Howard Thurman was a theologian and a philosopher with a vision. He has faced numerous challenges in life and was able to overcome it. Later on, he gradually transformed into one of the most influential and renowned religious thinkers of the century. He has worked diligently for American civil rights movement and was a source of inspiration for other leaders. In this article we will explore the interesting facts about Howard Thurman.
Who was Howard Thurman?
Howard Thurman was born on November 18, 1899 in Daytona Beach, Florida. In his childhood days, he spends his time in Daytona. His family lived in a black community in Waycross. Nancy Ambrose, his grandmother, greatly influenced him. His mother and grandmother were faithful Christians and were members of Mount Bethel Baptist Church.
He studied at Florida Baptist Academy and completed his high school studies there. It was a high school for African Americans. He graduated in 1923 from Morehouse College. He served as a Baptist minister in the First Baptist Church of Roanoke, Virginia. In 1926, he graduated from Rochester Theological Seminary.
He was a pastor at Mout Zion baptist church in Oberlin, Ohio.
Howard Thurman was the faculty member and the Director of Religious Life at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges in Atlanta. Howard was also the first dean of Andrew Rankin Chapel a Howard University. He was an excellent educator. Howard has always tried to engage his students by asking them thought-provoking questions.
Advocacy for Social Justice
He is well known for the religious and social justice movements. He was a preacher of the nonviolence movement and influenced civil rights activists. Martin Luther King Jr. was also influenced by Howard Thurman.
In 1929 Howard Thurman started studying in Haverford and he started his journey towards philosophy. In 1936 he met Mahatma Gandhi and his conversion with him boardened his vision on theology and international matters. He was the author of the book Jesus and the Disinherited Howard Thurman detailed about New Testamnet Gospels. This was the foundation pf non violent civil rights movement.
The civil rights movements were inspired by Howrd Thurman. He have always advocated love as a transformative force. Howard has always inspired activist to approach the challenges with hope. Howrd Thurman had a vision of community where the people from all backgrounds are living in harmony.
Howard Thurman’s Career
Horward Thurman was a good educator. Howard Thurman was the co-founder of the Church fro the Fellowshio of all peoples in San Francisco. This congregation became the first racially integrated interfaith church in the United States of America. He always thrived for the unity and integrity of the people.
Howard Thurman served as the Dean of Rankin Chapel at Horward University. He was also the first African American Dean of marsh Chapel at Boston University. While serving as a dean in the universities he was the mentor of many students. He always encouraged students to see faith as a driving factor for the social change. His lectures were intellectual and had a great spiritual depth. He has challenged students to face injustice with compassion and courage.
Ispiration to the Civil Rights Movements
The civil rights movements were inspired by Howrd Thurman. Howard have always advocated love as a transformative force. Howrd has always inspired activist to approach the challenges with hope. Thurman had a vision of community where the people from all backgrounds are living in harmony.
Howard Thurman was also a good writer and a thinker. His writings are regarded as a source of inspiration. Thurman major works are Jesus and the Disinherited, Meditations of the Heart and the Inward journey. Howard writings have always inspired readers . The writings of Howard Thurman could resonate with the readers. The readers have felt divine presence in their lives through his writings.
He was so good at blending theology and philosophy. He was a good thinker and a philosopher. His writings and thinking were not limited by the religion. Through his writings he has addressed themes of love, justice, and hope. His works are still relevant, and moreover, they have left a lasting impact on generations. In addition, their timeless nature continues to influence contemporary thought and inspire new perspectives.
Howard Thurmans Spiritual life
Howard Thurman led a life that was centered in spirituality. He was a believer of having a personal experience with the divine power. In his book titled Jesus and the disinherited he mentioned about the life of Jesus Christ. The wrote about the Jesus through the eyes of the oppressed sections of the society. In the book he showed Jesus Christ as someone who lived with the marginaalised society of people. The theology of Howard Thurman was beyond religion and religious beliefs. He went beyond christianity and seeked universal truths in hinduism, Sufism and Buddhism. He has appreciated all beliefs and seeked truth in it.
