The Prophet as Ethicist and Moral Voice

  • As noted above, the prophet offers a moral and ethical voice for their time. Biblical prophets such as Amos and Micah repeatedly called for justice, mercy, righteousness, and care for the poor. In modern times, Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood up against the Nazi regime and its horrors, going so far as to engage in a plot against Adolph Hitler. Reinhold Niebuhr critiqued unjust and immoral political and social structures in his books and lectures. Dorothy Day critiqued the injustices of a society that did not care for its poor and needy. Howard Thurman and Abraham Heschel critiqued the racism and discrimination that ran deep in American history and culture.

  • 1 Consider each of the subjects of the Prophetic Voices films. What kind of moral and ethical issues does each address through their words and their lives?

    2. America has always valued the strong separation of Church and State. At what point does a religious figure cross the line when exercising his or her religious values in connection with social or political policies? How is moral concern and even moral outrage a part of each figure’s prophetic function?

    3. What role did social justice play in each figure’s public persona, writings, and private life? What difference did their statements and actions make?

    4. Do you consider some of these figures to be more successful when it comes to moral authority than others? If so, why?

    5. What role did religion play in the moral stance and moral voice of each figure? Was it decisive, or did their moral authority derive wholly or partly from other sources?

    6. Do you consider morality and social justice to be primary religious concerns? Why or why not?

    7. What do you take away from the moral example and moral authority of each of these figures? Are there lessons you have learned from each? How might they be exemplars for your own action and exercise of moral authority on the issues that concern you?

    8. Has following the lives of these five figures made you more aware of and more willing to speak out about issues of injustice, inequality, or morality? Why or why not?