I Have a Dream: Religion Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph.Sentence)

Quote #1

No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. (9.9)

This quote compares the goals of the Civil Rights Movement to religious "righteousness," a word that references innumerable Bible quotes. The righteous diction creates the tone of a church sermon, something that MLK had experience with as a Baptist preacher. It also evokes the rhetoric of surfing righteous waves.

Quote #2

Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. (10.5)

Redemptive suffering. Hmm…sounds pretty evocative of the story of Jesus. According to Christian theology, Christ's suffering on the cross redeemed the sins of humanity. After Christ, various martyrs and saints suffered in the name of their religious principles. MLK saw his followers as carrying forward the Christian message of brotherly love during the Civil Rights Movement.

Quote #3

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. (17.1)

An apocalyptic sounding dream pops up near the end of the speech. Christian theology emphasizes that God will lift up the weak and cast down the strong. The idea has roots in the Book of Isaiah. It's a fitting metaphor for African Americans fighting against a powerful white establishment. If you don't like the building, rip it down.