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A brief story and relevant reminder. Dr. George Kelsey, of Morehouse University, was my distant uncle. My grandfather’s great uncle. He mentored MLK, Jr. and thankfully some of their correspondence is archived in The King Institute at Stanford. 1/
Dr. King sent my Uncle George a book manuscript in 1958 about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and asked for feedback. You can see that letter here: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/george-d-kelsey-2 2/
Uncle George responded, and what he said stopped me in my tracks because it’s so relevant for us as Christians today, especially in the midst of the ongoing fight for racial justice. 3/
“The main thrust of my suggestions is directed toward the sharpening of the fact that the movement which you so nobly led was Christian in motivation & substance. Christian love remained on the ‘ground floor.’ Ghandi furnished the techniques, incl the ‘operational principles’” 4/
“In the movement, I reserve such words as ‘substance’ & ‘philosophy’ for Christian Faith, bc I am convinced that the Spirit & worldview of Christian Faith informed it. This position is not inconsistent w/ the adoption of Ghandian ‘operational principles’ as well as techniques” 5/
You can read his response letter here: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/george-d-kelsey-1 6/
There’s so much to reflect on in that letter. The explicit Christian foundation. The nuanced discernment between principles and techniques. The need for young movement leaders to have seasoned movement mentors. But here’s the main thing on my mind for now...7/
We don’t have to choose between justice and Christianity. And we SHOULDN’T. Don’t let evangelicals or Black Hebrew Israelites tell you otherwise. Justice is grounded in Christian love.
Stay Christian. Stay committed.
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Stay Christian. Stay committed.
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