William Sloane Coffin (1924–2006)

Credo by William Sloane Coffin. Library section: 7 C (The Church in the World: Society/Human Rights/Justice.) Teens and adults will enjoy this compilation of quotations from the sermons and writings of the Reverend Bill Coffin, chaplain of Yale University and Williams College, senior minister of Riverside Church in Manhattan, and President Emeritus of SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global Security. He has been an activist for peace and nuclear disarmament, was jailed as a Freedom Rider, and puts show more his voice where his heart is. His words indict us, as fellow sinners, to be the best, most compassionate and just people we can be, looking to Christ as our model.
While reading this book I wanted to highlight so many sentences because they spoke so strongly to my mind and heart. A true Christian, he says, is a progressive, someone not content with the unequal status quo, the cause of suffering, pain and hunger for so many. He says you can tell a Christian by the way they work hard to eliminate suffering, racism, inequality, and economic injustice. Christians speak out for peace, and seek to protect and support those with no voice or who must remain silent for their own protection: children, minorities, the poor, women, the homeless and hungry, the ill and suffering, and those with varying sexual orientations. Coffin, a man after my own heart, even quotes Martin Luther! Bill Moyers says, William Sloane Coffin has “the voice of a prophet and wisdom for the ages.”
Chapters are divided into themes: 1) faith, hope and love, 2) social justice and civil liberties, 3) social justice and economic rights, 4) patriotism, 5) war and peace, 6) nature, 7) life in general, 8) the church, and 9) the end of life. Coffin says that each of us is a child of God, and therefore when we look the other way to avoid seeing suffering, we are acting in an unChristian manner. No doubt about it, being a Christian is not for sissies. True followers of Christ try mighty hard to not allow their prejudices, their comfort, wealth, or their fear separate them from those with less, those they think of as different, those they secretly or blatantly disapprove of. One motto that spoke to me was, “Prejudice disfigures the observer, not the person observed. If only the latter could remember that.” That is similar to Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous dictum, “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
I love this book because it tells us how to act as Jesus’ hands and heart to alleviate the world’s ills. As Christians we can make incredible differences to those with less, to those who seem too different or weird to care about. One can never, never err on the side of love. One of my former pastors said that Jesus ALWAYS sides with the victims of this world. So if we depend on money, toys, addictions and plenty to fulfill us in this life, that’s a sin, an affront to God. Coffin says it this way: “The way we are cutting taxes for the wealthy and social programs for the poor, you’d think the greedy were needy and the needy were greedy.” And here’s one last little zinger to think about: “Life being what it is, if we don’t make a difference by trying, we will make a difference by NOT trying.” Ew. That brings us up short, doesn’t it? “We are responsible not only for what we do, but also for what we don’t do.” Luther said that.
If you think nothing you can do will make a difference to someone, you need a dose of Bill. Sit down and read this short, easy book; let the words melt your heart and fire you up. Jesus did not look for extraordinary people as disciples nor does he expect us to be extraordinary. He looked for ordinary people who could do ordinary things well. Could that be you and me too? You bet! Alleluia! show less

I was hoping to like this book more than I did. I appreciated the format, but wasn't inspired like I was with Rilke's book. Parts were poignant, but I was surprised by the amount of political views in the book. I was expecting more spiritual words of wisdom, and could've done without the politics.

A rather dated book but interesting in that I learned about William Sloane Coffin (a little bit) and it was also a touchstone in a conversation with Marge Bradford.

This book by Coffin is a fascinating, compelling book. It looks at life, at the Christian life, at what we do and should or should not do. A very deep look at living the life of a Christian today. Well done.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"