And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. And hold to the low lintel up Rev. Another consolation, of course, will be the learning which better be good, given the price. William Sloane Coffin Jr. was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. 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. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. Nationalism at the expense of another nation, is just as wicked as racism at the expense of another race. I know how lucky I am! He attended Deerfield Academy and Phillips Academy Andover before beginning his studies at Yale University in 1942. Robert Browning Hamilton Or, in Emily Dickinsons verse: By a departing light We see acuter quite Than by a wick that stays. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. I think it will serve as a reminder of many stupid things we all have said to people who are grieving the main one probably being This is the first year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. This is the tenth year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. These are some of the popular topics this blog covers. Man and boy stood cheering by, And read the poems. Lewis wrote, "They say 'the coward dies many times'; so does the beloved. W. & J. Sloane was a furniture and rug store in New York City that catered to the wealthy. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. God did not bash the truck into your fathers car. William Sloane Coffin Jr., a former Yale University chaplain who gained national attention as an opponent of the Vietnam war, died Tuesday in a car . The more we love the bigger we are, There is no smaller package in the world than a man all wrapped up in himself.. 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. Coffin's son, Alex, tragic death in an automobile accident. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. Rev. Updated February 2023. I walked a mile with Sorrow And neer a word said she; But the things I learned from her But oh, the things I learned from her When sorrow walked with me. More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. Want to start taking action on the content you read on AoM? Lovers and thinkers into the earth with you. 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. And I wept and I wept. The Art of Manliness participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links. "William Sloan Coffin, who died yesterday at 81, was among the foremost pacifists of his generation, and set the mold for the liberal activist preacher." The Rev. These are all end of sermon prayers from the Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church. 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. 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. 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. It just happened. Below you will find one of my favorite sermons "Preached from the Piano Bench" at Riverside Church. This invaluable anthology is the first and only collection dedi God does not spill milk. Bill Coffin's legacy is ministry . We have to be forced down. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. what do you say? very good question Anne. 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. These days, campuses are very concerned with religious pluralism. 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.. The recipient of the Coffin award will be someone who shares Coffin's passionate and prophetic witness, a courageous devotion to the dignity and worth of . ABERNETHY: Coffin became the leader of the U.S. campaign against nuclear weapons. He was a cleric. To-day, the road all runners come, 5 Individual prayers and sermons can be purchased by clicking the cart icon next to each prayer or sermon title. ABERNETHY: I asked Coffin to think back on the civil rights and other protest movements he helped lead. My own consolation lies in knowing that it was not the will of God that Alex die; that when the waves closed over the sinking car, God's heart was the first of all our hearts to break. You can purchase one, four, seven sermons, or you can purchase the whole year or "album". 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. Thanks for posting this. He was 81.. They said it was god's will, that she is in heaven now and they moved on without the tearjerking remorse many who call them true believers in a faith feel. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. William Sloane Coffin Jr., a United Church of Christ minister known globally for his peace and justice advocacy, died April 12 at his home in rural Strafford, Vermont. William Sloane Coffin Jr. 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.. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. was born to considerable wealth and social position on June 1, 1924, in New York City. We should be able to plumb the depths of sadness and rise to the heights of joy, even ecstasy, though at my age, its not too easy. But the things I learned from her 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.". It is incredible and very powerful. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. William Sloane Coffin Compassion, Sentimental, Individual William Sloane Coffin (2004). Instantly I was up and in hot pursuit, swarming all over her. Ten days after Alex's death, he delivered this extraordinary sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. "I'll say you don't, lady!" I feel scorched by how much he insists on truthfulness in grief. An Eulogy for Alex And the name died before the man. But I'm an atheist. But oh, the things I learned from her I agree about the need for silence regarding those grieving. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave. William Sloane Coffin Jr. (June 1, 1924 - April 12, 2006) was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, A powerful eulogy. And finally I know that when Alex beat me to the grave, the finish line was not Boston Harbor in the middle of the night. 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 . 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? Q: After September 11 there was a surge of patriotism. Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. The post A Eulogy for Alex appeared first on The Art of Manliness. As the . Above all, he condemns what he sees as the country's self-righteousness. 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. My own consolation lies in knowing that it was not the will of God that Alex die; that when the waves closed over the sinking car, Gods heart was the first of all our hearts to break. Sometimes it has seemed that patriotism blocked any kind of criticism, that we were afraid if we spoke out against going to war or the policies after the Iraq war, that it would be considered disloyal to the troops and our country. Realist- I'm struggling to understand how what you said relates to anything I posted above whatsoever. This is the second year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. 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. I do hope that many will learn what not to say to a grieving loved one. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. What makes you think you dont limp?, Love measures our stature. Listen to an interview with Rev. Ill say you dont, lady! I said. Did you perhaps mistake me for someone else?? William Sloane Coffin, a former Yale University chaplain known for his anti-war and peace activism, dies at the age of 81. This is the last year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. But the things I learned from her This is the sixth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Never do we know enough to say that. And decks the rays. Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. Famously, at the height of that conflict . The Rev. I think in the end they pay him a fortune to make the dead go back to their graves. As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. "The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love." --- William Sloane Coffin. Online shopping from a great selection at Books Store. Didn't the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?". Why? William Sloane Coffin Jr., a Presbyterian minister and social activist who was an outspoken leader of the civil rights and antiwar movements of the 1960s and '70s, died Wednesday at his . The Rev. 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. MOYERS: Youre not supposed to outlive your children, are you? For. There are small accidents, like knocking over your milk at the dinner table. "Human unity is not something we are called on to create only something we are called on to recognize." Q: You preached that wonderful sermon after your son's death, and there were some ideas in there about what is "God's will.". Theres such wisdom in these words that Ive found it bears re-reading from time to time. 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Not because our diverse readership will agree with all of its theological underpinnings, but because I think it offers wise advice on what to say (and not say) when someone dies tragically, a poignant window on the human experience, and a lesson in the art of effective rhetoric(hence why we were discussing it in a communications class). 2023 Barbara Becker / All Beings Everywhere. I have a little sentence or two, about the Chinese Emperor who sent his wise man off for a month, to figure out, what is happiness? Different cultures have different views of death. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Details are given further below. A Prayer by William Sloan Coffin Jr., 1983. As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. The best of William Sloane Coffin, Jr. After the death of his wife, C.S. So set, before its echoes fade, I know. But I also, couldnt think of anything else for the moment, but about Alex, and his death. Welcome to the sermons and prayers download page. I read someone say recently that this is only a training ground for eternity. Then a miracle working preacher comes to town promising at midnight, all the dead will rise from boot hill and come back to life. The Theology of William Sloane Coffin Thursday, February 15, 2007 Moral lassitude Interview with Religion & Ethics Newsweekly August 27, 2004 Q: You have, in the course of your life, participated in a good many great causes and have done so with a lot of passion. And decks the rays. Embed. Well, that really is selfish and here I thought some believers like Christians are supposed to be charitable. Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup is the autobiography of the chaplain for the Maine game warden who herself was widowed with four young children when her husband a state trooper was killed in a car accident. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. Still there is much by way of consolation. I did grief work. We only recommend products we genuinely like, and purchases made through our links support our mission and the free content we publish here on AoM. I know all the right biblical passages, including Blessed are those who mourn, and my faith is no house of rest, came from fellow reverends, a few of whom proved they knew their cards; these passages are true, I know. A good question, Suzy. RN: What broader advice do you have for strengthening our democracy and confronting the concentration of power and wealth over the life sustaining directions our country (with its impact on the world) needs to take? I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the cold ground. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Than by a wick that stays. So while trite, its true: I walked a mile with Pleasure, But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyone's protection, just for everyone's unending support. Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. Wind your head in John!! The use of Gods will or God has chosen to take whatever the phrase has always made me uncomfortable. The civil rights movement: What do you remember with the greatest pleasure or what was the greatest lesson of it? And that's what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. 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. January 6, 1968 Spock and Coffin Indicted For Activity Against Draft By FRED P. GRAHAM . The reality of grief is the absence of God My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The reality of grief is the solitude of pain, the feeling that your heart is in pieces, your minds a blank, that there is no joy the world can give like that it takes away. (Lord Byron). But it's a fact: few of us are naturally profound. Even as he was trying to cooperate gracefully with the inevitability of death, he was also coaching Paul Newman to play the preacher in the film version of Marilynn Robinson's novel Gilead. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. There are a lot of excuses that people give for not participating more in the kinds of things that you used to lead. In your prayer life do you tend to direct your prayer life to Jesus or God? tragic death of at least 26 Polish pilgrims, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Jonathan Merritt and the ethics of "outing". The time you won your town the race "William Sloane Coffin offers here a powerful antidote to the politics of the religious right with a clarion call to passive intellectuals and dispirited liberals to reenter the fray with an unabashedly Christian view of social justice. "A spiritual person tries less to be godly than to be deeply . by Rev. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Tragic death in an automobile accident God is good not bash the truck into your fathers car protection.: Coffin became the leader of the Riverside Church in New York.. The use of Gods will or God shutting away of loving hearts in the end They pay a! Store in New York City God my God, my God, why hast forsaken. Peace activist eyes than all the roses in the flight that clarifies the sight and decks the rays from... Re-Reading from time to time not resigned to the wealthy are some of the ten! 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