To Harold Edward Fey
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr.
Date: June 27, 1962
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Genre: Letter
Topic: Nonviolence
Details
Following the Gandhi Society’s founding on 17 May, the Christian Century and the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity (ESCRU), liberal Christian supporters of the movement, publicly expressed their fears that the Gandhi Society represented a dangerous turn toward a humanistic secularism with Gandhi replacing Christ as a central figure.1 King responds to these criticisms in a private letter to Century editor Fey, explaining that the Gandhi Society is to be an educational organization supporting the movement.2 He also clarifies his theological views regarding interfaith efforts, asserting that his Christian convictions did not conflict with his belief “that in some marvelous way, God worked through Gandhi, and the spirit of Jesus Christ saturated his life.” King says he was “shocked” that Fey and Morris of the Episcopal Society had not checked with him “to clarify the facts,” adding it is a “Christian courtesy that I would expect from a dedicated Priest who is an ally in the struggle, and from a responsible periodical that does not hesitate to use my name as an Editor-at-Large.” Fey later apologized, expressing his “regret that you feel we contributed to a misunderstanding of the Gandhi Organization.”3 King granted permission for the Century to quote sections of the letter for an explanatory editorial clarifying the Gandhi Society’s auxiliary role.4
Dr. Harold E. Fey, Editor
THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY
407 South Dearborn Street
Chicago 5, Illinois
Dear Dr. Fey:
It is very seldom that I pause to answer criticisms that are directed toward me and my work. If I stopped to answer all of the criticisms that come across my desk, I would find little time to do anything else and my office staff would be almost completely involved in this task. However, the editorial which appeared in The Christian Century and the statement released by The Rev. John Morris, of the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity, reveal such a blatant misunderstanding of the new Gandhi Society for Human Rights that I feel compelled to answer it.
First, I should give you some idea of the circumstances that led to the formation of the Gandhi Society. Several months ago I met with a group of distinguished lawyers in New York and solicited their support in the libel cases that several Alabama officials had brought against four ministers of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. These lawyers were so outraged at this tragic misuse of the judicial process that they immediately formed a lawyer’s committee to give legal and financial assistance to these victims of injustice.5 When one realizes that the SCLC has already spent over $40,000.00 on the libel cases, it is not too difficult to see what a tremendous lift it was to me to get the support of these lawyers.6
As these men came closer and closer to the struggle, they came to a realization of the overwhelming financial burden that we were facing in the non-violent movement. They saw how our all-too-limited financial resources were constantly drained by the legal maneuvers and vicious attacks of those who opposed our efforts. As a result of this, many felt that a tax exempt fund should be set up through which large scale financial support could be channelized for the non-violent movement. Along with this, the idea emerged that this fund could also serve as a medium through which educational material on non-violence could be disseminated on a broad scale and support for voter education on a non-partisan basis could be developed.7 Out of this interplay of ideas and concern the Gandhi Society had its birth. It is not a new civil rights organization such as NAACP, Urban League, SCLC or CORE. It is rather an educational fund or foundation which was established to serve as a crucible for new ideas in non-violent direct action, and to provide support for the movement to increase the number of Negro registered voters, and to provide legal aid to those leaders and individuals who are legally attacked because of their involvement in the non-violent movement.
It is clear from the foregoing that the founders of the Gandhi Society had not the slightest desire to set up an organization that would displace the church or repudiate the Christian gospel. This question never came up, and I am sure that no one in the group considered this new thrust as a substitute for the social action program of the Christian church.
At this point, I think I should state my personal convictions on the issue. Both you and Mr. Morris imply in your statements that I am now forsaking the Christian church in order to turn to a new kind of American sectarianism. You seem to have the idea that the Gandhi Society will replace the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This is implied in your statement that “they are likely to be disappointed with the results of this organizational re-shuffling and re-naming.”8 Suffice it to say that the SCLC, of which I am president, is more alive than ever before. We have some seventy-five affiliate organizations covering every Southern State. We work mainly through the churches to achieve citizenship rights for Negroes and to instill the philosophy of Christian non-violence. There is not the slightest idea of giving up this approach. My connection with SCLC is that of Executive President and most of my time and energy are given to the implementation of its program. The Gandhi Society has no organic or structural connection with SCLC. My only connection with the Society is that of Honorary Chairman. How anyone could interpret my relation with the Gandhi Society as a turn away from the church is a real mystery to me.
As far as my Christology goes, I believe as firmly now as ever that God revealed Himself uniquely and completely in Jesus Christ. Like Thomas of old, I, too, can affirm in the presence of Christ, “My Lord, and my God.”9 I believe with every Christian in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and I am more convinced than ever before that we will only find the solution to the problems of the world through Christ and His way.
One’s commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, however, should not mean that one cannot be inspired by another great personality that enters the stage of history. I must confess that I saw in your statement and that of Mr. Morris a narrow sectarianism and a degree of religious intolerance that caused me real concern. While I firmly believe that God revealed Himself more completely and uniquely in Christianity than any other religion, I cannot make myself believe that God did not reveal Himself in other religions. I believe that in some marvelous way, God worked through Gandhi, and the spirit of Jesus Christ saturated his life. It is ironic, yet inescapably true that the greatest Christian of the modern world was a man who never embraced Christianity.10 This is not an indictment on Christ but a tribute to Him—a tribute to his universality and His Lordship. When I think of Gandhi, I think of the Master’s words in the fourth gospel: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold.”11 This is not to make of Gandhi a new Jesus Christ—this he can never be. It is fallacious to think of the Gandhi Society as an attempt to deify Gandhi or establish a cult around his name. It seems only natural for this new foundation to take the name of Gandhi since he, more than anyone in the modern world, lifted the method of non-violence to a powerful level of socio-political action. To say that a Society formed with the name of Gandhi to give aid to those engaged in the non-violent struggle for justice is the establishment of a new cult, is as illogical as saying that a foundation established in the name of Albert Schweitzer or Tom Dooley to aid in medical care for Asian and African people is the development of a new cult.12
To sum up all that I have said: you have been misinformed on at least two points.
You have the impression that the Gandhi Society is a new civil rights organization. This, it is not. It is an educational fund.
You have the impression that the Gandhi Society is made up of Christian leaders who have deserted Christ and the church. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Christian leaders on the Board of the Gandhi Society are more involved in making the gospel relevant in this period of social change than ever before.
I must say in conclusion that I was somewhat shocked to discover that you and Mr. Morris would so vehemently attack the Gandhi Society without first getting a statement from me concerning its nature and purpose.13 Certainly I do not wish to imply that my views and my work should not be criticized when necessary. But for one to criticise without knowing all of the facts is both unjust and unfair. Just a telephone call or a letter could have cleared up most of your misconceptions. Naturally I would not expect most journalists to speak to me to clarify the facts before releasing a statement, but it is a Christian courtesy that I would expect from a dedicated Priest who is an ally in the struggle, and from a responsible periodical that does not hesitate to use my name as an Editor-at-Large. I have come to see over the past few years that most misunderstanding in the world develops because of a lack of communication—the tragic tendency to live in monologue rather than dialogue. I am extremely sorry that your editorial and the statement of Mr. Morris will spread so many unfortunate misconceptions about the Gandhi Society and will cause many Christian leaders to look upon it with strange suspicion and doubt my own commitment to Christ and the church. It may even cause some to withhold financial support—and this can be a tragedy when one considers the burden and the strain that all of us face in seeking to raise funds for the civil rights struggle.
I am sure, however, that, as in the past when our humble efforts have been misinterpreted, and temporary setbacks have been our fate, we will be sustained by Him whose grace and power will keep us from falling.14
Very sincerely yours,
[signed] Martin L. King Jr
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Km
P.S. I am not writing this letter for publication. MLK
1. The Christian Century published an editorial expressing its fear that the Society’s leaders, focused on “penultimate human rights instead of ultimate human unity,” would substitute “Gandhi’s laudable humanistic creed for the power of reconciliation which they possess in the Lord of all history” (“A Gandhi Society?,” Christian Century 79 [13 June 1962]: 735–736). John B. Morris, executive director of ESCRU, an independent organization seeking to promote integration efforts both within and outside of the Episcopal Church, asserted that the Society’s founding indicated a shift where “Gandhi displaces Christ as the source of power and motivation for those who call themselves Christian” and that “new prophets must come foreward now if Christ is not to be shunted aside in favor of humanistic loyalties which man elevates higher than faith” (ESCRU, Press release, John Burnett Morris statement on disappointment in religious divergence, 29 May 1962). King called both of these statements a “‘misunderstanding’ of the nature and purpose” of the Society (“Gandhi Unit Criticized by Journal,” Washington Post, 16 June 1962).
2. Harold Edward Fey (1898–1990) received his B.A. from Cotner College in 1922 and a B.D. from Yale Divinity School in 1927. Ordained a minister of the Disciples of Christ in 1923, Fey served as pastor of First Christian Church in Hastings, Nebraska, after graduating from Yale and from 1929–1931 taught sociology abroad at Union Theological Seminary in Manila. In 1932, Fey became editor of World Call, a monthly magazine tied to the Disciples of Christ. He was executive secretary of the Fellowship of Reconciliation and editor of Fellowship from 1935–1940. Fey joined the Century staff in 1940 and served as editor from 1956–1964. He published several books, including his autobiography How I Read the Riddle (1982).
3. Fey to King, 6 July 1962. Century managing editor Kyle Haselden also wrote King reassuring him “that we are deeply devoted to the causes which you serve, and that we want to do you good and not harm” (Haselden to King, 16 July 1962).
4. See Dora E. McDonald to Fey, 16 July 1962; “Gandhi Society Explained,” Christian Century 79 (1 August 1962): 929–930.
5. King refers to the Lawyers Advisory Committee, a group of eighteen lawyers assembled by Theodore Kheel. For more on the committee, see King, Statement at Lawyers Advisory Committee meeting, 8 May 1961, pp. 218–221 in this volume.
6. According to SCLC’s financial reports, around $20,000 had been spent on costs related to the libel cases from September 1960 to April 1962 (Abernathy, “SCLC, treasurer’s report,” 1 September 1960–31 August 1961; Abernathy, “Treasurer’s report,” 1 September 1961–30 April 1962).
7. King once noted that SCLC, “with respect to active legal support, is like an Army engaged in battle without a medical corps” (King to Theodore Woodrow Kheel, 11 December 1961). In his 12 February 1962 correspondence with New York lawyer Harry Wachtel, one of the architects of the Gandhi Society, King raised the need for educational material about voting rights and funding for legal assistance for local voter registration campaigns (pp. 397–398 in this volume).
8. “A Gandhi Society?,” p. 736.
9. Cf. John 20:28.
10. King expressed a similar sentiment in his 1959 Palm Sunday sermon on Gandhi’s life (Palm Sunday Sermon on Mohandas K. Gandhi, Delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 22 March 1959, in Papers 5:147–148).
11. Cf. John 10:16.
12. Schweitzer was a medical missionary who founded the Schweitzer Hospital in present-day Gabon; Dooley was a physician who established several clinics for locals in Laos.
13. In his response to King, Fey explained, “we should have checked with you before issuing our statement but, frankly, we have tried so many times to get in touch with you and have failed. We have written so many letters and have not received responses that we had unconsciously accepted the erroneous assumption that nothing we could do would attract your attention” (Fey to King, 6 July 1962).
14. Cf. Jude 1:24.
Source: CCFA-ICarbS, Christian Century Foundation Archives, Special Collections Research Center, Morris Library, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill.