didn't do anything about racism and just ignored, for example, segregation on buses, this would have meant rejecting God's perfect plan for him (Jeremiah 29:11) to an extent. On the other hand, because he took action, and worked for the American Civil Rights Movement, therefore he helped a lot of people - or loved a lot of his neighbours - in the name of God.
Apart from this, he may have been inspired by Paul's teaching in Galatians 3:28 - "there is neither Greek nor Jew ... slave nor free ... for you are all one in Christ Jesus". This reiterates the fact that every human being was made equally in the "image of God" (Genesis 1:27), therefore everybody - regardless of the colour of their skin - should have equal rights and be treated equally in a world that was created for every single unique human being.
Actually, I'm not too sure about the point about the Churches condemning racism - America is after all a Christian country and statements condemning racism probably would not have been issued at a time when racial segregation and discrimination was seen as right by the general public, even from the Churches.
ReplyDeleteI think the main focus of the question is on Christian beliefs and how they relate to promoting racial harmony. So this is basically the same question as "Why should Christians help to promote racial harmony", for which some of the points are
He (MLK) believed God was on the side of the poor and oppressed (e.g. Moses and the Israelites)
Acts 10 - what I have made clean you have no right to call profane.
Jesus supported racial harmony - the black African carrying his cross, healing a roman centurion's servant, and asking the Samaritan woman for a drink.
Jesus taught in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats that we must help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.