Course Description
Examines the relationship between the Civil Rights Movement and religion through the words and activities of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1950s and 1960s and poses questions regarding the continuing impact of religion on the quest for racial freedom and vice versa.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students' assignments will be additional readings,
graduate level examinations, and a 20-25 page research paper.
Athena Title
MARTIN L KING & REL
Prerequisite
Junior or senior standing or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Course objectives include: 1. Comprehending Martin Luther King, Jr.'s role in and impact on the Civil Rights Movement; 2. Understanding King's role in and impact on religion, especially in the U.S.; 3. Examining the role that religion played in the personal life of King; 4. Investigating religious influences on the formation of King's social, political, and economic thought and activities; 5. Examining the social, political, and economic influences and factors on King's religious thought and practices; 6. Comparing briefly King's approach to religion and civil rights with a selected number of white and religious leaders during the Civil Rights Era; 7. Posing questions regarding the continued interaction between religion and quests for social reform as it relates to King's legacy, especially in the U.S.
Topical Outline
I. Course Introduction: Methodology, Philosophy, Significance II. Race and Religion in the Background and Youth of King III. Intellectual and Theological Factors Shaping King's Thoughts and Actions IV. The Role of Religion in the Montgomery Bus Boycott V. Segregation and Integration as Religious Issues VI. King's Religious Views regarding Poverty and Economic Injustice VII. King's Religious Views regarding Issues of War and Peace VIII. King, Ecumenism, and Non-Christian Religions IX. King, Black Nationalism, and the Roots of Black Theology X. King's Thoughts and Actions Pertaining to the Worldwide Quest for Justice and Freedom XI. King's Religion and Issues of Gender, Sexuality, and Other Socio-Political Matters XII. Assessing the Long-Range Significance of the Civil Rights Movement, King's Religion, and Their Interaction
Syllabus