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.". Alex, as he was called, was killed in a car accident in 1983 when he was only. But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. Quotes. Theres something in the flight While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. This website is the home of the William Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. In your prayer life do you tend to direct your prayer life to Jesus or God? It remains a heartfelt classic in homiletics. It is difficult to know how to theologise about a tragedy of this order without descending into cliche, trivialisation or offensiveness. Less sceptical commentators may point to mechanical -- and possibly human -- failure on a notoriously dangerous road. In 1983, Dr Coffin's son Alex was killed in a car accident. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave. And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible., I love the recklessness of faith. 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.". And the Emperor said, So? The Theology of William Sloane Coffin Thursday, February 15, 2007 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. I wrote the sermon. (Lord Byron). Click the cart icon next to a sermon in the player below to add a sermon to your cart. 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. Cannot see the record cut, William Sloane Coffin Jr. in 1987. When you scroll down this page you will find all of Bill's Riverside sermons organized by year. 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. 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. I was first introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularityever since. The civil rights movement: What do you remember with the greatest pleasure or what was the greatest lesson of it? I know. It is incredible and very powerful. If a week ago last Monday, a lamp went out, it was because, for him at least, the Dawn had come. There is no god!! When sorrow walked with me. But I'm an atheist. 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. Click the cart icon next to a prayer in the player below to add a prayer to your cart. The Rev. I know that. Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. We have to be forced down. Is that so hard to understand? 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. You will also find a collection of his prayers that concluded many of his sermons. The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love. Get All Beings Everywhere delivered to your inbox. Ill say you dont, lady! I said. As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. William Sloane Coffin (2003) at Chautauqua Institution 1,555 views Feb 19, 2018 On July 20, 2003, Rev. Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Didnt the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?. 54 quotes from William Sloane Coffin: 'Love measures our stature: the more we love, the bigger we are. Nationalism at the expense of another nation, is just as wicked as racism at the expense of another race. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. You can purchase individual prayers for $1.34 (includes processing fees). After the death of his wife, C.S. Coffin questioned authority throughout his career, using civil . Listen to an interview with Rev. 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 . And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. You can purchase individual sermons for $4.42 (includes processing fees). I know how lucky I am! 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. I was first introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularityever since. That clarifies the sight Coffin about his experiences as a Freedom Rider from NPR; Read a transcript of an interview with Rev. Until one has personally experienced the loss of a loved one, one can not understand the feelings about the death both positive and negative. But . That makes two of us. 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. 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.) There's something in the flight W. & J. Sloane was a furniture and rug store in New York City that catered to the wealthy. 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. 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.. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. what do you say? It seems to me for those believers who grieve, their religion brings them little more comfort than those who don't. Reprinted with permission of theWilliam Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. The woman most in need of liberation is the woman in every man and the man in every woman. 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. The common attribution to the eighteenth-century statesman Alexander Hamilton was probably based on a mistaken understanding of a relatively modern citation. We chaired you through the market-place; William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Coffin's son, Alex, tragic death in an automobile accident. Individual prayers and sermons can be purchased by clicking the cart icon next to each prayer or sermon title. First you leap, and then you grow wings., It is often said that the Church is a crutch. And find unwithered on its curls I'm not a believer but at least I appreciate when people demonstrate that they actually believe in what they say they do. Rev. Read more. BBC Northern Ireland presenter William Crawley discusses the often controversial political, religious and ethical issues of the day. Do you think about that? 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? 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. Gracious God, whose own Son's term of service to humanity was so full that its brevity was no distress, we call to mind on this Memorial Sunday those "who will not grow old as we who are left to grow old," those whose lives were too brief for us but long enough, perhaps, for thee. But the point is this. And round that early-laurelled head 25 William Sloane Coffin, a former Yale University chaplain known for his anti-war and peace activism, dies at the age of 81. Coffin to his congregation at the Riverside Church in New York City. Sloan from Doonesbury; New Documentary: WWilliam Sloane Coffin: A Lover's . I sought the Lord, and he heard me, Rev. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. 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. And then, Im a preacher. ABERNETHY: Coffin became the leader of the U.S. campaign against nuclear weapons. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. After the tsunami, some Moslem clerics said it was god's punishment for their sins. 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. As for the theological issues, I agree with William on the need for respectful silence. William Sloane Coffin 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. Updated February 2023. Lovers and thinkers into the earth with you. He attended Deerfield Academy and Phillips Academy Andover before beginning his studies at Yale University in 1942. Why aren't people in the streets today the way they were in the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement? Elegant and curled Have a think about the bigger picture!! This is the tenth year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. While I could never presume to know the answer, I do take comfort in this passage from the author Kate Braestrup, which I wrote in my final post on this blog (below). William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Embed. For the latest updates across BBC blogs, visit the Blogs homepage. by Rev. Rev. Shoulder-high we bring you home, "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. The night after Alex died I was sitting in the living room of my sister's house outside of Boston, when the front door opened and in came a nice-looking, middle-aged woman, carrying about eighteen quiches. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. COFFIN: No. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. He was ordained in the Presbyterian church and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. The title of the sermon is "Alex's Death" and it comes on the heals of Rev. William Sloane Coffin gave what would be his final sermon at Chautauqua. 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. But when children die, they take away the future as well. 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. I said. The Rev. Just click the play button. Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. tragic death of at least 26 Polish pilgrims, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Jonathan Merritt and the ethics of "outing". 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.. Ill say you dont, lady! I said. Thanks for posting this. Rev. 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. Please address any specific reforms that demand priority. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. 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 world's army of the bereaved. 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. --Robert Browning Hamilton. This invaluable anthology is the first and only collection dedi Love without criticism is a kind of betrayal. This is the sixth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. 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. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Another consolation, of course, will be the learning which better be good, given the price. The document has moved here. If you aren't sure what RSS is you'll find our beginner's guide to RSS useful. So people are feeling sorry for themselves instead of happy for the one they believe is now in heaven. 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. But if anyone dare speak in response to this tragic accident, they could learn much from William Sloane Coffin, the American justice activist who died last year, about what not to say to someone whose heart is breaking. To-day, the road all runners come, 5 But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. " 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 ." Coffin, the model for Doonesbury's Reverend Sloan, was a Freedom Rider, Yale chaplain, champion for social justice and one of the most respected leaders of the anti-Vietnam war movement. Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible. "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." Quotes, as voted by Quotefancy readers. __________________ 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. Of course its a crutch. John Wright #5 William Sloane Coffin. 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. Well, that really is selfish and here I thought some believers like Christians are supposed to be charitable. 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. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. 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. _______________ Reprinted with permission of theWilliam Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. I walked a mile with Sorrow I'm sure there must be something somewhere in the Bible which says words to that effect. When parents die, as my mother did last month, they take with them a large portion of the past. Q: After September 11 there was a surge of patriotism. Some will even argue that God has a purpose in allowing the accident and will use this tragedy to provoke moral growth in the world (though one hopes that this explanation will not be offered in the hearing of any grieving family members). This is the first year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. 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. But when children die, they take away the future as well. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. But it's a fact: few of us are naturally profound. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. 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 . This is the third year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. There are small accidents, like knocking over your milk at the dinner table. "A spiritual person tries less to be godly than to be deeply . Only reverance can restrain violence - reverance for human life and the environment. Anonymous- I think people are grieving because they're sad to see someone go. Well yes this is all very well but why, then, do Christians _thank_ God when something goes right. And [a lot of people] think that emotional mediocrity is the good life. 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. Would it be abhorrent to find that intensely funny? It just happened. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. Every sermon constitutes a powerful reminder of his legacy-challenging the conscience of a nation. And read the poems. The night after Alex died I was sitting in the living room of my sisters house outside of Boston, when the front door opened and in came a nice-looking, middle-aged woman, carrying about eighteen quiches. 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. 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." 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. 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