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. 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. Coffin on defense issues from the Center for Defense Information; Read Coffin's eulogy for his son Alex; Relive the past with Rev. 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.) 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. Rev. Last year Union Theological Seminary in New York gave him its highest medal. So if you want to know where God is in this or in anything, look for love., Your email address will not be published. -- William Sloane Coffin. 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. 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. 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. 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. Sloan from Doonesbury; New Documentary: WWilliam Sloane Coffin: A Lover's . And of course I know, even when pain is deep, that God is good. I'm sure there must be something somewhere in the Bible which says words to that effect. The Blessing of Grace by The Rev. When a person dies, there are many things that can be said, and there is at least one thing that should never be said. So if someone says, "Are you saved?" This album is a collection of prayers from the end of the sermons; 1977-1979. 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. _______________ Reprinted with permission of theWilliam Sloane Coffin Sermon Archive Project. 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. Download. We have to be forced down. 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? God is dead set against all unnatural deaths. "Human unity is not something we are called on to create only something we are called on to recognize." Q: How about your own death? Contributions to support this project can always be made through PayPal (david@davidcoffin.com). I mentioned the healing flood of letters. But the things I learned from her And neer a word said she; #Hope #Passion. 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. Lewis wrote, They say the coward dies many times; so does the beloved. The garland briefer than a girls. Some of the very best, and easily the worst, knew their Bibles better than the human condition. This is the fifth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. RN: Why do you think most of the anti-war groups stopped their marches in 2004 and became quiescent compared to 2003? This reflects what that discomfort is and so nice to read it was written by a Reverend. You will also find a collection of his prayers that concluded many of his sermons. William Sloane Coffin (2003) at Chautauqua Institution 1,555 views Feb 19, 2018 On July 20, 2003, 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. But its a fact: few of us are naturally profound. 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." As his younger brother put it simply, standing at the head of the casket at the Boston funeral, You blew it, buddy. God did not bash the truck into your fathers car. So why were they angry? But violent deaths, such as the one Alex died to understand those is a piece of cake. William Sloane Coffin challenged the nation with his passionate calls for social justice. Q: Why do you think that is, in the country as a whole? 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). 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. 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. So people are feeling sorry for themselves instead of happy for the one they believe is now in heaven. so if God doesnt will these things to happen, why does he let them happen? And thats what hundreds of you understood so beautifully. This is the ninth year of the complete ten year collection of sermons. I mentioned the healing flood of letters. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. Coffin delivered his sermon "Eulogy for Alex" at Riversid e Church. 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. If you had a pastoral visit with the president, what would you say? 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. 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. #Firsts #Leap #Wings. Q: Where does the rise of conservatism, especially on the religious Right among Protestant evangelicals, fit into this whole thing? William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. 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. What should churches be doing in the face of whats going on in our country right now? 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. Because there are no rankling unanswered questions, and because Alex and I simply adored each other, the wound for me is deep, but clean. Theres something in the flight That clarifies the sight And decks the rays. If you are interested in purchasing the whole collection on aDVD Data Discplease contact me byemail. It all makes me wonder if its not a matter of God willing or letting, but more like the laws of nature. Well yes this is all very well but why, then, do Christians _thank_ God when something goes right. Why are they unhappy if they think he is in paradise with 72 virgins or are they just feeling sorry for themselves? ashington, Jan. 5--Five men, including Dr. Benjamin Spock, the author and pediatrician, and the Rev. 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. It withers quicker than the rose. This is beautiful!!! 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." very good question Anne. William Sloane Coffin Jr., was arrested several times during the civil rights movement. 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.. Itsjust one of those things I think is worth a read by all. Kate Braestrups book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it to all who are seeking answers. ABERNETHY: Coffin became the leader of the U.S. campaign against nuclear weapons. 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. Love without criticism is a kind of betrayal. How much suffering? April 12, 2006 / 7:32 PM / AP. 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. Less sceptical commentators may point to mechanical -- and possibly human -- failure on a notoriously dangerous road. 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.. Instantly I was up and in hot pursuit, swarming all over her. We chaired you through the market-place; 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. And decks the rays. W. & J. Sloane was a furniture and rug store in New York City that catered to the wealthy. There are small accidents, like knocking over your milk at the dinner table. Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. William Sloane Coffin Jr. preached these Sunday sermons from the pulpit of the Riverside Church in New York City. The more we love the bigger we are, There is no smaller package in the world than a man all wrapped up in himself.. That's the puzzlement of it all. 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. 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