This winter, the Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) and the Episcopal Diocese of New York (EDNY) are inviting their communities to come together to bear witness to the life, legacy, and moral leadership of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Throughout the months of December and January, EDS and EDNY community members will read the highly acclaimed biography, A King: A Life by Jonathan Eig, and on January 31st, the communities will gather for a public online conversation between Interim President of EDS the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas, Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of New York the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, and author Jonathan Eig.

Published in 2023, King: A Life by Jonathan Eig is the first major biography on Martin Luther King Jr. in decades, and the first to include King’s recently declassified FBI files. Recently listed as “Best Book of the Year” by the Washington Post and landing a place on the New York Times Bestseller list as well as Obama’s Summer Reading List, the book has been received with much critical praise for its thoughtful, thoroughly-researched, and timely depiction of King as both a complex person and a civil rights hero.

“What Jonathan Eig does in this book, in a way that is extraordinarily accessible, is give the reader a deep understanding of prophetic leadership,” shared the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas. “His characterization of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives us a window into exploring what it means to lead. It’s not about being perfect or being a saint, but showing up in our imperfect vessels to be moral leaders. In the time in which we find ourselves, this exploration is critical.”

“Sixty years later we still struggle with the issues Martin Luther King helped our nation to confront,” shared the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd. “Jonathan Eig’s wonderful book offers a compelling picture of Dr. King and the civil rights movement.  It also provides a thoughtful guide for faith leaders seeking to build the ‘beloved community’ today. I’m grateful for Episcopal Divinity School’s leadership in bringing this event together.”

The call for the EDS and EDNY communities to read this book builds on EDS at Union’s Community Read series in which members of its community read a book together and engage the author in conversation. Past book selections have included The Purpose of Power by Alicia Garza, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism by Katherine Stewart, and The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Please click here to learn more about EDS and EDNY’s Community Read—King: A Life by Jonathan Eig.