“ A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. ”
Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail (16 April 1963). copy citation
| Author | Martin Luther King, Jr. |
|---|---|
| Source | Letter from a Birmingham Jail |
| Topic | God law |
| Date | 16 April 1963 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html |
Context
“Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all."
Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just.”
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