Revolutionary Love - MLK Sunday
“Remaining Awake Through A Great Revolution”, Morehouse College Graduation, 1959 - MLK
“An understanding of man’s present predicament may be found in the distinction between civilization and culture. Professor Maciver of Columbia University, following the German sociologist, Alfred Weber, has clearly set forth the distinction.”11 Civilization refers to the things we use; culture, to what we are. Civilization is the complex of devices, mechanisms, techniques, and instruments by means of which we live, Culture is the realm of spiritual ends, expressed in art, literature, morals, and religion, for which at best we live. The great problem confronting man today is that he has allowed his civilization to outdistance his culture. He has allowed his mentality to outrun his morality. He has allowed his technology to outdistance his theology. He has allowed the means by which he lives to tower above the ends for which he lives. How much of our modern life can be summarized in the shrewd diction of the poet Thoreau, “Improved means to an unimproved end.”12 So we have ended up producing a generation of guided missiles and misguided men. Unless we awake and solve this problem soon our civilization will not only be indicted for sleeping through a revolution; it may well be destroyed before it has the opportunity to arise from its complacent slumber.”
Exegesis –
* Dr. King makes a distinction between civilization and more specifically technology that is a means to do and culture that is a means to be.
* He was clearly a prophet AND I don’t think he could imagine that we would literally direct our love towards a computer code with AI friends and romantic partners. The danger he raised has sunk to depths he likely couldn’t imagine.
* And yet his call to interdependence and mutuality is more real now than ever.
* There was not AI in Jesus time, but he still gave us a clear embodied prescription for what we need to do. In our understanding he took the law that God had given, put a little flesh on it and lived it out for those of us who couldn’t understand it without some extra help and he invited us into the party.
How Did Jesus Do It
* Consistent connecting with God
* Intimate connecting with people
* Calling them to spread the love publicly
What does it look like for us
* Decentering technology especially from driving culture - Sabbath
* Amplifying human connection and dialogue - Building Networks of Mutuality
* Activating our networks to expand the Mutuality - Acts of Public witness
Reflection Questions - Embrace the Creative Approach!
1. How can you make more space for our Creator to set your mindset? What would it look like for you to go deeper in your Sabbath practice as a step towards revolutionary love in 2026? What support would you need to make that real? (consider Psalm 199 as an inspiration source)
2. Jesus ministered to so many but he went really deep with his disciples. In 2026 what is your vision for strengthening deep networks of mutuality? For NR folks - How might your small group be part of this commitment?
3. VISION IT OUT - Imagine one way that you could activate your network of mutuality in public witness during the Lenten Season? Get creative.