The United States has proven its ability to overcome times of crisis by uniting its people around a common national vision. This tradition dates back to our nation's origins when the 13 colonies overcame political and social divisions to secure freedom for future generations of Americans.
In the decades that followed, Americans spread across a vast continent. They reunited a deeply divided nation after a terrible civil war. They endured and won two devastating world wars. And they finally addressed this country's legacy of slavery and racism.
Our division seems to be just as big today. Only by working together can young generations revive and expand the American Dream. The perfect person to provide inspiration and wisdom to that challenge is the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
We both look completely different. One is white and the other is black. One is a minister and the other is a lawyer and professor. One pursued a career in human rights education, and the other served in the military.
But we have much more in common. First, we are both Americans, and while we both benefit from this country's vast opportunities, we also bear the burden of a tragic history of racism and violence. We both grew up in poverty, one in Baltimore and the other in Spanish Harlem in New York City. We have both witnessed and endured injustice.
In different situations, we both found God and came to believe that is the only answer. In this way, we gained transcendental understanding and support for our lives. Only by looking beyond ourselves can imperfect humans live and thrive together.
Through our faith and, as a result, seeking answers from others, we have come to see King as a source of wisdom, guidance, and healing in our personal lives. We have come to understand that his teachings can be a source of wisdom, guidance, and healing for our nation as well. His wisdom served Americans well during the civil rights struggle decades ago. His guidance is equally needed today.
The forces of division surround us and separate us at every turn. Most of us want peace, but we live in a time of violence. Crime is skyrocketing in many cities. Even more fundamental was the attack on the Capitol, an assault on the very foundations of democracy: the peaceful transfer of power.
Pessimists doubt whether America can come together.Racists and other hatemongers are active and shooting. Churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina and buffalo shopper In hopes of sparking a race war. What happens with new mass killings, police killings, destructive riots, contested elections, or illegal power grabs?
There are no simple answers to the “American crisis,” as Thomas Paine called the challenge in 1776. But Dr. King's philosophy, rooted in the gospel, provides a solid foundation for America's restoration. He called on this nation to embrace the philosophy that animated its founding people. All men (and women) are created equal and enjoy the God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
He practiced these great moral truths and died fighting for them. With the recent 60th anniversary of Dr. King's immortal “I Have a Dream” speech, it is long past time for us to put his principles into practice.
To that end, we are determined to discover new leaders, advance his philosophy, and help cultivate an entire generation in the pursuit of nonviolent social change. A key part of this educational program is the annual “Share the Dream Sunday” initiative, which encourages churches to teach Martin Luther King Jr.'s principles, and begins the Sunday before the MLK holiday.
America is in dire need of moral leadership. Dr. King and other civil rights leaders showed extraordinary courage during difficult times. Like the signers of the Declaration of Independence, they pledged their lives, property, and sacred honor. We must do the same.
Just as members of faith communities gave life and vitality to the civil rights movement, so too must churches, synagogues, and temples step forward today to lead America out of its present darkness. Saving America may be the most important moral test of our time.
At another difficult time, Dr. King called on Americans to embrace dignity, freedom, and equality for all people. We must repeat that challenge to those who don't know him and the world he did so much to transform. His dream must remain our dream.
Barry Black is a chaplain in the U.S. Senate and former us navy Head pastor. Matthew Daniels is Director of Law and Human Rights at the Institute of World Politics and Share the dream series.
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