Lovers and thinkers into the earth with you. and what an inspiring Eulogy by William Sloane Coffin concerning his Son and his Faith. Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. 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. But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. She chattered all the way; The older I get, the more I accept that death is the inevitable consequence of life, why can't believers? Q: Where does the rise of conservatism, especially on the religious Right among Protestant evangelicals, fit into this whole thing? William Sloane Coffin, Jr. was born on June 1, 1924, in New York City to William Sloane Coffin, Sr. and Catherine Butterfield Coffin. It just happened. Still there is much by way of consolation. You gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. The title of the sermon is "Alex's Death" and it comes on the heals of Rev. 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. And silence sounds no worse than cheers 15 Didnt the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined? When parents die, as my mother did last month, they take with them a large portion of the past. The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love. 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. Required fields are marked *. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Rev. But left me none the wiser Another consolation, of course, will be the learning which better be good, given the price. Rev. 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. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. He became famous while at Yale in the 1960s for his opposition to the Vietnam War. I was moved to tears, to be perfectly honest. Just click the play button. What an interesting article William 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 gave me what God gives all of us minimum protection, maximum support. This is the fourth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. For all she had to say. I know how lucky I am! As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the cold ground. To be one with the dull, indiscriminate dust. Q: We've been talking about a lot of big problems. Then, as I began to re-read it, I noticed that the guy's name is William Sloane Coffin. Can you explain what that means for you? 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." How much suffering? By a departing light I think in the end they pay him a fortune to make the dead go back to their graves. Legendary William Sloane Coffin's years at the historic Riverside Church captured in new two-volume collection Louisville, KY-From 1977 through 1987 William Sloane Coffin was the Senior Minister at t . April 12, 2006 / 7:32 PM / AP. 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. Q: I'm interested in the distinction between a speech and a sermon. He liked it here. 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.. Every sermon constitutes a powerful reminder of his legacy-challenging the conscience of a nation. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind. 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. And [a lot of people] think that emotional mediocrity is the good life. I wrote the sermon. 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. When you scroll down this page you will find all of Bill's Riverside sermons organized by year. And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. For the latest updates across BBC blogs, visit the Blogs homepage. And set you at your threshold down, 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. 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. All rights reserved. Q: Why do you think that is, in the country as a whole? #Ignorance #Self #Violence. God is dead set against all unnatural deaths. Last year Union Theological Seminary in New York gave him its highest medal. 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. He was 81.. If we (me included) could only get a fraction of a grasp between the difference between time and eternity we would cling much less to time and be closer to God's perspective. And then, Im a preacher. But when children die, they take away the future as well. The recipient of the Coffin award will be someone who shares Coffin's passionate and prophetic witness, a courageous devotion to the dignity and worth of . Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. BBC Northern Ireland presenter William Crawley discusses the often controversial political, religious and ethical issues of the day. I know all the right biblical passages, including Blessed are those who mourn, and my faith is no house of rest, came from fellow reverends, a few of whom proved they knew their cards; these passages are true, I know. I walked a mile with Sorrow 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. 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. Do you think about that? For all she had to say. I swear to you, I wouldnt be standing here were I not upheld. Coffin about his experiences as a Freedom Rider from NPR; Read a transcript of an interview with Rev. 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. 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). Online shopping from a great selection at Books Store. Sloan from Doonesbury; New Documentary: WWilliam Sloane Coffin: A Lover's . Q: Your faith and the nature of God and God's love -- what is the bedrock there for you? 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. They have gone to feed the roses. "Human unity is not something we are called on to create only something we are called on to recognize." Continue the suffering of living in preference to going to heaven just so you'll have their company around. I read someone say recently that this is only a training ground for eternity. We have to be forced down. But the point is this. 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. 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 . While the words of the Bible are true, grief renders them unreal. Alex, as he was called, was killed in a car accident in 1983 when he was only. I said. 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. 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). 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. These are all end of sermon prayers from the Sunday sermon delivered at Riverside Church. I know how lucky I am! __________________ 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. 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. The woman most in need of liberation is the woman in every man and the man in every woman. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. Lewis wrote, "They say 'the coward dies many times'; so does the beloved. Like A.E. Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible., I love the recklessness of faith. 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. How do you separate patriotism from criticism? _______________ Reprinted with permission of theWilliam Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. As the . 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.". 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