Our Church Speaks Episode 56 - Part 2 of Martin Luther King, Jr. Renewer of Society (with Dr. Mika Edmondson)
Jan 26, 2026
Dr. Mika Edmondson, pastor and theologian with a PhD in systematic theology and author of The Power of Unearned Suffering, explores Martin Luther King Jr.'s theology of suffering, theodicy, and God's presence amid pain. He traces FBI smear campaigns, explains King's democratic socialist critiques of capitalism, highlights nonviolence and imaginative rhetoric, and points to which parts of King's vision remain unfulfilled.
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Episode notes
Theodicy Shapes Black Christian Hope
- Theodicy asks how God can be good and powerful while suffering persists.
- Black Christian tradition affirms God's presence and redemptive purpose amid profound injustice.
Redemptive Suffering Isn't Endorsement
- Redemptive suffering means God is good in suffering, not that suffering itself is good.
- The goal remains to alleviate suffering while trusting God's presence and purpose within it.
Learn From Saints Without Idolizing Them
- Evaluate historical figures by their witness, not by demanding moral perfection.
- Learn from their faith and failures while giving ultimate praise to God, not the person.
