King's Speech

""In the quiet recesses of my heart,"" Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. often said, ""I am fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher."" No other statement could identify King better than this. Thus, the statement is the launching point for this work on preacher King's timeless messages on violence and reconciliation rooted in his theological foundation of the universal yet personal, loving God. Yang shows how King, based on that theological idea, vitalizes a pastoral and prophetic preaching voice, hoping to create reconciliation in the context of a violent reality. This concise piece is easily accessible, yet rich enough to see the continuing impact and applicability of preacher King's reconciliatory ideas in the present violent, torn-apart world that desperately awaits reconciliation. ""Yang offers not just a historical review of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s theology of preaching, but reminds us of the relevance of following King's example and homiletical approach to counter the violence of the world. A must read for all of us called to preach the prophetic edges of the gospel."" --O. Wesley Allen, Jr., Lois Craddock Perkins professor of Homiletics, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University ""In King's Speech Sunggu Yang ably gets behind the mystique of America's twentieth-century prophet of social conscience and renders a careful appraisal of the social and spiritual environment that made King's arresting preaching come alive. In a period fraught with violence and political polarization, Yang calls us to attune our ears once again to the timeless wisdom of Martin Luther King, Jr."" --Kenyatta R. Gilbert, Howard University School of Divinity ""King's Speech reintroduces us to a familiar historical figure at a slant, while enthusiastically exploring King's theological worldview as found in his preaching. The reader encounters important considerations for preaching in times when peace and reconciliation are longed for but elusive realities. Within its pages, Yang offers pastors, activists, and students in the classroom a vitally fresh resource as they grow in the sacred enterprise of preaching."" --Lisa L. Thompson, Union Theological Seminary, New York City ""King's mammoth impact on contemporary homiletics requires a map, and Professor Sunggu Yang provides one in this book. Yang attunes readers to the many layers of King's voice, the convictions that drive him, and the continuing urgency of his message. King's Speech is a vital text for those who seek to proclaim justice and embody peace."" --Donyelle McCray, Yale Divinity School Sunggu Yang is Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries at the College of Christian Studies at Portland Seminary, George Fox University.