The Polished King:The Living Words of Martin Luther King Jr. By Joseph Evans

Reel Urban News Exclusive

By Joseph Evans, Ph.D

The Description

Joseph Evans analyzes how the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s preaching brought the “living word” and various rhetorical techniques together in ways that helped people understand, and be given hope by, his messages. The author observes that James Baldwin—himself a gifted writer and provocative thinker—considered King to be an “ideal preacher.” This book weaves Baldwin’s poetic and fiery words, passion for justice, and admiration of King’s oration into a detailed, thought-provoking examination of the rhythm of determination and transformative power in King’s speaking, writing, and faith. 

About the Author

Joseph Evans is the Dean of the Morehouse School of Religion, and a member of the Homiletics faculty at the Interdenominational Theological Center. He is the author of two books, Reconciliation and Reparation: Preaching Economic Justice, published by Judson Press (Spring 2018) and Lifting the Veil Over Eurocentrism: The Du Boisian Hermeneutic of Double Consciousness, published by Africa World Press (2014).

He is the author of numerous essays which include Preaching God’s Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary, Year A published by Westminster John Knox and A New History of the Sermon of the Nineteenth Century published by Brill Press (2010).

For the American Baptist Quarterly Evans has written “Vernon Johns and the Romance of Death” (Fall 2017) and “Christian Statesmen: Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gardner Calvin Taylor and African American Civic Sermon” (Spring 2011). He has written also for the American Baptist Quarterly, “King’s Dream: The Revelation of Democratic Justice.” This essay is a part of a special edition dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. This special edition was published in 2019.

Gardner C. Taylor described him as one of the “brilliant preachers of his generation.” Wyatt Tee Walker said “he is a master craftsman who is extremely adept in his understanding of how to prepare and deliver the prophetic sermon.” Dr. Evans is married and has two adult children and three grandchildren.