Advocating Community When Community Seems to Sunder
Marsh Chapel summer sermons pivot off Martin Luther King, Jr. (GRS’55, Hon.’59)
The Marsh Chapel congregation will hear about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Beloved Community in this summer’s guest preacher series. Photo by Dan Aguirre
In this summer of anguish over race-driven shootings and terrorism, Marsh Chapel’s summer sermon series, which starts Sunday, will probe Martin Luther King’s concept of the Beloved Community.
King (GRS’55, Hon.’59) popularized that phrase to describe a more just and nonviolent world. At Marsh Chapel, three BU preachers and three guests will address the theme in sermons through August 16.
“We hope that as the gospel is preached by our outstanding national guests, a timely reflection on King’s dream, in this regard, might resonate across the land,” says the Rev. Robert Allan Hill, dean of Marsh Chapel, who will preach on July 12 and August 2. He cites a quote from the martyred civil rights leader to illustrate the series’ direction:
The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.
The preacher this Sunday, June 28, will be the Rev. David Romanik, associate rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Other guests who will speak from the pulpit: the Rev. Stephen Chapin Garner, pastor of the United Church of Christ in Norwell, Mass. (July 19 and 26) and the Rev. Regina L. Walton, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Newton, Mass. (August 9).
Rounding out the preachers will be Brother Lawrence Whitney (STH’09,’15), University chaplain for community life (July 5), and the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, University chaplain for international students (August 16).
This is Marsh’s ninth annual summer preaching series. Last year’s focused on Gospel lessons for young adults. Many BU students who attend worship during the academic year listen to services over the summer, either on the internet or on WBUR 90.9 FM, BU’s National Public Radio station. The chapel service begins at 11 a.m.
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