What is "The Beloved Community" and why should we care?

John Lewis wants you to know the answer.

First, the official explanation:

“The Beloved Community” is a term that was first coined in the early days of the 20th century by the philosopher-theologian Josiah Royce, who founded the Fellowship of Reconciliation. However, it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., also a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, who popularized the term and invested it with a deeper meaning which has captured the imagination of people of good will all over the world.

For Dr. King, The Beloved Community was not a lofty utopian goal to be confused with the rapturous image of the Peaceable Kingdom, in which lions and lambs coexist in idyllic harmony. Rather, The Beloved Community was for him a realistic, achievable goal that could be attained by a critical mass of people committed to and trained in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence.

Dr. King’s Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict.

How does John Lewis tie in with that description of The Beloved Community, though?

Well, long before he became the Democratic Congressman for Georgia's 5th District, representing the people of Atlanta in the House of Representatives, John Lewis was a leading figure in Dr. King's non-violent campaign for civil rights back in the early 1960's. He was arrested 40 times, beaten by police in Selma so badly that the scars are still visible today, and threatened with death more times than he can count. But he believed in Dr. King's vision of The Beloved Community and still carries its message in his writings and speeches today.

Rep. John Lewis is known for being one of the most courageous members of Congress, never shirking his commitment to speaking out for peace and justice. He was the first major House figure to call for the impeachment of George W. Bush, stating that the president "deliberately, systematically violated the law" in authorizing the illegal wiretapping of American citizens. As Rep. Lewis has pointed out, "He is not King, he is president."

Rep. Lewis is also an impassioned, outspoken critic of the Bush administration's illegal and unjustifiable military occupation of Iraq. A recent recipient of the Backbone Award for his efforts in convincing Congress to stand up against the president's actions in the Middle East, Rep. Lewis cited The Beloved community in a powerful floor speech against providing funds for the war that he gave earlier this month:

Rep. Lewis is a lifelong advocate of peace and justice, a powerful example of integrity in public service, a courageous voice against the war, and a worthy bearer of Dr. King's vision of The Beloved Community. We are fortunate to have men and women like him in Congress during these trying times. And we should make a point of telling him so and encouraging him to continue representing what is best about America even when it is sometimes unpopular for him to do so.

"I say to you students, lead us into the 21st century. Find a way to get in the way. Find a way to get in trouble. Find a way to make some noise, to make our country and our world a better place."
—- John Lewis

It's really a shame that more people aren't familiar with who John Lewis is.

He's been a rock-steady member of the social-progressive community his whole life, a crusading member of the civil rights movement since he was 20 years old, and an exemplary member of Congress since 1987.

Mr. Lewis' progressive bona fides are beyond reproach (you can view his voting record here), and he has an amazing institutional memory of the last half-century of American history and politics.

I had the pleasure of voting for Mr. Lewis several times when I still lived in Atlanta, and I still have nothing but respect for him. He's never been a scene-stealer or an attention hog, so he's relatively unknown by those outside the Beltway or I-285.

But that lack of familiarity is the country's loss, not just his. Here's hoping that this CK post and others like it will help to spread the word about what a fine man and an excellent representative of the people John Lewis truly is.