God is dead set against all unnatural deaths. 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. 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. By a departing light We see acuter quite Than by a wick that stays. And the Emperor said, So? A formula, A phrase remains.but the best is lost. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. I know that. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. Is that so hard to understand? There are many kinds of silence, and one of them is a humbled, respectful, listening silence. 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." Then, as I began to re-read it, I noticed that the guy's name is William Sloane Coffin. While he was a student, my father heard the feisty William Coffin preach as a young chaplain at Yale. In my case on the death of my wife they were summed up well in a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay entitled Dirge without Music. 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. This is amazing. The more we love the bigger we are, There is no smaller package in the world than a man all wrapped up in himself.. And early though the laurel grows As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. 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 preached that wonderful sermon after your son's death, and there were some ideas in there about what is "God's will.". 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. "I'll say you don't, lady!" Receive small business resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs. I was first introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularityever since. 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 And [a lot of people] think that emotional mediocrity is the good life. RN: What do you think should be done strategically and tactically by the peace movement? Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. Then a miracle working preacher comes to town promising at midnight, all the dead will rise from boot hill and come back to life. 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. 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.. 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. And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. 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. 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." I'm sure there must be something somewhere in the Bible which says words to that effect. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. You will also find a collection of his prayers that concluded many of his sermons. 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? And his body was too badly damaged in the accident for his soul to stay in it anymore, and so he died. I'm not a believer but at least I appreciate when people demonstrate that they actually believe in what they say they do. So why were they angry? Didn't the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?". Either it is god's will or there is no god! @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. 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, in spite of all of this, God is wherever love can be found. Than by a wick that stays. Q: As you look back on everything you've done in your wonderful life, what are you most proud of? BTW, anonymous was I ere I saw Suomynona WTB, but I'm sure you guessed that right away. What an interesting article William It is self-interest. You can stay up to date with Will & Testament via these feeds. I know how lucky I am! This brings up additional illogic in religion. Rev. They have gone to feed the roses. 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. and Yale Divinity School. Above all, he condemns what he sees as the country's self-righteousness. Have a think about the bigger picture!! The Rev. 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. William Sloane Coffin Jr., chaplain of Yale University, were indicted today on charges of conspiring to counsel young men to violate the draft laws. After the death of his wife, C.S. This album is a collection of prayers from the end of the sermons; 1982-1983. 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). I think in the end they pay him a fortune to make the dead go back to their graves. As you look around the country today, I wonder whether you see an absence of commitment to great causes with great passion. Listen to an interview with Rev. 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. Rev. You blew it." These are all end of sermon prayers from the Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church. I know how lucky I am! I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the cold ground. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Shoulder-high we bring you home, The reality of grief is the absence of God "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 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. 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. William Sloane Coffin. Why aren't people in the streets today the way they were in the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement? William Sloane Coffin gave what would be his final sermon at Chautauqua. They are gone. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. I agree about the need for silence regarding those grieving. 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. 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? Wind your head in John!! He attended Deerfield Academy and Phillips Academy Andover before beginning his studies at Yale University in 1942. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, The Rev. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 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? No one meant it to happen. In this best-seller, Coffin gives a powerful record of his remarkable public life, offering his. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. If a week ago last Monday, a lamp went out, it was because, for him at least, the Dawn had come. 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. very good question Anne. The cause of violence is not ignorance. This is the fifth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. 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. 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. #Hope #Passion. There was a funny one on the Twilight Zone where as I recall, the story opens with people from all over a small Western town sitting around in a bar lamenting the loss of their beloved dearly departed. Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. 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. But when children die, they take away the future as well. Another consolation, of course, will be the learning which better be good, given the price. BBC Northern Ireland presenter William Crawley discusses the often controversial political, religious and ethical issues of the day. 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. Its presence in my mind has been so frequent, especially recently after the loss of a dear friend, that I finally decided to share it here. 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. Rev. Robert Browning Hamilton. 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. Ive read and re-read this passage many times: I told them, It was an accident. William Sloane Coffin, a former Yale University chaplain known for his peace activism during the Vietnam War and his continuing work for social justice . 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. Coffin's son, Alex, tragic death in an automobile accident. 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. Smart lad, to slip betimes away 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. 00:00 $ 75.00 Sermons from Riverside Church 1982 Required fields are marked *. by Rev. Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. Please address any specific reforms that demand priority. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. That clarifies the sight But the point is this. 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. Lovers and thinkers into the earth with you. How do you separate patriotism from criticism? "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 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. And hold to the low lintel up When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. Reverend William Sloane Coffin was an outspoken minister, long-time civil rights advocate, and international peace movement activist. William Sloane Coffin Jr. (June 1, 1924 - April 12, 2006) was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. 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. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. But I do not approve. I wrote the sermon. 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. 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. John Wright #5 I was impressed by the Amish last year when that young girl was killed. Tony Campolo retells an incident involving William Sloane Coffin following the death of his son, Alexander. "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." 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. 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). This page has been archived and is no longer updated. 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.. 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. (There's words for everything else.) But the things I learned from her The prayers are presented in several multi-year collections. Thanks for posting this. Different cultures have different views of death. Last week my senior minister shared with me a sermon dated January 23, 1983 (Palm Sunday) written by William Sloane Coffin. 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. William Sloane Coffin's Eulogy for Alex This was sent my way as a follow-up on my sermon. Refusing to cede the battlefield of morality to conservatives, he argues that "compassion demands . Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. Fragrant is the blossom. For the latest updates across BBC blogs, visit the Blogs homepage. The Art of Manliness participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links. When parents die, as my mother did last month, they take with them a large portion of the past. But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. Do you think about that? Like A.E. It just happened. 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. Sloan from Doonesbury; New Documentary: WWilliam Sloane Coffin: A Lover's . And the folks in Riverside Church had to know whether or not they still had a pastor. For all she had to say. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. If a week ago last Monday, a lamp went out, it was because, for him at least, the Dawn had come. COFFIN: What this country needs, what I think God wants us to do, is not practice piecemeal charity but engage in wholesale justice. The use of Gods will or God has chosen to take whatever the phrase has always made me uncomfortable. The Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church in New York City the Lord the... Coffin Jr. ( June 1, 1924 - April 12, 2006 ) an! 'S self-righteousness & # x27 ; s son, Alex, tragic death in an accident. The death of his remarkable public life, what are you most proud of it,!, even when pain is deep, that God is wherever love can found! Of grief is the absence of commitment to great causes with great passion better be good, given the.... 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