Ethical Prophets along the Way
Those Hall of Famers
Foreword by Susannah Heschel
Afterword by Mary Alice Mulligan
Imprint: Cascade Books
The Hebrew prophets of ancient Israel strove to convey God's point of view to the people and the powers at a time when injustice, deceit, malfeasance, and crushing the poor and the oppressed was prominent--much like today! The prophets spoke courageously and emphatically about God's profound and unrelenting concern and compassion for human beings.
Much influenced by the theology of prophecy developed by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, this book discusses the nature, meaning, and relevance of ethical prophecy at a time when democracy--in the United States of America and elsewhere--is under vicious assault from the religious and secular right and authoritarian politicians who openly flirt with and support murderous dictators, sexism, homophobia, racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred of Muslims both in word and practice. An examination of the contributions of eight powerful personalities from the period of American slavery through the post-civil rights era--Angelina Grimke, Ida B. Wells, Abraham J. Heschel, James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Oscar Romero, and Alice Walker--offers a recipe for addressing this state of affairs.
Rufus Burrow Jr. is a Martin Luther King Jr. scholar and Indiana Professor of Christian Thought, Emeritus, at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. In addition to his many publications on King, he has written much on ethical prophecy, including God and Human Responsibility: David Walker and Ethical Prophecy (2002), and coauthored, with Mary Alice Mulligan, Daring to Speak in God’s Name: Ethical Prophecy in Ministry (2002) and Standing in the Margin (2004).
“This book is a timely and urgent wake-up call to critical educators, liberation theologians, and all concerned with justice. Through the prophetic voices who speak truth to power, Rufus Burrow challenges the political and religious establishment with insightful analysis and compassionate heart. His voice comes out like ‘a sharp razor,’ evoking and provoking our conscious response. A courageous book that appeals to the sacredness of all human beings against all that is inhuman, a remarkable account of God’s graciousness.”
—Débora B. Agra Junker, Assistant Professor of Christian Education, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
“Rufus Burrow has crafted a multivalent profile of the ‘ethical prophet’ through a striking array of leaders who exhibit divergent expressions of political courage, intellectual creativity, and bold faith. Each one inspires. Collectively they expand our imaginations about the ethical contours of individual leadership committed to anti-racism and spirituality.”
—Traci C. West, author of Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality: Africana Lessons on Racism, Religion, and Ending Gender Violence
“Burrow points us to the essence of God-centered living: to stand with and fight for mistreated and powerless people, such as children, women, the poor, and refugees. The manifesto is poignant and life-giving all at once, an antidote to social atrocities and the promise of social redemption. Burrow renders the ethical prophet as vital for churches, synagogues, and mosques.”
—Timothy A. Knight, Knight Life Solutions (KLS)
“Ethical Prophets is strong evidence that Rufus Burrow Jr. belongs in the hall of fame for social ethicists who give voice to the voiceless and who inspire and instruct those wishing to embody the ethical prophecy exemplified by the brave souls depicted in these powerful pages. A magisterial study and, best of all, an enlightening read for those of us stuck in troubling times.”
—Michael G. Long, editor of We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States
“Burrow uses Abraham Heschel’s theoretical constructions to assert that prophets respond to divine calling through maladjustment to routinized practices of dehumanization. . . . This book is a signpost and an important read for all who actively pursue justice.”
—Rosetta E. Ross, Professor of Religion, Spelman College
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