Borne Forward Ceaselessly Into Love: A Theory of the Hermeneutics of Love Exemplified by Martin Luther King, Jr.

In this article, I develop a theory of a hermeneutics of love, defined as the act of interpreting with love, through love, and for love, including the intention to take action on behalf of love. Declaring love as my gospel, I begin with the "genesis" of this theory, with how I came to develop it, and I end with the "revelations" that came as I applied this theory in my life and teaching. In between, I utilize a case study of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, showing how King was a practitioner par excellence of a hermeneutics of love. King elevated agape, defined as unconditional love for all of humanity, even one’s enemies, into the sociocultural and political realm with the intention of effecting integration and engendering the beloved community. The article concludes with some reflections on agape, wondering if it is an impossible dream for those who are not Kings, and where that leaves those of us who are committed to the principle and practice of love.
Source: Journal of Humanistic Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Articles Source Type: research