A powerful eulogy. Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, 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 . Famously, at the height of that conflict . It is self-interest. In this best-seller, Coffin gives a powerful record of his remarkable public life, offering his. Q: Where does the rise of conservatism, especially on the religious Right among Protestant evangelicals, fit into this whole thing? Anonymous- I think people are grieving because they're sad to see someone go. They accepted that it was god's will. 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. Kate Braestrups book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it to all who are seeking answers. @art-of-manliness / art-of-manliness.tumblr.com, Editors note: Ten days after his son, Alex, drove off a bridgeand was killed in a car accident, Reverend William Sloane Coffin delivered the following sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. But it's a fact: few of us are naturally profound. If we (me included) could only get a fraction of a grasp between the difference between time and eternity we would cling much less to time and be closer to God's perspective. And [a lot of people] think that emotional mediocrity is the good life. A Prayer by William Sloan Coffin Jr., 1983. The document has moved here. Contributions to support this project can always be made through PayPal (david@davidcoffin.com). 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. Quotes, as voted by Quotefancy readers. When sorrow walked with me. Q: You preached that wonderful sermon after your son's death, and there were some ideas in there about what is "God's will.". 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. ABERNETHY: In our conversation, Coffin quoted words he liked, words he attributed to Irenaeus, an early church father: "The glory of God is a human being fully alive." Apr 17, 2014 at 12:00 am. So set, before its echoes fade, 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. I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. It is incredible and very powerful. And the name died before the man. It just happened. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. As far as I can tell, when you die, in the words of Art Bell, it's.."lights out" (I love the way he puts it.) This invaluable anthology is the first and only collection dedi This is the fourth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. April 12, 2006 / 7:32 PM / AP. Coffin to his congregation at the Riverside Church in New York City. No. #Power Of Love #Truth #Love. Editors note: Ten days after his son, Alex, drove off a bridgeand was killed in a car accident, Reverend William Sloane Coffin delivered the following sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. Quotes. 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 . It is truly a labor of love (a lot of labor; a lot of love) to digitally "Save Bill's Voice." Delivered from the Riverside Church pulpit over his ten years as senior minister, there were over 300 sermons in need of archiving to a digital format. Q: What should we be mindful of when we make defense policy? But when children die, they take away the future as well. When sorrow walked with me. T he Rev. 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? Justice is at the heart of religious faith. 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." This is amazing. I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. Never do we know enough to say that. You can stay up to date with Will & Testament via these feeds. William Sloane Coffin. Q: We've been talking about a lot of big problems. 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. Than by a wick that stays. I think in the end they pay him a fortune to make the dead go back to their graves. Fragrant is the blossom. God gave man dominion over the world at the beginning - and free will - and man so man has had the responsibility for his conduct since then, and for infecting all of creation with his sin. 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. Hello Select your address 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 . 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 . I was reminded today of this beautiful eulogy by the late William Sloane Coffin for his 24-year-old son, Alex, and I wanted to share it with you. He attended Deerfield Academy and Phillips Academy Andover before beginning his studies at Yale University in 1942. 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. "Human unity is not something we are called on to create only something we are called on to recognize." 2023 Barbara Becker / All Beings Everywhere. She chattered all the way; Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. Required fields are marked *. Ill say you dont, lady! I said. The Blessing of Grace by The Rev. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. in 1949. This well-intentioned person had brought in a dinner for Coffin and his family and said, "I just don't understand the will of God." He said: "I'll say you don't, friend. So, I wrote the sermon about it. Didnt the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined? When parents die, as my mother did last month, they take with them a large portion of the past. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. William Sloane Coffin. c a m p u s l i f e ; m e s s a g e 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. I know that. William Sloane Coffin Jr. offers one more complicated blessing. 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. Rev. If a week ago last Monday, a lamp went out, it was because, for him at least, the Dawn had come. What should churches be doing in the face of whats going on in our country right now? Cannot see the record cut, The civil rights movement: What do you remember with the greatest pleasure or what was the greatest lesson of it? But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. William Sloane Coffin, a United Church of Christ Minister known globally for his peace and justice advocacy, died April 12, 2006, at his home in rural Strafford, Vt. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. was born June 1, 1924, in New York City. Eyes the shady night has shut God is dead set against all unnatural deaths. Well compared to heaven isn't all of life suffering? Realist- I'm struggling to understand how what you said relates to anything I posted above whatsoever. 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. Of lads that wore their honours out, Stories and Reflections on Service, Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, Knocking on Heavens Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death, Katy Butler, Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Sogyal Rinpoche. Nationalism at the expense of another nation, is just as wicked as racism at the expense of another race. Still there is much by way of consolation. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. Cars skid out of control on icy roads, healthy cells are consumed by cancerous ones. Coffin about his experiences as a Freedom Rider from NPR; Read a transcript of an interview with Rev. It all makes me wonder if its not a matter of God willing or letting, but more like the laws of nature. That is what makes the valley of the shadow of death seem so incredibly dark and unending. 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. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. 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 . 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." And, in spite of all of this, God is wherever love can be found. The one thing that should never be said when someone dies is "It is the will of God." Did you perhaps mistake me for someone else?? There are many kinds of silence, and one of them is a humbled, respectful, listening silence. I also know this day-brightener of a son wouldnt 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. So what is the role of the university chaplain? And hold to the low lintel up No one meant it to happen. 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. Last year Union Theological Seminary in New York gave him its highest medal. "A spiritual person tries less to be godly than to be deeply . What makes you think you dont limp?, Love measures our stature. Additionally, a 301 Moved Permanently error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Click the cart icon next to a sermon in the player below to add a sermon to your cart. You can purchase individual prayers for $1.34 (includes processing fees). And round that early-laurelled head 25 The Theology of William Sloane Coffin. 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.. Rev. (There's words for everything else.) Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. One of the most powerful statements in this sermon was the following: The reality of grief is the solitude of pain, the feeling that your heart is in pieces, your mind's But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. 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 . I said. And decks the rays. 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. Brett & Kate McKay March 18, 2017 Last updated: June 16, 2021. This eulogy from William Sloane Coffin following the death of his son offers words of wisdom and hope for those struggling with the tragedy in Connecticut. When its true and painful, say it softly, None of us have the right to avert our gaze. The common attribution to the eighteenth-century statesman Alexander Hamilton was probably based on a mistaken understanding of a relatively modern citation. As you look around the country today, I wonder whether you see an absence of commitment to great causes with great passion. Below you will find one of my favorite sermons "Preached from the Piano Bench" at Riverside Church. BBC Northern Ireland presenter William Crawley discusses the often controversial political, religious and ethical issues of the day. That makes two of us. He was 81.. In your prayer life do you tend to direct your prayer life to Jesus or God? And then, Im a preacher. And read the poems. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. There's something deep in there that involves joy and hope. And neer a word said she; Rev. Thousands of people have died without the benefit of a poetic father! 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. I wrote the sermon. For some reason, nothing so infuriates me as the incapacity of seemingly intelligent people to get it through their heads that God doesn't go around this world with his fingers on triggers, his fists around knives, his hands on steering wheels. 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. Didnt the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?. 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. William Sloane Coffin's Eulogy for Alex This was sent my way as a follow-up on my sermon. So. 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. 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. Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible. I read through this with utter esteem for the sentiments therein and Will is right to say that those who speak in response to a tragedy like this they could learn much from this eulogy, which said it all, so very very well. Rev. But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. ashington, Jan. 5--Five men, including Dr. Benjamin Spock, the author and pediatrician, and the Rev. I was impressed by the Amish last year when that young girl was killed. And decks the rays. We have to be forced down. Well, so I wanted them to know, they had a pastor. Download Sermon Scripture List(84 kb - PDF). It is self-interest. Ten days after Alex's death, he delivered this extraordinary sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. Coffin on defense issues from the Center for Defense Information; Read Coffin's eulogy for his son Alex; Relive the past with Rev. I was first introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularityever since. Only reverance can restrain violence - reverance for human life and the environment.". But was he a criminal? But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. This is beautiful!!! 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. Something I wrestle with is the balance between pastoral presence and prophetic witness as a minister. Ive read and re-read this passage many times: I told them, It was an accident. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. is the blossom. We all do what we know how to do, maybe. The more we love the bigger we are, There is no smaller package in the world than a man all wrapped up in himself.. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. I mentioned the healing flood of letters. ), Podcast #858: The Affectionate, Ambiguous, and Surprisingly Ambivalent Relationship Between Siblings, How to Fight Entitlement and Develop Gratitude in Your Kids, How and Why to Hold a Weekly Marriage Meeting, You Dont Have to Be Your Dad: How to Become Your Familys Transitional Character, Podcast #810: How to Turn a Boy Into a Man, Sunday Firesides: Climb the Ladder of Love, Podcast #865: How to Win Friends and Influence People in the 21st Century, Podcast #863: Key Insights From the Longest Study on Happiness, Podcast #875: Authority Is More Important Than Social Skills, Podcast #874: Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life, 9 Mental Distortions That Are Sabotaging Your Social Life, How to Make the Perfect Snowball: An Illustrated Guide, Podcast #869: The Survival Myths That Can Get You Killed, Skill of the Week: Survive Falling Through Ice, Podcast #848: The 5 Priorities of Short-Term Survival, William Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project, Man Knowledge: Legends of the Northwest Mountain Men, A Simple Guide to Writing and Delivering a Eulogy, A Kind of, Sort of Eulogy for the Declarative Sentence, 30 Days to a Better Man Day 21: Write Your Own Eulogy, Man Knowledge: 5 Pirates Every Man Should Know. Bill Coffin's legacy is ministry . These are all end of sermon prayers from the Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church. But the point is this. This is the last year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave. 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. I know. Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. And silence sounds no worse than cheers 15 Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. On Saturday afternoon at 1:30, the Rev. Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. Houseman, To an Athlete Dying Young. And I wept and I wept. But when children die, they take away the future as well. Among the healing flood of letters that followed his death was one carrying this wonderful quote from the end of Hemingways A Farewell to Arms: The world breaks everyone, then some become strong at the broken places.. William Sloane Coffin Jr. was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. Runners whom renown outran 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? ABERNETHY: I asked Coffin to think back on the civil rights and other protest movements he helped lead. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind. And ne'er a word said she; Didnt the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?. I also know this day-brightener of a son wouldnt 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. 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.". 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. . We see acuter quite And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. First you leap, and then you grow wings." --- William Sloane Coffin. If you are interested in purchasing the whole collection on aDVD Data Discplease contact me byemail. 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. Wanted them to know, they had a pastor Jesus or God the religious right among Protestant evangelicals fit... Coward dies many times: I asked Coffin to his congregation at Church. 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