Martin Luther King - The Prophetic Minister of the South a theological cause. » (B, 6). Not only do prophetic ministers reach out to communities in despair, they also mobilize them to continue to aspire to a better future. Jeremiah, an Old Testament prophetic minister, delivered a message from the Lord to the Hebrew people who were stricken with despair after their community was divided and half destroyed. He wrote: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29 : 11). This is the true essence of a prophetic minister. I argue that Martin Luther King, in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," exemplifies the prophetic ministry, as defined by Brueggemann, by criticizing the Christian community, attacking their royal conscience, and providing hope that a new consciousness is born. I will argue this by defining the prophetic ministry expressed by Brueggemann in his book, The Prophetic Imagination, by analyzing King's letter in light of this definition, and finally by comparing King's prophetic ministry to the Old Testament ministries prophetic words of Jeremiah and Second Isaiah. Examining King's letter through these relationships, it is evident that King is taking on the role of Brueggemann's prophetic ministry. According to Brueggemann, the aim of the prophetic ministry is to encourage and stimulate an alternative consciousness to that of the governing culture. He argues that the main goals of this alternative consciousness are to provoke community criticism and energize the community with...... middle of article...... it can be seen that King illustrated similar acts of prophetic ministry in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." » While describing the prophetic ministry, Brueggemann wrote: “Change resulted from being addressed, called by name, cared for, recognized and assured” (B, 71). I think this quote sums up the message of Martin Luther King in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” King uses such deep and imaginative language to embrace the hope of tomorrow. He writes: “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will disappear and the deep fog of incomprehension will be lifted from our fear-soaked communities…” (K, para. 39). Through his criticism of the church community, his attacks on the royal conscience of the South, and his ever-present hope for future change, King presents the distinctive features of Brueggemann's definition of prophetic ministry...

Essay / Martin Luther King - The Prophetic Minister of the South a theological cause. » (B, 6). Not only do prophetic ministers reach out to communities in despair, they also mobilize them to continue to aspire to a better future. Jeremiah, an Old Testament prophetic minister, delivered a message from the Lord to the Hebrew people who were stricken with despair after their community was divided and half destroyed. He wrote: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29 : 11). This is the true essence of a prophetic minister. I argue that Martin Luther King, in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," exemplifies the prophetic ministry, as defined by Brueggemann, by criticizing the Christian community, attacking their royal conscience, and providing hope that a new consciousness is born. I will argue this by defining the prophetic ministry expressed by Brueggemann in his book, The Prophetic Imagination, by analyzing King's letter in light of this definition, and finally by comparing King's prophetic ministry to the Old Testament ministries prophetic words of Jeremiah and Second Isaiah. Examining King's letter through these relationships, it is evident that King is taking on the role of Brueggemann's prophetic ministry. According to Brueggemann, the aim of the prophetic ministry is to encourage and stimulate an alternative consciousness to that of the governing culture. He argues that the main goals of this alternative consciousness are to provoke community criticism and energize the community with...... middle of article...... it can be seen that King illustrated similar acts of prophetic ministry in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." » While describing the prophetic ministry, Brueggemann wrote: “Change resulted from being addressed, called by name, cared for, recognized and assured” (B, 71). I think this quote sums up the message of Martin Luther King in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” King uses such deep and imaginative language to embrace the hope of tomorrow. He writes: “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will disappear and the deep fog of incomprehension will be lifted from our fear-soaked communities…” (K, para. 39). Through his criticism of the church community, his attacks on the royal conscience of the South, and his ever-present hope for future change, King presents the distinctive features of Brueggemann's definition of prophetic ministry...

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