
Education was essential in the development of the mind of Martin Luther King, Jr. From his matriculation at Morehouse College through his doctoral studies at Boston University, Dr. King took notes on various subjects and referenced some of the most important philosophers of all time. The note cards shown in this section give you a glimpse into the molding of one of the world’s most brilliant thinkers and orators. Religion, natural law, metaphysics and the meaning of wisdom are just a few of the topics highlighted. These subjects and many more helped Dr. King’s capacity to expand his intellectual and spiritual capacity three dimensionally.
Dr. King explores Plato's contribution to psychology.
Dr. King records ideas on Karl Marx's and John Dewey's definitions of God.
Dr. King records a short biography of the theologian St. Athanasius, identifying him as the defender of the Nicene faith.
Dr. King cites a biblical scripture from the book of Isaiah where it is asserted that "God's house is to be a house of prayer for all people."
Dr. King quotes Albert Ritschl's "The Christian Doctrine of Justification and Reconciliation."
Dr. King writes notes regarding Danish philosopher and theologian Doren Kierkegaard's views on ethics and religion.
Dr. King outlines dialectical theology, an approach to theology in Protestantism. King discerns that the "dogmatic arise primarily out of the demands of the religious consciousness."
Dr. King writes about the New Covenant, according to Jeremiah 31:33.
Dr. King quotes a scripture from the Old Testament book of Job regarding immortality and the "affirmation of the mortality of man."
Dr. King quotes from Edgar S. Brightman's "Philosophy of Religion."
Dr. King notates the various explanations of "objects" and "the nature of thought."
Dr. King records the views of John Cowles, chairman of Look magazine and president of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Cowles stated that the US is losing its grip on "the minds of men" worldwide, thanks in part to the US' inability to express sympathy for the Asian community after World War II.
Dr. King reflects on a classical approach to learning.
Dr. King quotes Paul Tillich's Systematic Theology on the difference in applying the dynamic form to God versus applying it to man.
Dr. King references Albert Knudson's "The Doctrine of Redemption."
Dr. King quotes Reinhold Niebuhr's "The Nature and Destiny of Man" on the place of the "law of love" in relation to human history.
Dr. King defines "cardinal virtues" and then lists those held by the Greeks and Christians.
This note card briefly compares Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism and Calvinism.
Dr. King documents Paul Tillich's view towards Marxism.
Dr. King quotes theologian and philosopher Paul Tillich's "Systematic Theology." Dr. King's doctoral degree is in systematic theology from Boston University and his dissertation is on Paul Tillich. According to Tillich, secular and holy correlate and cannot act separately. Tillich states, "The holy embraces itself and the secular."