Prayer and Contemplative Action in the Life of Dr. MLK
Prayer is a spiritual discipline that causes our ear to be attentive to the voice of our almighty, all-knowing, and all-powerful God as he speaks his words of wisdom and direction. Prayer is the dynamite discipline that fueled the civil rights movement — a movement that God used to change a nation. Through the practice of prayer, God imparted revelation and knowledge into the mind of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which empowered him to move forward by faith in his Lord.
The nonviolent protests Dr. King led were instrumental in transforming America. God used him and the movement to change the face of racial interactions in America.
Dr. King’s godly assignment was to be a conduit bringing equality to all people. To reach this goal, he utilized nonviolent methods. To better prepare himself for the journey, God called him to study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. While there, his learning was enriched by the philosophical teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, who was instrumental during the declaration of independence for India.
As a student of Gandhi, Dr. King found what he had been seeking: a nonviolent philosophy and a method of achieving social reform. Clayborne Carson described Dr. King’s philosophy as a synthesis of the teachings of Jesus Christ and Gandhi. Jesus’ sermons on love and Gandhi’s teachings on nonviolence provided Dr. King with philosophical and theological insights. The two combined resulted in philosophical theology.
According to philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas’s Thomistic model, philosophy focuses on the five senses of humanity: seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling. Thus philosophy relies on the natural state of a person’s being, while theology starts with the authority of the written Word. Because he was a servant leader, Dr. King’s ministry combined both effectively. He incorporated philosophy and theology to accomplish his spiritual assignment for the kingdom and the people who God called him to serve.
Carson wrote, “One of the main tenets of this philosophy was the conviction that nonviolent resistance was one of the most potent weapons available to oppressed people in their quest for social justice.” From slavery to the days of Dr. King and beyond, persons of African descent have experienced and continue to experience injustices. Dr. King’s laborious work has been instrumental in shaping the unique theological and contextual definition of prayer and spiritual direction for persons of African descent. It is practically impossible to write about these disciplines without noting the spiritual journey of this impactful leader. God used his strategy of nonviolence as a spiritual weapon as he and others stood for justice for people of color.
Dr. King’s approach to ministry is vital in our quest for freedom. Ministry was his call from God, which he answered despite tremendous obstacles. His philosophical and theological methodology was instrumental in the emancipation of people physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Because Dr. King realized his kingdom assignment was beyond him, he prayerfully sought God for direction. I would imagine, given the intensity of his assignment, that his prayer life was intense, with pleas to God for favor, direction, and wisdom. Such prayers empowered him to accomplish his task. I believe that he left a prayer legacy engrafted on this earth. Even though his prayers cannot be seen with the natural eye, in our nation and in our world we see the benefits of his tenacity. How much more do we still need such prayers and leadership today!
In carrying out his mandate, it is evident that, in addition to being a man of prayer, Dr. King was a contemplative. Dr. Ruth Haley Barton, founder of the Transforming Center, affirmed the inclusion of contemplation and prayerfulness in his life when, in honor of Martin Luther King Day in January 2010, she wrote that Dr. King’s “life was characterized by a powerful integration of prayer and contemplation with a profound commitment to decisive and loving action in the world.” Barton’s insight is extremely valuable in the discussion of the power of prayer and spiritual direction from an African American perspective. In identifying Dr. King as a man of contemplative action, she included a clear definition of that term:
Contemplative action is action that emerges from our real encounters with God. It is doing what God calls us to do when he calls us to do it — no matter how afraid we are or how ill-equipped we feel. Contemplative action is the willingness to go beyond being primarily concerned for our own safety and survival to the place where we know that our real life is hidden with Christ in God no matter what happens to our physical life. Contemplative action is doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right Spirit, completely given over to a Power that is beyond our own — even, and perhaps most especially, when the risks are very great.
This kind of action is impossible without being radically in touch with the Source of our life through prayer and contemplation.
With the mandate from God to be an intercessor, spiritual leader, and activist for a marginalized people, Dr. King had an enormous task. Undertaking the mission for freedom and civil rights required a contemplative and reflective life immersed in the mind of God. Only God could give Dr. King the necessary spiritual directives to lead and minister to an oppressed people. I am sure that Dr. King experienced times of uncertainty; however, his assurance from God, which came through contemplative prayer, empowered him to move forward.
Dr. King’s life of contemplative prayer made him an effective spiritual leader. Barton wrote, “Were it not for his full engagement in the fight for justice and his grounded-ness in the life of prayer, he might never have had the kind of encounter with God that transformed him in the deepest level of his being.” Because of his faithful obedience, the trajectory of our nation and the world looks a lot different than it would have without his contributions.
It would have been impossible for Dr. King to fulfill the mandate on his life without the assurance of God’s unconditional love for himself and all humanity. The Greek term for this kind of love is agapē, the kind of love that “aims to preserve and create community.” Dr. King’s focus was toward the development and advancement of a healthy community in every way. Thus, as a leader, he was called by God to lead in a movement for freedom that was centered in love — that is, Christ-centered love. Such love is the kind Dr. King allowed the Spirit to form in him amid racial discord. With such love, he loved God and his people to the extent he was willing to die for what he believed.
In Dr. King we had a kind of leader who was divinely inspired and would not be turned back by multiple threats or numerous forms of violence. This kind of courage and conviction is truly contagious. Dr. King’s powerful leadership inspires us to continue to carry the justice torch through the difficult days of our journey ahead.
Adapted from Soul Care in African American Practice by Barbara L. Peacock. Copyright © 2020 by Barabara L. Peacock. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com
Barbara L. Peacock (DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is a spiritual director, author, teacher, and preacher. She is the founder of Barbara L. Peacock Ministries, a ministry committed to developing disciples through prayer, spiritual direction, soul care, mentoring, and teaching. Visit her website at barbaralpeacock.com. Follow her on Twitter @BarbaraLPeacock.
