{"id":1243632,"date":"2026-01-21T00:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/?p=1243632"},"modified":"2026-01-23T12:19:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:19:48","slug":"faith-leaders-carry-king-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/faith-leaders-carry-king-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Modern Freedom Fighting From the Pulpit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the nation honors the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., religious figures \u2013 from Decatur, Georgia, to churches in the metropolitan region \u2013 are amplifying their vision to carry forward his mantle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether advocating for constitutional and civil rights or molding the minds of future freedom fighters, the theme for 2026 remains: How can faith leaders continue King\u2019s mission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and keynote speaker of MLK Holiday DC\u2019s Eighth Annual Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington (Maurice Fitzgerald)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe theme for [MLK Holiday DC 2026]: [\u2018The Struggle Is Real. The Fight is Still.\u2019] is just a sober acknowledgement that we are now up against the unseemingly unrestrained power of the federal government, in the hands of those whose vision of America is antithetical to everything King stood for. But we are not without resources. King would be the first to remind us\u2026not to give up on each other, that truth pressed to the ground will rise again because no lie can live forever, and that God has a way of ringing good out of evil. God is the source of our strength, and He is the strength of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Tony Lee, founder and senior pastor of Community of Hope A.M.E Church in Temple Hills, Maryland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reality is everybody’s talking about Dr. King’s dream, but folks don’t talk about his stand against the war in Vietnam and how unpopular he was at the time of his death. He was dealing with the fact that, in the same way that we need to be standing for Palestine, in the same way that we need to understand the connection with what’s happening in Venezuela, in the same way that we need to understand the connection with our brothers and sisters who are immigrants \u2013 it’s this whole question of fighting for each other in this interconnectedness of oppression, and being able to fight that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Gerald Durley, international civil rights activist and pastor emeritus of Providence Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Rev. Gerald Durley (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s come back to our roots.\u2019 How do we come together to understand the collective body of our mutual experiences that made us strong, that will make us strong, that we can face anything, and then ask the question \u2013 in order to achieve that, what do you need to do? What are you willing to sacrifice, and what are you willing to risk?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Wanda Thompson, pastor of Ambassador Baptist Church in Southeast D.C.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
**FILE** The Rev. Wanda Thompson (Shevry Lassiter\/The Washington Informer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201c[Dr. King once said], \u2018Injustice anywhere is [a threat to] justice everywhere.\u2019 It’s up to the Black Church to set an example \u2013 to be on the front lines to really fight injustice. [Making] sure that the citizens in this country, that we all receive due process, that we all receive the things we need, that we learn how to show love and mercy and compassion towards our neighbors. We have to speak truth to power when those in power are wrong\u2026are doing things that hurt the community. That’s what we’re called to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Summerfield, Maryland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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**FILE** The Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis (Robert R. Roberts\/The Washington Informer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWe have gone to the things that Dr. King feared and made it the new norm. His message is as relevant as it was when he spoke. The Black Church today needs to speak as boldly as possible, and this same message needs to be spoken in every pulpit \u2013 Black and white.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Jerry Black, pastor of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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The Rev. Jerry Black (Courtesy of Beaulah Missionary Baptist Church via Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt is so important as pastors to follow King\u2019s example, so that his dream will not perish. I\u2019m celebrating my 34th pastoral anniversary next month; The Rev. Dr. Jasper Williams Jr. (pastor emeritus of Atlanta\u2019s Salem Bible Church) will be preaching, [and] I told him just to proclaim the importance of pastors standing up for the truth. The church is supposed to be the bride of Christ, but we must be careful that we are handling another man\u2019s bride.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Religious figures from across the nation are honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by advocating for constitutional and civil rights, and encouraging faith leaders to continue his mission of fighting for justice and equality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2344,"featured_media":1243633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_primary_brand":0,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","nota_seo_page_title":"MLK legacy lives on: Faith leaders' mission continues","nota_seo_page_description":"Religious leaders honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and discuss how faith leaders can continue his mission in the face of injustice and oppression.","newspack_featured_image_position":"small","newspack_post_subtitle":"Faith Leaders Across the Nation Speak to King's Legacy in 2026","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33756,30854],"tags":[88239,36365,67554,88240,42281,88238,45950],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"nota":[],"coauthors":[56985],"class_list":["post-1243632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlk-memorial-issue","category-supplements","tag-rev-dr-henry-p-davis","tag-rev-dr-martin-luther-king-jr","tag-rev-gerald-durley","tag-rev-jerry-black","tag-rev-tony-lee","tag-rev-wanda-thompson","tag-wi-supplements","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nMLK legacy lives on: Faith leaders' mission continues - 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