William sloane coffin biography of christopher

At the end of his life, he lived in Vermont where he completed a book of reflections on his faith, Credo The following year he helped train the first group of Peace Corps volunteers in Puerto Rico. Civil Rights dominated the early s, and Coffin was one of the Freedom Riders who challenged segregation laws by riding interstate buses in the South.

He was arrested on several occasions.

William sloane coffin biography of christopher: "Biographical Data on William

Like his fellow clergyman, Martin Luther King, Jr. With Dr. Benjamin Spock and others, he was charged with and convicted of conspiracy to aid draft resisters, a verdict overturned on appeal in Host an exhibit, use our free lesson plans and educational programs, or engage with a member of the AWTT team or portrait subjects. AWTT has educational materials and lesson plans that ask students to grapple with truth, justice, and freedom.

Benjamin Spock and others, he was charged and convicted with conspiracy to aid draft resisters, a verdict overturned on appeal in First you leap, and then you grow wings. I'm not always optimistic but i am always hopeful. Biography For more than forty years, William Sloane Coffin has spoken with prophetic zeal on matters of war and peace, social justice and religious faith.

Donate Now. Join Upcoming Events. Sign the Charter. An inspiring speaker, Coffin was known for optimism and humor: "Remember, young people, even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat. ByCoffin concentrated increasingly on preaching civil disobedience and supported the young men who turned in their draft cards. He was, however, uncomfortable with draft-card burningworried that it looked "unnecessarily hostile".

In that same month, he also raised the possibility of declaring Battell Chapel at Yale a sanctuary for resisters, or possibly as the site of a large demonstration of civil disobedience. School administration barred the use of the church as a sanctuary. Coffin later wrote, "I accused them of behaving more like 'true Blues than true Christians'. They squirmed but weren't about to change their minds I realized I was licked.

All but Raskin were convicted that June, but in an appeals court overturned the verdict. Coffin remained chaplain of Yale until December Inhe became senior minister at Riverside Church —an interdenominational congregation affiliated with both the United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches —and one of the most prominent congregations in New York City.

Some of the congregation's socially conservative members openly disagreed with his position on sexuality. Coffin started a strong nuclear disarmament program at Riverside, and hired Cora Weiss a secular Jew he had worked with during the Vietnam War and had traveled with to North Vietnam in to accompany three released U. Broadening his reach to an international audience, he met with numerous world leaders and traveled abroad.

His visits included going to Iran to perform Christmas services for hostages being held in the U. Inhe resigned from Riverside Church to pursue disarmament activism full-time, saying then that there was no issue more important for a man of faith. He retired with the title president emeritus in the early s, and then taught and lectured across the United States and overseas.

Coffin also wrote several books. He cautioned that we are all living in "the shadow of Doomsday", and urged that people turn away from isolationism and become more globally aware. Shortly before his death, Coffin founded Faithful Securitya coalition for people of faith committed to working for a world free of nuclear weapons.

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Coffin was married three times. His marriages to Eva Rubinstein and Harriet Gibney ended in divorce. His third wife, Virginia Randolph Wilson "Randy"survived him. The loss of their son Alexander, at age 24, in a car accident in inspired one of Coffin's most requested sermons. They also shared two other children, community developer Amy Coffin and folk musician David Coffin.

Coffin was given only six months to live in early due to a weakened heart. He and his wife lived in the small town of Strafford, Vermonta few houses away from his brother Ned, until his death nearly two years later at age Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version.

In other projects. Wikiquote Wikidata item. Coffin was named executive secretary of the organization. Initially, the group adopted a relatively moderate stance, recommending traditional political action and persuasion to affect change in U. CALCAV organized mobilizations, supported conscientious objectors and acts of civil disobedience, and urged members to offer draft resisters sanctuary in churches and synagogues.

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During this time, Coffin became a frequent speaker at anti-war rallies and a highly public figure. At an October protest in Boston, over draft resisters turned in their draft cards at a church service led by Coffin. Later that month, he and a number of other activists who had collected cards throughout the country, presented them to officials at the Department of Justice in Washington.

As a result of these actions, Coffin was indicted along with Benjamin Spock, Marcus Raskin, Mitchell Goodman, and Michael Ferber on charges of conspiracy to aid draft resisters. They were convicted inbut the charges were dropped in after the verdict was overturned on appeal. Coffin continued to protest against the war, and even traveled to North Vietnam in to accompany three released prisoners on their trip back to the United States.

In the war's final stages and after its end, Coffin was an outspoken proponent of the granting of amnesty for draft resisters. Throughout his tenure at Yale, Coffin's actions met with mixed reviews among Yale students, administrators, and alumni.