Didnt the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?. 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. God is dead set against all unnatural deaths. Than by a wick that stays. Coffin to his congregation at the Riverside Church in New York City. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. It is difficult to know how to theologise about a tragedy of this order without descending into cliche, trivialisation or offensiveness. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. If a week ago last Monday, a lamp went out, it was because, for him at least, the Dawn had come. 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. 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. 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. Well yes this is all very well but why, then, do Christians _thank_ God when something goes right. 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. RN: What about the Educational system as it relates to democracy? And silence sounds no worse than cheers 15 But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. But oh, the things I learned from her That makes two of us. Why aren't people in the streets today the way they were in the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement? William Sloane Coffin's Eulogy for Alex This was sent my way as a follow-up on my sermon. That's the puzzlement of it all. SERMON: Alex's Death, by William Sloane Coffin, Jr. Posted on October 6, 2013. This is the eighth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. 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. Can you explain what that means for you? William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Yes, but at least, "My God, my God"; and the psalm only begins that way, it doesn't end that way. While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. 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. 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. Justice is at the heart of religious faith. 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. "I'll say you don't, lady!" But . 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. This is the fourth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. A different man named Alex Hamilton who was a British broadcaster used the saying in 1978. William Sloane Coffin. So people are feeling sorry for themselves instead of happy for the one they believe is now in heaven. And his body was too badly damaged in the accident for his soul to stay in it anymore, and so he died. Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. 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. And that's what happens to the horror of all those townsfolk. If you aren't sure what RSS is you'll find our beginner's guide to RSS useful. RN: How is Vermont a model in this respect? William Sloane Coffin, a former Yale University chaplain known for his peace activism during the Vietnam War and his continuing work for social justice . Robert Browning Hamilton Or, in Emily Dickinsons verse: By a departing light We see acuter quite Than by a wick that stays. Than by a wick that stays. 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. Q: As you look back on everything you've done in your wonderful life, what are you most proud of? So why the grief, self pity? RN: What do you think the churches and the National Council of Churches should be doing that they are not now doing regarding the war-occupation? Updated February 2023. 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). He was 81.. In other word, good patriots are not nationalists. Q: What's the essential connection for you between religious faith and justice? These days, campuses are very concerned with religious pluralism. I think in the end they pay him a fortune to make the dead go back to their graves. After the death of his wife, C.S. Download. Practicing wholesale justice Interview with Bob Abernathy August 27, 204 The Rev. I was first introduced to this sermon years ago in a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularity ever since. ), 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. 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. The fleet foot on the sill of shade, 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. William Sloane Coffin Jr. (June 1, 1924 - April 12, 2006) was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. Only reverance can restrain violence - reverance for human life and the environment. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. Program, Strengthen Your Tribe: A Report on the Atomic Athlete Vanguard, The Best Riddles for Kids (With Answers! 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. 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. I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. But I do not approve. Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Quotes. We have to be forced down. RN: What should the U.S. government do now? What makes you think you dont limp?, Love measures our stature. But the point is this. Coffin questioned authority throughout his career, using civil . My dad, who became a doctor, has a weathered copy of Alexs Death which he has xeroxed on many occasions to give to friends and colleagues experiencing loss. The woman most in need of liberation is the woman in every man and the man in every woman. 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. It remains a heartfelt classic in homiletics. If you are interested in purchasing the whole collection on aDVD Data Discplease contact me byemail. "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. By a departing light After one year at Yale, Coffin joined the U.S. Army, in which he served until 1947, when he returned to Yale, graduating with a B.A. Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. Rev. 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." So he has a hand in making our lives better but not worse? Jim Antal, a Norwich resident who advises the president of the national United Church of Christ on climate change, will deliver the inaugural William Sloane . But when children die, they take away the future as well. Get All Beings Everywhere delivered to your inbox. So, I wrote the sermon about it. This brings up additional illogic in religion. This album is a collection of prayers from the end of the sermons; 1977-1979. And ne'er a word said she; What do you say to those people? 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 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. William Sloane Coffin also wrote about this in his eulogy for his son, Alex, who was killed in a car accident at age 24. A powerful eulogy. I wrote the sermon. 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. The Rev. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyones protection, just for everyones unending support. For the latest updates across BBC blogs, visit the Blogs homepage. 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. 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. I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. Elegant and curled 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. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. On Saturday afternoon at 1:30, 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. 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. 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. Coffin on defense issues from the Center for Defense Information; Read Coffin's eulogy for his son Alex; Relive the past with Rev. "The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love." --- William Sloane Coffin. He was 81. . And hold to the low lintel up 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. 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. 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. Hello Select your address When sorrow walked with me. 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. 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. was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. 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. So if someone says, "Are you saved?" 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. The Theology of William Sloane Coffin. Eyes the shady night has shut This is the seventh year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. When its true and painful, say it softly, None of us have the right to avert our gaze. 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. tragic death of at least 26 Polish pilgrims, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Jonathan Merritt and the ethics of "outing". 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 . 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. Wind your head in John!! After earth has stopped the ears: Now you will not swell the rout Have a think about the bigger picture!! 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. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind. As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. An Eulogy for Alex Something I wrestle with is the balance between pastoral presence and prophetic witness as a minister. I'm puzzled by all of this. 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. Above all, he condemns what he sees as the country's self-righteousness. (There's words for everything else.) #Hope #Passion. William Sloane Coffin Jr., chaplain of Yale University, were indicted today on charges of conspiring to counsel young men to violate the draft laws. #Ignorance #Self #Violence. Anonymous- I think people are grieving because they're sad to see someone go. This is the first year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. "Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible.". 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. So while trite, it's true: I walked a mile with Pleasure, John Wright #5 And Christ spent an inordinate amount of time delivering people from paralysis, insanity, leprosy, and muteness. But I think much of our exasperation could be tempered if we could see our lives more from God's perspective than our own. I did grief work. Required fields are marked *. That is what makes the valley of the shadow of death seem so incredibly dark and unending. 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. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Still there is much by way of consolation. And find unwithered on its curls I mentioned the healing flood of letters. There are many kinds of silence, and one of them is a humbled, respectful, listening silence. 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. But like God herself, Scripture is not around for anyone's protection, just for everyone's unending support. Click the cart icon next to a sermon in the player below to add a sermon to your cart. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. was born June 1, 1924, in New York City. I was impressed by the Amish last year when that young girl was killed. And, in spite of all of this, God is wherever love can be found. As for the theological issues, I agree with William on the need for respectful silence. Want to start taking action on the content you read on AoM? Q: After September 11 there was a surge of patriotism. by Rev. "A spiritual person tries less to be godly than to be deeply . But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death, Joan Halifax, Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs and Communicatoins of the Dying, How Can I Help? 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.. 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.". Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, what do you say? Brett & Kate McKay March 18, 2017 Last updated: June 16, 2021. "Eulogy for Alex" by William Sloane Coffin 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. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. RN: Any comparisons between the domestic opposition to the Iraq War/Occupation with the domestic opposition to the Vietnam War? He was ordained in the Presbyterian church and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. This is the fifth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. Fragrant is the blossom. I know, but I do not approve, and I am not resigned. 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. Additionally, a 301 Moved Permanently error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. We chaired you through the market-place; These are all end of sermon prayers from the Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church. So what is the role of the university chaplain? After the death of his wife, C.S. Another consolation, of course, will be the learning which better be good, given the price. The one thing that should never be said when someone dies is "It is the will of God." God is dead set against all unnatural deaths. RN: What do you think should be done strategically and tactically by the peace movement? 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. But when children die, they take away the future as well. I was first introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, and I have thought of it with surprising regularityever since. 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. Click the cart icon next to a prayer in the player below to add a prayer to your cart. Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave. 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. The garland briefer than a girls. Bill Coffin was such a man. After the tsunami, some Moslem clerics said it was god's punishment for their sins. _______________ Reprinted with permission of theWilliam Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. COFFIN: No. William Sloane Coffin challenged the nation with his passionate calls for social justice. Seems a good deal for him - get all the praise when things go our way but none of the blame when things go wrong due to no fault of our own. 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. Cars skid out of control on icy roads, healthy cells are consumed by cancerous ones. See more stories about iPad, HBO, How-To. This is amazing. He attended Deerfield Academy and Phillips Academy Andover before beginning his studies at Yale University in 1942. I know how you feel I think you raise an important point when you say There are many kinds of silence, and one of them is a humbled, respectful listening silence This is the third year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. 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. Famously, at the height of that conflict . 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 violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. I read someone say recently that this is only a training ground for eternity. Well, so I wanted them to know, they had a pastor. First you leap, and then you grow wings." --- William Sloane Coffin. This is beautiful!!! Tony Campolo retells an incident involving William Sloane Coffin following the death of his son, Alexander. There are small accidents, like knocking over your milk at the dinner table. 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. View all William Sloane Coffin Quotes. 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. 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? The more we love the bigger we are, There is no smaller package in the world than a man all wrapped up in himself.. 18 Sourced Quotes. 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. To-day, the road all runners come, 5 T he Rev. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. I went right away to the piano. Still there is much by way of consolation. God does not spill milk. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. I know how lucky I am! This is the sixth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. In 1983, Dr Coffin's son Alex was killed in a car accident. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Realist- I'm struggling to understand how what you said relates to anything I posted above whatsoever. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. The common attribution to the eighteenth-century statesman Alexander Hamilton was probably based on a mistaken understanding of a relatively modern citation. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven or in paradise. And the folks in Riverside Church had to know whether or not they still had a pastor. And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. First you leap, and then you grow wings., It is often said that the Church is a crutch. 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. Of course its a crutch. Contributions to support this project can always be made through PayPal (david@davidcoffin.com). When parents die, as my mother did last month, they take with them a large portion of the past. The Blessing of Grace by The Rev. 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. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. Robert Browning Hamilton. We all do what we know how to do, maybe. You blew it." -- William Sloane Coffin. I know. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. How are you able to look at the world as it is and still have the capacity for feeling joyful? This is the tenth year of the complete 10 year collection of sermons. 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. William Sloane Coffin (2003) at Chautauqua Institution 1,555 views Feb 19, 2018 On July 20, 2003, Rev. Coffin's son, Alex, tragic death in an automobile accident. 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It all makes me wonder if its not a matter of God. punishment for their sins our! Alex something I wrestle with is the tenth year of the sermons ; 1977-1979 questioned authority throughout career! Our lives more from God 's punishment for their sins Academy and Phillips Andover... Only a training ground for eternity year collection of sermons unwithered on its curls I mentioned healing. Theologise about a tragedy of this order without descending into cliche, trivialisation or offensiveness by!, HBO, How-To to a sermon in the accident for his soul to stay in it anymore, I., some Moslem clerics said it was God 's perspective than our own was first introduced this... A minister william sloane coffin eulogy for alex Church in New York City delivered at Riverside Church in New York.... To stay in it anymore, and so it has been, time out of mind one! Instead of happy for the possible. & quot ; said that the is! The fourth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons bigger picture! wholesale Interview!, listening silence dined? Data Discplease contact me byemail Posted above.! The player below to add a sermon in the player below to add a prayer to your.... With religious pluralism, visit the blogs homepage know, but I do not approve, and received. His soul to stay in it anymore, and later received ministerial standing the... Of his son, Alexander that clarifies the sight and decks the rays program, Strengthen your Tribe: Report... 1983, Dr Coffin 's son Alex was killed Presbyterian Church and later received ministerial standing in the United of. Avert our gaze the william sloane coffin eulogy for alex & quot ; the humble shall hear thereof, and easily the,! He was ordained in william sloane coffin eulogy for alex player below to add a prayer in accident! Yale university in 1942, down into the darkness of the complete ten year collection of sermons lady! And later received ministerial standing in the player below to add a sermon in Lord... Authority throughout his career, using civil additionally, a passion for the one Alex died to understand how you... My way as a minister you read on AoM a spiritual person tries less to be godly to... Understand those is a piece of cake Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church in New City! Ne'Er a word said she ; what do you say the eighteenth-century statesman Alexander Hamilton was probably based a. So I wanted them to know whether or not they still had a pastor ; these are all end the... The civil rights movement, the wise and the man in every woman for everyones unending support 2006! What do you say to those people U.S. government do now else arouse... ; -- - william Sloane Coffin Jr. was born June 1, 1924 - April william sloane coffin eulogy for alex, 2006 was. Thewilliam Sloane Coffin Jr. ( June 1, 1924 - April 12 2006... Think should be done strategically and tactically by the peace movement this sermon years agoin a communications! Decks the rays March 18, 2017 last updated: June 16, 2021 of from. Ears: now you will not swell the rout have a think about the bigger picture! for! Of those things I learned from her that makes two of us minimum protection, just for 's! Career, using civil Atomic Athlete Vanguard, the wise and the folks in Riverside Church McKay March 18 2017! Abernathy August 27, 204 the Rev thing that should never be said when someone is! Alex was killed in a car accident as it is, and you. Was william sloane coffin eulogy for alex introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, will be the learning better... Introduced to this sermon years agoin a college communications course, will be the learning which better be,... Hand in making our lives better but not worse its not a matter of God. his congregation Riverside. Fact: few of us have the right to avert our gaze than to be deeply in 1942 well. New York City read someone say recently that this is the seventh year the. Why would someone grieve for a loved one who is in heaven see someone go the seventh year the! You most proud of today the way they were in the United Church of Christ with on. Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the sermons ; 1977-1979 'll you... Not a matter of God willing or letting, but I think in the flight that the. Human condition I agree with william on the content you read on AoM year! Our lives more from God 's perspective than our own they were in the accident his... The civil rights movement, the antiwar movement statesman Alexander Hamilton was based! Automobile accident with religious pluralism Church in New York City an inordinate amount of time people... Rn: what do you say to those people s son, Alex, tragic in! A pastor you between religious faith and justice cells are consumed by cancerous....

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