The Brilliancy of Spirituality and Connection in the Pursuit of Justice

 The most brilliant aspect of Dr. King’s writing is his mutual connection of Christianity and spirituality that lines everything he writes, especially within “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. What is so explicitly interesting about this connection to religion, is that it is the main foundation for his call for equality. Kolvenbach references something similar in his own writings about Jesuits and their “promotion of justice” that is inherent in all of their works and teachings. The two of these authors write of the integral spirituality that is in the heart of the pursuit of equality and justice. 

I will forever be floored by Dr. King’s writing in “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, for there is no greater feat of wordsmithing than what he accomplishes in his essay to white church leaders. For him to state that “we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” Even then, Dr. King continues with references to Jesus’ teachings in relation to the idea of extremism for a cause. He asks “Was not Jesus an extremist in love…Will we be extremists for hate, or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?” There is beauty in this metaphor and these rhetorical questions. There is also a strong purpose. Dr. King’s use of these two specific elements – though he continues to use exceptional diction and reasoning and metaphor throughout his essay – he is emphasizing the importance of connection and spirituality, especially with the pursuit of justice and equality. 

This idea is similarly voiced by Kolvenbach in his essay. Kolvenbach simply addresses the point straight on in his writings. Dr. King must create more nuance, leading his readers on a carefully curated journey in order to see his point. Kolvenbach simply writes “Injustice is rooted in a spiritual problem, and its solution requires a spiritual conversion of each one’s heart and a cultural conversion of our global society so that humankind, with all the powerful means at its disposal, might exercise the will to change the sinful structures afflicting our world”. Both these authors write about the connections, and almost requirement of a spiritual body or individual to participate in this pursuit of justice and equality. When reading each of these readings and reflecting upon them, there is an understanding that it is simply inevitable that justice and religion coexist hand-in-hand.  

Dr. King is entirely correct. We are inextricably tied together through something greater than humankind or human nature. Kolvenbach is also correct that in order to understand these ties and find solutions for knots that we may cause, we must converse spiritually. There is a common ground amongst the two ideas, authors, and any reader that crosses paths with these writings. I cannot help but feel almost renewed when coming across these writings. There is something timeless about the crafted sentences and topics that call to attention a constant pursuit. Perhaps it is no longer desegregation as is the literal case for Dr. King’s writings, but perhaps it’s some new injustice that these writings may still champion and cover. The timeless aspect of connection and spirituality is exceptional – the best part is that “spirituality” today  might not even be Christianity or Judaism or Catholicism, but a simple belief in a greater power that aligns greater thinking, connecting each other like these writings explicitly state.