Okay, I know he was a ‘junior’ - but why “Martin Luther” instead of John Smyth King, or Thomas Helwys King, or John Calvin King? I understand that Martin Luther and John Calvin were leaders of the Protestant Movement and the Reformation Movement, but are the two denominations (Lutherans and Baptists) that closely related?
It should have said: Why “Martin Luther” King, jr.?
I dunno. Why Radar Ralf instead of Sonar Sam? Why William Jefferson Clinton instead of Deve Clinton? Chalk it up to the wacky world of children’s names.
tcburnett: In many families, names that are given to children have some historical or significant meaning. Our esteemed president, for instance, has a middle name that just happens to be the same as one of this nation’s early presidents. There may be favorite names that are handed down generation to generation that have to do with admired persons or famous relatives. You may even have such a name yourself and not realize it. If your name is Thomas Cruise Burnett, I suppose I could understand your comment about the wacky world of children’s names. But if your name was Thelonious Chevrolet Burnett, and you learned that your parents liked jazz and owned an Impala for a few months before you were born, it might have more significance for you.
So am I to understand the question to be “Are the Lutherans and Baptists theologically/ecumenically close enough that one would expect a Baptist to name his child ‘Martin Luther’ at the time Dr. King’s father was born? And did that closeness extend to the time Dr. King himself got a name? And while were at it, does this closeness continue to this day?”
I fixed the thread title, BTW. Apparently the software doesn’t like quotation marks.
Not really but that’s with the perspective of them both being Christian, protestant denominations. I was once a southern Baptists, am now again a Luthern (Evangelical this time, Missouri Synod before) and was raised Roman Catholic so my perspective could be a lot different than that of others. It’s a topic worthy of a long GD thread. At least I can appreciate jokes about all three denominations 
Q: How can you tell if a Lutheran is watching Star Wars?
A: When Obi-Wan says “may the force be with you,” he answers back, “and also with you.”
Q: Why don’t Baptists make love standing up?
A: People might think they’re dancing.
A mother and father have been trying everything to help their son who is failing math. Flash cards, videos and tutors don’t help but things turn around dramatically when they enroll him in Catholic school. They ask the son what helped him finally do well in math. He said “they sent us to mass the first day of school and when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign I knew these people weren’t fooling around.” The pastor in my church told that one in his sermon a few weeks ago.
manhattan: Thank you for fixing the title. And thank you for clearly restating my question - you elegantly stated that which I was clumsily mumbling.
Padeye: Q: What three things do Baptists refuse to recognize? A: The Infallibility of the Pope, the practice of infant baptism, and another Baptist in a liquor store.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born Michael Luther King Jr. When his father was six, he changed both the Senior and Junior’s first names to Martin because the Senior King admired him.
Well, Martin Luther chunked the Pope a’ Rome out of the Christian Religion for millions and millions of people, so I suppose even those daffy Southern Baptists would revere him, as a historical figure if not a spiritual leader.
And Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” is a mighty catchy little hymn. It’s got a swell beat and is good for dancing.
BobT essentially has it.
Sr. King was born Mike King in 1899, the second of ten children.
At birth Jr. was named Michael Luther King Jr. by his father. In August of 1934 when Jr was 5 his father returned from an extended tour of Europe, Africa and the Holy Land sponsored by his congregation at Ebenezer baptist. He celebrated the event by changing his name to martin Luther and for the sake of consistency also changed his oldest son’s name.
Now we can open the floor to a series of questions of this theory. There are different stories about the name change. This one is the most plausible because it coincides with the fact that Jr’s birth certificate was not filed officially until Aug 12, 1934. Technically then I guess you could say Jr’s name never changed.
The source for this is the book Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963 by Taylor Branch which is an excellent work!!! Highest of recommendations from yours truly.
Jesus Christ. Try to inject a little humor in a thread and what do I get? A Brit. I WAS BEING SARCASTIC! HELLO!
tcburnett: Check your own definition of Sarchasm…
BobT and Sledman: Thanks for the info. That clears up the mystery for me.