PHILADELPHIA --In an age of decreasing civility, the lasting civil rights legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King may be maintained and celebrated as long as diverse peoples are effectively engaged in community. That view was expressed yesterday by a pastor/physician to an audience of students, faculty and administrators at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.

"As long as we continue to talk with one another in true community there is the possibility of changes," said the Rev. Dr. Marvin Luther Crawford, an African Methodist Episcopal pastor who is also chief, General Internal Medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Dr. Crawford is also pastor of Newberry Chapel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta.

"Both the individual and the community must be maintained" in such dialogue, Crawford said. "Individuals must be part of the community, and the community must be willing to listen to individuals, because there is the possibility that the majority may be wrong." He said that if God calls us to "take the plunge" in commitment to a just cause either as individuals or in community, "we must have faith that God will deliver us." His initial remarks were part of an afternoon summary session following workshops and a vigorous question and answer session featuring a student panel.

Describing Dr. King as "America's Prince of Egypt" during a later sermon before a packed Seminary chapel congregation, Crawford said the slain civil rights advocate had been America's "foremost and only spiritual genius. He moved the issues from a simple monologue to a dialogue that has had great influence."

Referring to the Gospel of Matthew language describing how Jesus called his disciples, Crawford said Christ had invited his followers to "march to the beat of a different drummer" when he had called upon them to be "fishers of men…fishers of all persons."

"Jesus gave his disciples a new end for which to live," Crawford said. "I'm glad God has called us all to be drummers, fishers of all persons, to set the consciousness of people, to influence how we will move and think in neighborhoods and nations, schools and colleges. God has burned the bridges, which divide us, and renewed our purpose from preoccupation to divine occupation, from just making a living to finding out what true life is all about. God has given us all a new reason to fish, renewed hope for using our gifts and talents to further his kingdom on earth, to build people." The worship featured the dynamic singing of the Voices of Fellowship Choir from Christian Fellowship Evangelistic Church, Inc., Philadelphia.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Richard Stewart had set the tone of the day by referring to Dr. King's legacy of civility in what today is an increasingly uncivil age. Stewart, the Seminary's assistant professor of communications and parish administration, noted that "rules of civility" had dated in America to George Washington. He said King and his followers had been treated in uncivil fashion in the aftermath of Rosa Parks's decision not to give up her seat on a bus of a white passenger. "When Dr. King's followers exercised personal choice by boycotting the transit system, they were arrested in Montgomery and treated in uncivil fashion."

He said Dr. King's legacy had included choosing love over hate and modeling friendship, justice and an approach to education seeking to transform people.

The events were a highlight of a daylong study of Dr. King and the impact of his life for today. Workshops in the afternoon featured discussions and action ideas for today. The ideas included exploring how faculty/staff dialogues might assure effectively including in courses Dr. King's civil rights ideas and ideals. Other suggestions included fostering metropolitan ministry partnerships or Bible study exchanges between diverse congregations, and encouraging "lay leader exchanges" so that congregations from different communities might benefit from sharing talents and expertise.

Panelists fielding questions from the audience and focusing discussion were Stewart, Dr. Charles Leonard, director of Contextual Education at the Seminary, and seminarians Peggy Wuertele, Glenda Hodges and Eric Harrison. Planners for the event included seminarians Hodges and Harrison, John Miller, Margaret Spring and Rich Moore, student body president.