Martin Luther King once called the Rev. James Lawson " the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world." Lawson became familiar with the concept when, as a freshman at Baldwin Wallace College, he joined the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which advocated nonviolent resistance to racism.

Consistent with his principles, Lawson refused to report to the draft or take a student deferment and, as a result, served 14 months in prison. After his release, Lawson went to India to study the principles of Gandhi's nonviolent resistance.

Upon returning from India, Lawson joined the civil rights movement at King's urging. While enrolled at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Lawson began teaching workshops in the philosophy and strategy of nonviolence for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The activists in his classes would employ the nonviolent resistance tactics he taught while participating in marches, sit-ins, and boycotts. Lawson's involvement in the civil rights movement resulted in his expulsion from Vanderbilt. Years later, he returned to the university as a Distinguished Visiting Professor.

In introducing Lawson, Professor Robert Mayer noted that the movement the activist helped lead sought to ensure "access to life's opportunities for all Americans." Picking up on this point in his presentation, Lawson noted that the civil rights movement endeavored to "de-tyrannize the Constitution," in order to create a society that was not ruled from the top down and was inclusive of all people in the land. Non-violent direct action became "the engine and the energizer" that touched the conscience of Americans. People broke out of their fear, Lawson said, and "I want to celebrate that."

Fittingly, the talk Lawson gave on his final day at Moravian was titled "Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?" - the title of the last book written by Martin Luther King. Lawson laid out what he wants for everyone. He argued that, inasmuch as we have not "tapped the potential of human life, we have not yet become the society we can be." He urged his listeners to "become what you never imagined possible."

By way of illustration, he recounted the story of a 16-year-old who was badly beaten in Selma in 1965 and insisted on leaving the hospital and continuing the struggle, declaring that "I love my enemies." When a reporter pointed out that the bandages on his head were from "people who hate you," he replied, "…I took a beating yesterday, but I have my dignity now, and I'm not going to let anyone take it away from me."

During their struggle for human rights, African-Americans were told to stop the demonstrations and the Freedom Rides. They were told that "problems will go away of their own accord." When Dr. King told President Lyndon B. Johnson that a voting rights bill was needed, the president said it couldn't be done. King responded by organizing a campaign to make it happen. We, too, Lawson said, must "do the work of justice that does not yet exist."

Inasmuch as problems won't simply go away, ordinary Americans must use the power they have to make change.

"The American people need to set the agenda," Lawson told the audience. "Waiting will not end the tyrannies of racism and sexism. We need to provide equal opportunity for all boys and girls and to replace tyranny with equality, liberty, and justice."

If the nation is to survive, its people must substitute compassion for violence. He urged audience members to pick a particular issue and focus their energies on it to make change.

At the conclusion of his presentation Lawson was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities, the highest award conferred by the college and seminary. The presentation was made by Dr. Bryon Grigsby, president of the college and Dr. Gordon Weil, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

After Lawson donned an academic robe and hood, Grigsby, referencing the school mascot, said, "Congratulations! You're officially a Hound."

IN FOCUS: Thematic Academic Programming

During the 2010-2011 academic year, Moravian College, Moravian Theological Seminary, and Moravian College Comenius Center inaugurated its annual IN FOCUS program. Each year the campus community has explored a complex issue from multiple perspectives by various means, including in-class discussions, workshops, and lectures. The Rev. James Lawson, this year's final presenter, was Moravian's 8th Peace and Justice Scholar-in-Residence. He was also the "IN FOCUS 'Bridge' Speaker" inasmuch as his talk linked this year's topic, "War, Peacebuilding, and the Just Society," with "Inequality," next year's theme. Lawson's presentation capped a three -day visit during which he engaged with Moravian College and Seminary students and faculty both in classes and during informal conversations outside class.