The Voice of Conscience: The Church in the Mind of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is celebrated widely as the quintessential model of Christian activism in his time, but his understanding of and vision for the church has been surprisingly neglected. In this book, Lewis V. Baldwin contends that King was fundamentally a man of the church. Beginning with King's roots in Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, Baldwin traces the evolution of King's attitude toward the church through his college, seminary, graduate school, and civil rights years. The emphasis is on King's concept of the church as "the voice of conscience." Baldwin persuasively claims that King challenged the church over the need for a higher spiritual and ethical ideal, and that King's moral leadership and eventual martyrdom did much to reestablish the credibility of the church at a time when some theologians were declaring the death of God. Baldwin critiques the contemporary church on the basis of King's prophetic model, and concludes by insisting that this model, not the entrepreneurial spirituality of the contemporary megachurches, embodies the best potential for much-needed church renewal.

About the Author :
Lewis V. Baldwin is Professor of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the author of five books on the life and thought of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Review :
"Baldwin has done a superb job.... For anyone interested in King and the role of the church in the struggle for justice, this is a must read."--Church History "The Voice of Conscience is a masterpiece and a crowning achievement to a career dedicated to theological reflections on the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr."--CHOICE "A uniquely complete and brilliantly documented contribution to our understanding of the actual roots of the theology of Martin Luther King, Jr. This work is without parallel for thoroughness and authenticity in its field." --Henry H. Mitchell, author of Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art "I have read many volumes on Martin Luther King, Jr. over the past decade. Voice of Conscience eclipses them all. Impeccably researched and masterfully written, it propels Lewis V. Baldwin to the rank of top King scholar in the world. King lives in this lively and instructive book." --Rufus Burrow, Jr., author of Martin Luther King Jr. for Armchair Theologians "A uniquely complete and brilliantly documented contribution to our understanding of the actual roots of the theology of Martin Luther King, Jr., both directly stated and implied. Baldwin writes from the position of one who shares King's angle of spiritual vision from deep inside the Black Church of the deep South, frankly facing its faults, and lovingly affirming and adding to its immense contributions. This work is without parallel, for thoroughness and authenticity in its field." -- Rev. Dr. Henry H. Mitchell, author of Black Church Beginnings, 1650-1990 "This book is of inevitable value to any individual or group who are prepared to become new models as individuals or churches committed to societal reformation. Rooted in King's writings, as well as others on or about him, the intention of the reader involves more than being informed: given the historic experiences of the Black Church and its membership, it is very clear that King could not separate the social needs of black people from the personal needs. His concern for 'unemployment, slums, economic insecurity' and other inequities of life made him 'a profound advocator of the social gospel.' I praise God for this book!" --Retired bishop Leontine T.C. Kelly, the United Methodist Church "Dr. Baldwin's work places Martin Luther King, Jr. at the forefront of ecclesiastical life and thought. That in no way detracts from his standing as a champion of freedom. Dr. Baldwin is uniquely qualified to see the two as belonging together." -- Rev. Will Campbell, Civil Rights activist and author of Robert G. Clark's Journey to the House "Baldwin's the voice of Conscience is a masterpiece and a crowning achievement to a career dedicated to theological, reflections on the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr....Highly recommended."--CHOICE "Compelling...This book provides a much needed corrective to what has been an unexamined lacuna in King scholarship, which has assumed the importance of King's understanding of the church and its relation to his broader social vision. What Baldwin contributes is a clear and concise picture of that community of faith in King's mind."--The Journal of Southern History "Lewis Baldwin has written several other works on Dr. King and is regarded as an authority on King's life...The Voice of Conscience opens a new investigative path into the birth of Black Religion and the Black Church in North America...for future researchers The Voice of Consciousness should be viewed as a hermeneutical point of departure."--The Journal of African American History