The cause of violence is not ignorance. Rev. Click the cart icon next to a prayer in the player below to add a prayer to your cart. After the death of his wife, C.S. It is difficult to know how to theologise about a tragedy of this order without descending into cliche, trivialisation or offensiveness. Of late there have been a few deaths of former classmates or their spouses and what has struck me is how often God is at the helm of these deaths. I'm always puzzled at these Moslem women who wail like Banshees when their terrorist sons are killed as what they believe to be martyrs. What is the religious challenge at our universities? I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. The Rev William Sloane Coffin A radical preacher and antiwar activist, he took on the American establishment Christopher Reed Thu 13 Apr 2006 19.04 EDT The upbringing of William Sloane. All too often we speak when we should be listening Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. Coffin about his experiences as a Freedom Rider from NPR; Read a transcript of an interview with Rev. After one year at Yale, Coffin joined the U.S. Army, in which he served until 1947, when he returned to Yale, graduating with a B.A. That's why immediately after such a tragedy people must come to your rescue, people who only want to hold your hand, not to quote anybody or even say anything, people who simply bring food and flowers the basics of beauty and life people who sign letters simply, "Your brokenhearted sister." Rev. Below you will find one of my favorite sermons "Preached from the Piano Bench" at Riverside Church. The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, -- William Sloane Coffin. Q: Let me ask you to look back a little bit at some of the great movements you were part of. He became famous while at Yale in the 1960s for his opposition to the Vietnam War. These are all end of sermon prayers from the Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church. Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible. I know how lucky I am! Is that so hard to understand? #Hope #Passion. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. And decks the rays. Here are additional selected citations in chronological order. Lewis wrote, "They say 'the coward dies many times'; so does the beloved. Editor's note: Ten days after his son, Alex, drove off a bridge and was killed in a car accident, Reverend William Sloane Coffin delivered the following sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. The Rev. A Prayer by William Sloan Coffin Jr., 1983. Above all, he condemns what he sees as the country's self-righteousness. And neer a word said she; Q: What should we be mindful of when we make defense policy? "Eulogy for Alex" by William Sloane Coffin But I'm an atheist. As the grief that once seemed unbearable begins to turn now to bearable sorrow, the truths in the right biblical passages are beginning, once again, to take hold: Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall strengthen thee; Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning; Lord, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong; For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling; In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world; The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.. So why the grief, self pity? We have to be forced down. This album is a collection of prayers from the end of the sermons; 1982-1983. And there are large accidents, like the one your dad was in. William Sloane Coffin served as chaplain of Yale University and Williams College, was senior minister of Riverside Church, and is President Emeritus of SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global Security. Crowned with lilies and Laurel they go; but I am not resigned. William Sloane Coffin's Eulogy for Alex Ten days after his son, Alex, was killed in a car accident, Reverend William Sloane Coffin delivered this sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. What should churches be doing in the face of whats going on in our country right now? Love without criticism is a kind of betrayal. Of lads that wore their honours out, This is the last year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. But when children die, they take away the future as well. That clarifies the sight "I'll say you don't, lady!" I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. You can stay up to date with Will & Testament via these feeds. The Blessing of Grace by The Rev. When sorrow walked with me. what do you say? These days, campuses are very concerned with religious pluralism. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Q: Your faith and the nature of God and God's love -- what is the bedrock there for you? Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. The Collected Sermons of William Sloane Coffin By William Sloane Coffin Book Review An impressive collection of sermons by William Sloan Coffin delivered from 1977 to 1982. Letters to a Young Doubter By William Sloane Coffin Book Review Letters by the inimitable Christian progressive on faith, doubt, Jesus, and the insanities of a world awash . As the grief that once seemed unbearable begins to turn now to bearable sorrow, the truths in the "right" biblical passages are beginning, once again, to take hold: "Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall strengthen thee"; "Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning"; "Lord, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong"; "For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling"; "In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"; "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.". Realist- I'm struggling to understand how what you said relates to anything I posted above whatsoever. God did not bash the truck into your fathers car. Justice is at the heart of religious faith. How are you able to look at the world as it is and still have the capacity for feeling joyful? William Sloane Coffin. This is the ninth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. is the blossom. Q: How about your own death? For some reason, nothing so infuriates me as the incapacity of seemingly intelligent people to get it through their heads that God doesnt go around this world with his fingers on triggers, his fists around knives, his hands on steering wheels. That clarifies the sight Nationalism at the expense of another nation, is just as wicked as racism at the expense of another race. First you leap, and then you grow wings., It is often said that the Church is a crutch. I'm puzzled by all of this. William Sloane Coffin gave what would be his final sermon at Chautauqua. Did you perhaps mistake me for someone else?? Getentrepreneurial.com: Resources for Small Business Entrepreneurs in 2022. My dad, who became a doctor, has a weathered copy of Alexs Death which he has xeroxed on many occasions to give to friends and colleagues experiencing loss. Which is not to say that there are no nature-caused deaths I can think of many right here in this parish in the five years Ive been here deaths that are untimely and slow and pain-ridden, which for that reason raise unanswerable questions, and even the specter of a Cosmic Sadist yes, even an Eternal Vivisector. Shoulder-high we bring you home, May God give you the grace never to sell yourself short; Grace to risk something big for something good; And grace to remember the world is now too dangerous for anything but the truth and too small for anything but love. She chattered all the way; Additionally, a 301 Moved Permanently error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Well yes this is all very well but why, then, do Christians _thank_ God when something goes right. On Saturday afternoon at 1:30, the Rev. I also know this day-brightener of a son wouldn't wish to be held close by grief (nor, for that matter, would any but the meanest of our beloved departed) and that, interestingly enough, when I mourn Alex least I see him best. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. (born 1924) was a Yale University chaplain who spoke out against the Vietnam War and was indicted as a criminal by the United States government for conspiring to aid young men to avoid the military draft. Which is not to say that there are no nature-caused deaths I can think of many right here in this parish in the five years I've been here deaths that are untimely and slow and pain-ridden, which for that reason raise unanswerable questions, and even the specter of a Cosmic Sadist yes, even an Eternal Vivisector. You blew it. The one thing that should never be said when someone dies is It is the will of God. Never do we know enough to say that. I walked a mile with Sorrow Why aren't people in the streets today the way they were in the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement? And his body was too badly damaged in the accident for his soul to stay in it anymore, and so he died. So set, before its echoes fade, This is the eighth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. RN: Why do you think most of the anti-war groups stopped their marches in 2004 and became quiescent compared to 2003? My own broken heart is mending, and largely thanks to so many of you, my dear parishioners; for if in the last week I have relearned one lesson, it is that love not only begets love, it transmits strength. You can purchase individual prayers for $1.34 (includes processing fees). In 1983, Dr Coffin's son Alex was killed in a car accident. Elegant and curled But oh, the things I learned from her But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. That is what makes the valley of the shadow of death seem so incredibly dark and unending. How does a true Christian operate in a pluralistic world? I agree about the need for silence regarding those grieving. Moved Permanently. The garland briefer than a girls. But assuming they did, if they hadn't (it was supposed to be god's plan all along) there would be no Christian religion and no savior who died to save everyone else. What makes you think you dont limp?, Love measures our stature. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. was born June 1, 1924, in New York City. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. If you aren't sure what RSS is you'll find our beginner's guide to RSS useful. Still there is much by way of consolation. When she saw me, she shook her head, then headed for the kitchen, saying sadly over her shoulder, I just dont understand the will of God. Instantly I was up and in hot pursuit, swarming all over her. In my email signature, I have this quote by him: The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love.. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. John Wright #5 ABERNETHY: Coffin became the leader of the U.S. campaign against nuclear weapons. Coffin questioned authority throughout his career, using civil . Only reverance can restrain violence - reverance for human life and the environment.". This brings up additional illogic in religion. In your prayer life do you tend to direct your prayer life to Jesus or God? In his younger days he was an athlete, a talented pianist, a CIA officer, and later chaplain of Yale University, where the influence of H. Richard Niebuhr's social philosophy led him to . Practicing wholesale justice Interview with Bob Abernathy August 27, 204 The Rev. in 1949. William Sloane Coffin, Jr., (born June 1, 1924, New York, New York, U.S.died April 12, 2006, Strafford, Vermont, U.S.), American clergyman and civil rights activist who achieved national prominence as the chaplain (1958-75) at Yale University, where he became a familiar figure on campus, championing civil rights and opposing the Vietnam War. So I shall so let us all seek consolation in that love which never dies, and find peace in the dazzling grace that always is. So while trite, its true: I walked a mile with Pleasure, Rev. Actually, its even more worth a listen; its considerably more powerful inthe oral form in which it was delivered, and the audio can be accessed here. This is the seventh year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. The question seems more pointed given the context -- a group of devout believers making a religious pilgrimage -- but the same question is struggled over every day by people of faith who experience suffering or have to watch a loved one suffer. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. William Sloane Coffin was a man with a wild career: he fought in World War II, worked for the CIA after the war, became a "man of the cloth", was thrown in jail as a civil rights marcher with Dr. Martin Luther King, and was an academic, author, and an activist. So while trite, its true: I walked a mile with Pleasure, She chattered all the way; But left me none the wiser For all she had to say. Today's Times asks the inevitable question following the tragic death of at least 26 Polish pilgrims in the French Alps: What kind of God would allow something like this to happen? Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. Thursday, February 15, 2007. Q: We've been talking about a lot of big problems. If you are interested in purchasing the whole collection on aDVD Data Discplease contact me byemail. Cars skid out of control on icy roads, healthy cells are consumed by cancerous ones. I was first introduced to this sermon years ago in a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularity ever since. And ne'er a word said she; Yes, but at least, "My God, my God"; and the psalm only begins that way, it doesn't end that way. Thats why immediately after such a tragedy people must come to your rescue, people who only want to hold your hand, not to quote anybody or even say anything, people who simply bring food and flowers the basics of beauty and life people who sign letters simply, Your brokenhearted sister. In other words, in my intense grief I felt some of my fellow reverends not many, and none of you, thank God were using comforting words of Scripture for self-protection, to pretty up a situation whose bleakness they simply couldnt face. RN: What should the U.S. government do now? And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. William Sloane Coffin, who died Wednesday at the age of 81 of congestive heart failure, was known as a civil rights activist and outspoken critic of the Vietnam War. They have gone to feed the roses. Then a miracle working preacher comes to town promising at midnight, all the dead will rise from boot hill and come back to life. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. So people are feeling sorry for themselves instead of happy for the one they believe is now in heaven. The reality of grief is the absence of God "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. I know, but I do not approve, and I am not resigned. Still there is much by way of consolation. William Sloane Coffin challenged the nation with his passionate calls for social justice. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. This is the sixth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. There is no smaller package in all the world than that of a man all wrapped up in himself.', 'Prophets from Amos and Isaiah to Gandhi and King have shown how frequently compassion demands confrontation. But the point is this. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. Brett & Kate McKay March 18, 2017 Last updated: June 16, 2021. And read the poems. Q: As you look back on everything you've done in your wonderful life, what are you most proud of? While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. Q: What's the essential connection for you between religious faith and justice? Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Ten days after his son, Alex, was killed in a car accident, Reverend William Sloane Coffin delivered this sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. The Rev. __________________ As almost all of you know, a week ago last Monday night, driving in a terrible storm, my son Alexander who to his friends was a real day-brightener, and to his family fair as a star when only one is shining in the sky my twenty-four-year-old Alexander, who enjoyed beating his old man at every game and in every race, beat his father to the grave. Smart lad, to slip betimes away Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. And then, Im a preacher. This is beautiful!!! What is happiness? And the wise man said, Happiness is when the grandfather dies, and then the father, and then the son. That is on the money. Which is not to say that there are no nature-caused deaths I can think of many right here in this parish in the five years Ive been here deaths that are untimely and slow and pain-ridden, which for that reason raise unanswerable questions, and even the specter of a Cosmic Sadist yes, even an Eternal Vivisector. You will also find a collection of his prayers that concluded many of his sermons. and what an inspiring Eulogy by William Sloane Coffin concerning his Son and his Faith. In a prideful way it would be easier to walk the valley alone, nobly, head high, instead of as we must marching as the latest recruit in the worlds army of the bereaved. As almost all of you know, a week ago last Monday night, driving in a terrible storm, my son Alexander who to his friends was a real day-brightener, and to his family fair as a star when only one is shining in the sky my twenty-four-year-old Alexander, who enjoyed beating his old man at every game and in every race, beat his father to the grave. Among the healing flood of letters that followed his death was one carrying this wonderful quote from the end of Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms": "The world breaks everyone, then some become strong at the broken places.". And find unwithered on its curls While he was a student, my father heard the feisty William Coffin preach as a young chaplain at Yale. Get All Beings Everywhere delivered to your inbox. Coffin's son, Alex, tragic death in an automobile accident. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. And early though the laurel grows Q: Many, many religious conservatives read the same Scripture that you do and come out very differently on social issues. Ralph Nader: With the majority of Americans in poll after poll turning against the U.S. war and occupation in Iraq and with many retired Generals, diplomats and intelligence officials opposed to the invasion in the first instance why is the organized opposition not greater? I mentioned the healing flood of letters. The common attribution to the eighteenth-century statesman Alexander Hamilton was probably based on a mistaken understanding of a relatively modern citation. When she saw me, she shook her head, then headed for the kitchen, saying sadly over her shoulder, "I just don't understand the will of God." Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. For. 54 quotes from William Sloane Coffin: 'Love measures our stature: the more we love, the bigger we are. A formula, A phrase remains.but the best is lost. #Firsts #Leap #Wings. In his younger days he was an athlete, a talented pianist, a CIA agent, and later chaplain of Yale University, where the influence of Reinhold Niebuhr's . William Sloane Coffin Heart, Optimistic, Independent 64 Copy quote To show compassion for an individual without showing concern for the structures of society that make him an object of compassion is to be sentimental rather than loving. So what is the role of the university chaplain? By a departing light After earth has stopped the ears: Now you will not swell the rout Coffin delivered his sermon "Eulogy for Alex" at Riversid e Church. by Rev. If the order gets mixed up, thats misery. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Lord Byron). The scripture reading for each sermon can be found below in PDF format. January 6, 1968 Spock and Coffin Indicted For Activity Against Draft By FRED P. GRAHAM . And, in spite of all of this, God is wherever love can be found. Kate Braestrups book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it to all who are seeking answers. See more stories about iPad, HBO, How-To. William Crawley | 12:42 UK time, Friday, 27 July 2007. William Sloane Coffin, a former Yale University chaplain known for his peace activism during the Vietnam War and his continuing work for social justice . Online shopping from a great selection at Books Store. The leader of the U.S. campaign against nuclear william sloane coffin eulogy for alex, Jr. was born June 1, 1924, in of! To understand how what you said relates to anything I posted above whatsoever churches be doing in player... For human life and the nature of God and God 's love -- what is the ninth year of complete. Dr Coffin 's son Alex was killed in a pluralistic world in hot pursuit, swarming all over her mistaken! 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