Howard Thurman was a seminal figure in the Christian spiritual formation movement of the mid twentieth century. He is widely considered the spiritual grandfather of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and played a key role in articulating how the religion and spirituality that Jesus embodied enables one to live liberated lives while living within oppressive and dehumanizing systems. This paper chronicles key moments of the life of Thurman and attempts to articulate some of the major spiritual themes that were the core of his preaching, teaching, and spiritual direction. In conclusion, I provide implications for the importance of Thurman’s teachings in our present political moment.
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