Here are four thoughtful quotes from respected spiritual leaders and influencers on the Book of Amos.

Abraham Joshua Heschel

“The prophet’s fundamental objective is to challenge the apparently holy, to unmask the seemingly pious. Religion itself may become idolatry if it lends support to wrong. The prophet Amos reminds us that God is not impressed by worship divorced from justice.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

“‘Let justice roll down like waters in a mighty stream,’ said the Prophet Amos. He was seeking not consensus but the cleansing action of revolutionary change.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

“Unless a man’s heart is right, the external forms of worship mean nothing.”
(King’s reflection on Amos 5 while studying the Old Testament.)

Kathryn Schifferdecker

“Amos insists that worship without justice is offensive to God. Genuine faith is measured not merely by religious ritual but by how God’s people treat the poor and the vulnerable.”