Relearning Heschel, Rebirthing King, Re-Inaugurating America:
Celebrating the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King
As a new government takes office,
January 19-20, 2009
(Please circulate this message as widely as possible.)
As the United States begins a new Administration and Congress in January 2009, there is a remarkable opportunity to bring together large sections of American society to reflect on our history and our vision. – and act to transform our future. The opportunity is strengthened by the fact that the day before Inauguration day (Tuesday, January 20) is the official day of celebrating Martin Luther King's Birthday. And January 14 is the yohrzeit (death-anniversary) of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Dr. King's close friend and ally.
We propose to focus this period on renewing Dr. King's mature vision, as put forward in his Riverside Church speech of 4/4/67, exactly one year before his death. We invite religious and ethical communities to study that speech, leading up to nationwide observance of the confluence of MLK's Birthday and Inauguration Day, January 19-20, 2009, and we invite our citizenry to commit themselves to work toward bringing Dr. King’s vision to reality.
- The MLK/ Inauguration process will study Dr. King’s Riverside Church speech of April 4, 1967. For the text of the speech, see http://www.shalomctr.org/...
Such study will be aimed for religious and other schools, college campuses, adult ed, etc, pointing into and beyond January 2009, and encouraging participants to work out their own ideas: What would MLK's teachings call for today? Materials, comments, etc., will be posted on a Website. From mid-November to mid-January, congregations will study the Riverside Church speech from this perspective.
2. On January 19-20, religious and ethical communities and congregations around the country will take part in public actions intended to point America toward fulfilling Dr. King’s vision of an American freeing itself of racism, militarism, and materialism. Such actions might include:
Publicly affirming a covenantal Pledge, making ourselves personally responsible to work for Rebirthing America toward the vision of MLK. (See below a draft of the Pledge.)
Carrying out a candle-light Night Watch the night of January 19. Candles might be lit in houses of worship and then carried into public space, perhaps as different churches/ synagogues/ mosques/ temples meet and walk together to public parks. There the covenantal Pledge might be recited. See http://www.shalomctr.org/node/1464
- Holding a national observance of the connection in Washington DC, at All Souls Unitarian Church, from 5:00 to 8:30 January 19. Speakers already confirmed: Dr. Vincent Harding (Iliff School of Theology & Veterans of Hope), a close adviser to Dr. King; Rev. Michael Kinnamon, National Council of Churches; Dr. Sayyid Syeed, Islamic Society of North America; Rev. William G. Sinkford, Unitarian Universalist Association; Sammie Moshenberg, National Council of Jewish Women; Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, Chautauqua Inst; Celeste Zappala, Gold Star Families for Peace; Rabbi Michael Lerner, Network of Spiritual Progressives;, Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Foundation for the Healing of the Nations. This event is being planned under the sponsorship of the Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership. An order of service is now available as a model to congregations around the country. See --
http://www.shalomctr.org/... and http://www.shalomctr.org/...
- The networks brought together by this process continue to work together toward the realization of Dr. King's vision.
REBIRTHING KING, RE-INAUGURATING AMERICA:
A PLEDGE ON JANUARY 19-20, 2009
On this rebirthing day , January 19, 2009, Martin Luther King's Birthday, on the eve of there coming into office a new government to represent the American people, I join in covenant with other Americans: --
I commit myself to give a new birth in America and in the world to the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, to call ourselves and every nation now to develop an overriding loyalty to humankind as a whole, in order to preserve the best in our individual societies;
I commit myself to work toward a world-wide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond any tribe, race, class, or nation; to call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all humanity and for the web of life upon our planet;
I commit myself to fuse power with compassion, might with morality, and strength with sight; to choose nonviolent coexistence rather than violent co-annihilation; to speak for peace and justice throughout the world — within and beyond our doors and shores.
I commit myself to take the following specific actions:
[For example: "I will work for a peaceful settlement of the Iraq war and an end to US military presence there"; "I will use less gasoline"; I will read one of Martin Luther King’s speeches that I have not read"; "I will write my Senators about subsidizing railroads and solar/ wind energy instead of autos, coal, and oil"; "I will work for the hospitality-for-the-homeless program in my church, synagogue, or mosque." Fill in as follows:] ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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I do this in the knowledge that tomorrow is today, that we are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. Now let us begin. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long, hard, and beautiful struggle for a new world.
(Signed) _______________________________
Name) _______________________________
Address ______________________________
Phone/s __________________ Email _____________________________
Please send one copy of this pledge to : Tent of Abraham, Hagar, & Sarah, 6711 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia PA 19119, if possible with a (tax-deductible) contribution to support this effort.