In memory of Martin Luther King Jr.: The wise caution of amos (especially to religious folk)
In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr. quoted the prophet Amos, saying, “Justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” King returned to these words repeatedly in his speeches and sermons; they were a kind of theological and linguistic motif for his ministry. As we once again consider King’s legacy, it is helpful to examine the larger literary context of this oft-quoted scripture verse from chapter five of the Book of Amos, in which the prophet is relaying a divine message that no ceremony or song can make up for injustice in a community.