Do you know that Martin Luther King Jr. questioned the divinity of Jesus?

Question

Here's the quote from "The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus," written in 1950.
"The orthodox attempt to explain the divinity of Jesus in terms of an inherent metaphysical substance within him seems to me quite inadequate. . . . actually harmful and detrimental. To invest this Christ with such supernatural qualities makes the rejoinder: 'Oh, well, he had a better chance for that kind of life than we can possible have.' In other words, one could easily use this as a means to hide behind his failures. So that the orthodox view of the divinity of Christ is in my mind quite readily denied."

Answer 1

He questioned the orthodox point of view, not the divinity of Jesus.

Answer 2

Isn't the orthodox view of Jesus that he is part of a triune God or trinity? Questioning this is not wrong, but smart. Jesus never said he was God, but the son of God. Jesus was human (a perfect human) he was able to perform miracles after his being baptized as proof that he was the son of God and a foreshadow of what he would do for mankind in the future. Now, he is a spirit creature ruling as king at the right hand side of God.

I also think that Martin Luther King Jr. was saying that people could become complacent and feel that a better life (especially for African Americans) was not possible. Of course, the conditions were from man's greed and prejudice. as Ecc. 8:9 says "man has dominated man to his injury."
Jesus offers the only true solution to the problem.

Answer 3

No. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that Jesus is not magical or, as a human, above the same temptations and problems we face. He wanted people to understand that as a human Jesus faced down His temptations and chose to follow God. Knowing that gives people the hope they CAN do the same thing and overcome their personal problems. Thinking the only reason He was able to be perfect was because of some supernatural ability gives people the idea they can never improve so they are overcome BY their problems.

Answer 4

So? And I should care what Martin Luther King Jr. thought because...?

In anycase Martin denies it because he doesn't like the implications. Is that any reason to doubt the divinity of Jesus? It's like seeing a Tsunami coming towards you and saying "I don't believe that! If that is true, I am probably going to die.". Not liking what it implies does not make it any less true.

And furthermore, his understanding of the implications are not logical to me. Becuase Jesus was divine does not give us an excuse to "hide behind our failures."

In anycase, religion and beliefs are about opininons. He had his and I have mine.

Answer 5

And the point is....?

Because some people do not believe something do not make it invalid. Even if they are famous.

Would be interested to read the rest of the thesis and see what it is the divinity of Jesus he is questioning, or the orthodox understanding of it. There is a difference.

Answer 6

I agree with him. Jesus was a human being, but blessed with the Holy Spirit. Every time he performed a miracle he prayed. If he was divine, why pray?

Answer 7

Tanya's right on.

I don't care how religious Martin Luther King was. He was a great man and a great civil rights activist.

Answer 8

Which makes him a great civil-rights leader...and a horrible theologian. The two evidently do not necessarily go hand-in-hand.

Answer 9

Then he was not the only one. It is OK to question Him. I did, He showed up in my life. I place my faith in Jesus.

Answer 10

So? What difference does that make? That is between him and God.