Genre: Sermons
Published: 1969
No. of Pages: 190
A Gift of Love is indeed one of King’s many gifts given to us. It is a collection of sixteen of his classic sermons preached, with two new speeches, and many of which he began compiling whilst in jail. King imparts his profound wisdom and knowledge with the intention of making real change both in society and in the minds of people.
Centred at the core of his ideology and channelled as the social and political impetus for change, is of course, love. King preaches for the foundational need of love in all aspects of life, and how its unwavering power could, if we all adopted and radiated an innate sense of love, change the world.
Paired with the strength of love, King also preaches how change can be achieved through God. As a devout Christian, King’s sermons are pivoted on a religious stance, inspired by Bible verses. For instance, King addresses and reflects upon the themes of loving thy neighbour, casting out evil, and advocating for nonviolent methods, all of which are aimed to challenge deeply ingrained subconscious beliefs regarding race and equality.
King’s volume of sermons, which can be argued to not be felt with the same intensity as one would receive when listening to the preaching in person; nonetheless, remain thought-provoking and are elegantly written. King sophisticatedly references scientific theories and philosophical ideas, which not only demonstrate his extensive knowledge, but also elucidate his points, successfully allowing his points to be understood clearly and for A Gift of Love to be an approachable read.
Religious or not, King undoubtedly provides us with invaluable wisdom which we can all take on board and benefit from, as unfortunately, prejudices and injustices are still present in today’s society. A truly insightful read that urges us to continue to make a change and nurture the powerful gift of love.
Amie's Library 