Until one has personally experienced the loss of a loved one, one can not understand the feelings about the death both positive and negative. Anonymous- I think people are grieving because they're sad to see someone go. #Power Of Love #Truth #Love. The Theology of William Sloane Coffin. You can stay up to date with Will & Testament via these feeds. Podcast #862: Heal the Body With Extended Fasting Podcast #761: How Testosterone Makes Men, Men How Saunas Can Help Save Your Body, Mind, and Spirit Podcast #852: The Brain Energy Theory of Mental Illness What is the religious challenge at our universities? 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. 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. 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. "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." Never do we know enough to say that. We have to be forced down. You will also find a collection of his prayers that concluded many of his sermons. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyone's protection, just for everyone's unending support. 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 . 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. 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. A different man named Alex Hamilton who was a British broadcaster used the saying in 1978. The one thing that should never be said when someone dies is "It is the will of God." You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. 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 . They have gone to feed the roses. 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. When you scroll down this page you will find all of Bill's Riverside sermons organized by year. 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. 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 . These prayers may be purchased separately but they are included in the actual sermons too. These sermons were delivered from the pulpit at Riverside Church, N.Y.C. 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.) So if someone says, "Are you saved?" But the things I learned from her It remains a heartfelt classic in homiletics. Q: Your faith and the nature of God and God's love -- what is the bedrock there for you? For instance, the Christians persecuted the Jews for nearly two thousand years because as they said, they believed the Jews killed Jesus. Of course its a crutch. Q: What should we be mindful of when we make defense policy? The Coffin award is given in honor of the life and ministry of William Sloane Coffin, former Chaplain to the University and one of the 20th century's most significant religious leaders. Rev. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. 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. 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." I sought the Lord, and he heard me, 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. Q: We've been talking about a lot of big problems. When sorrow walked with me. They accepted that it was god's will. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. was born June 1, 1924, in New York City. I said. "The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love." --- William Sloane Coffin. William Sloane Coffin's Eulogy for Alex This was sent my way as a follow-up on my sermon. William Sloane Coffin Sr. (April 15, 1879 - December 16, 1933) was an American businessman. I was first introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularityever since. Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible., I love the recklessness of faith. What do you say to those people? @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. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. Heres how Coffin explained how he managed to write and deliver this eulogy so soon after his sons death (from an interview with Bill Moyers): COFFIN: Well. 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. Smart lad, to slip betimes away Love without criticism is a kind of betrayal. 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 home we brought you shoulder-high. Why aren't people in the streets today the way they were in the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement? There is no god!! After the death of Coffin's father in 1933, the family moved to Carmel, California, where William attended public school until the ninth grade, when he attended Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. Sloan from Doonesbury; New Documentary: WWilliam Sloane Coffin: A Lover's . I know how lucky I am! Either it is god's will or there is no god! 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 finally I know that when Alex beat me to the grave, the finish line was not Boston Harbor in the middle of the night. Famously, at the height of that conflict . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A Eulogy for Alex 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. http://dlvr.it/Ng3r8d. Still there is much by way of consolation. And hold to the low lintel up Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. Less sceptical commentators may point to mechanical -- and possibly human -- failure on a notoriously dangerous road. I too have thought Gods heart is the first to break. 20. I know how lucky I am! I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Something I wrestle with is the balance between pastoral presence and prophetic witness as a minister. No. He was a director, and later vice-president of W. & J. Sloane Company, his family's business, which was founded by his grandfather, William Sloane, from Kilmarnock, Scotland. After the death of his wife, C.S. And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. Well compared to heaven isn't all of life suffering? What do you think it is? 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. For. But the point is this. That is what makes the valley of the shadow of death seem so incredibly dark and unending. The Blessing of Grace by The Rev. The still-defended challenge-cup. This is the fourth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. 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. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. 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. The best of William Sloane Coffin, Jr. Do you think about that? And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. Below you will find one of my favorite sermons "Preached from the Piano Bench" at Riverside Church. After earth has stopped the ears: Now you will not swell the rout But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. 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. This album is a collection of prayers from the end of the sermons; 1977-1979. Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; Receive small business resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs. William Sloane Coffin Jr. (June 1, 1924 - April 12, 2006) was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. After the death of his wife, C.S. Theres something in the flight 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. By a departing light We see acuter quite Than by a wick that stays. There are many kinds of silence, and one of them is a humbled, respectful, listening silence. Quotes. And, in spite of all of this, God is wherever love can be found. I did grief work. 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. We have to be forced down. Q: It must make you terribly frustrated to see all the things you think are wrong and not being righted, and not be able to play the part in leading those movements that you once did. A good question, Suzy. William Sloane Coffin Jr. in 1987. What can be done to turn this public support into organized opposition? There's something deep in there that involves joy and hope. It is difficult to know how to theologise about a tragedy of this order without descending into cliche, trivialisation or offensiveness. This is the second year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. Different cultures have different views of death. We see acuter quite 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.. Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. 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. COFFIN: What this country needs, what I think God wants us to do, is not practice piecemeal charity but engage in wholesale justice. You can purchase individual sermons for $4.42 (includes processing fees). 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. And decks the rays. Will was tyring to elicit thoughts about the whole concept of a god's will. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Yes, but at least, My God, my God; and the psalm only begins that way, it doesnt end that way. 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). If you aren't sure what RSS is you'll find our beginner's guide to RSS useful. There are a lot of excuses that people give for not participating more in the kinds of things that you used to lead. 2023 Barbara Becker / All Beings Everywhere. This is the sixth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. Alex, as he was called, was killed in a car accident in 1983 when he was only. 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. No matter where they're going or what they're going to experience, the primary reason people mourn a death is because they know they'll miss the person who died and won't see them again. How much suffering? By a departing light William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. That makes two of us. This is the last year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. Embed. In this best-seller, Coffin gives a powerful record of his remarkable public life, offering his. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. Ill say you dont, lady! I said. So set, before its echoes fade, Can you explain what that means for you? 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. Man and boy stood cheering by, William Sloane Coffin. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. BTW, anonymous was I ere I saw Suomynona WTB, but I'm sure you guessed that right away. 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: As he conducts what he calls his lover's quarrel with his country, Coffin acknowledges that he has to be careful not to become self-righteous himself -- perhaps especially when he is honored, as he is often. The reality of grief is the solitude of pain, the feeling that your heart is in pieces, your mind's a blank, that "there is no joy the world can give like that it takes away." Only reverance can restrain violence - reverance for human life and the environment.". Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. Rev. "Human unity is not something we are called on to create only something we are called on to recognize." When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. Bill Coffin's legacy is ministry . William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. T he Rev. Unfortunately he left the building April 12th, 2006. Cannot see the record cut, 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. ABERNETHY: I asked Coffin to think back on the civil rights and other protest movements he helped lead. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. Q: Let me ask you to look back a little bit at some of the great movements you were part of. And [a lot of people] think that emotional mediocrity is the good life. 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. Coffin about his experiences as a Freedom Rider from NPR; Read a transcript of an interview with Rev. 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. 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. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. Realist- I'm struggling to understand how what you said relates to anything I posted above whatsoever. #Hope #Passion. And round that early-laurelled head 25 And I wept and I wept. Above all, he condemns what he sees as the country's self-righteousness. 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Well, so I wanted them to know, they had a pastor. In 1983, Dr Coffin's son Alex was killed in a car accident. _______________ Reprinted with permission of theWilliam Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind. History The company was founded as a rug importer and seller on March 2, 1843 by William Sloane who had just emigrated from Kilmarnock, Scotland, a town famous for weaving fine carpets and rugs. 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. Rev. Every sermon constitutes a powerful reminder of his legacy-challenging the conscience of a nation. 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. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Ten days after Alex's death, he delivered this extraordinary sermon to his congregation at Riverside Church in New York City. 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. "A spiritual person tries less to be godly than to be deeply . 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. Have thought Gods heart is the last year of the complete ten year collection of sermons was william sloane coffin eulogy for alex I. For anyone 's protection, just for everyones unending support violence - reverance for life! 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