{"product_id":"2940150984691","title":"Social Justice and Christianity","description":"INTRODUCTION\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReverend Dr. Louis Blake Hathorn, Jr. tackles the influence of Christianity on social change challenges in American history from Colonial America of the 17th and 18th Century to the continuing human rights struggles of the 21st Century. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe drew on his personal experiences as a pastor of over 40 years at Sweet Home MB Church of Lexington, Mississippi. He is a veteran activist for civil rights in a state known for its historic oppression of African Americans, other minorities and its indigenous Native Americans.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSocial Justice and Christianity lays out the dichotomy within the Christian church, also found in other religions, between the repressive policies resulting in grave injustice opposing the principles of love, forgiveness and non-violence. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistorically, the established American Christian church, supported by the powerful economic and political privileged class, maintained and aided the sins of slavery and prejudice that entrap and disenfranchise persons of color. Nowhere is this social and political tension presented more clearly than in the \"Letter from Birmingham Jail,\" authored April 16, 1963 by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. while incarcerated.   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr. Hathorn explores the historic influence found in the African American Christian church that shouted out the principles of love, forgiveness, and non-violence as the appropriate modus operandi for social change in America. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe recounts the terrible effects of slavery, racial segregation and unfair treatment of persons of color, and women and children from Colonial American to the present 21st Century challenges.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn Colonial America, the Quakers spoke out against the sins of slavery, urged an end to slavery, the disenfranchisement of women, and policies of violence against America's indigenous people. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eColonial American was a violent place. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. noted, \"This nation was born in genocide...\" From the beginning of the European and slave trade settlements in America, oppressive policies impacting African Americans and non-white people were institutionalized and those remnants remain into the 21st Century. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSocial protests for justice and equality in all facets of American life remain controversial even as the prophetic Christian voice call for social change.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the principles of love and non-violence as strong themes in other world religions. He drew on the inspiration of Mohandas Gandhi, the Southeast Asian political and human rights activist of the Hindu faith who stated, \"Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind...\"  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOther religions as well contained such prophetic strains of faith: Judaism has the Masorah. Islam has the Hadith. The 2014 co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai, exclaimed after getting the honor, \"People should respect each other and... fight for the rights of women, children and of every human being.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr. King's \"Letter from Birmingham Jail,\" represents perhaps the greatest expression of love, forgiveness and non-violence; it was born out of King's anguish, and suffering during his incarceration in jail. Here, the prophetic voices of Christianity, directed at the prominent white ecclesiastical infrastructure in Alabama, justified the need for non-violent protest. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr. Hathorn described Dr. King's impact from the Birmingham jail, and later in 1963 at the March on Washington as a joint venture of the prophetic African American Christian forces and the American Labor Movement. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe march was convened August 28, 1963 by Civil Rights activist A. Phillip Randolph, the labor leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBesides the powerful \"I Have a Dream\" speech by Dr. King, the United Auto Workers (UAW) President, Walter Reuther, gave a rousing speech in support of civil rights, for jobs and non-violence tactics. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr. Hathorn displayed his concern for the plight of Mexican farmworkers in his book. The UAW supported, not only African American rights, but also the rights of Native Americans, and other farmworkers. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Center for Community Change supported the work of Cesar Chavez who was the champion fighter for the rights and fair wages of farmworkers.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs if to answer the question in Dr. King's book, \"Where do WE Go From Here,\" Dr. Hathorn exclaimed there remains a long, struggle ahead to deal with the throes of injustice that still ensnarl those of color, who practice a different culture, speak a different language, and who were rendered hewers of wood. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe work must go on!  And Dr. King offers the mantra, \"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.\" The book, Social Justice and Christianity, by the Reverend Dr. Louis Blake Hathorn, Jr. is a must read.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Reverend G. David Singleton is a graduate of the University of California, Berk","brand":"Meredith Etc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47073592213744,"sku":"2940150984691","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940150984691_p0.jpg?v=1764008833","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940150984691","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}