The Collected Sermons of William Sloane Coffin

Book excerpt: Comprising the sermons preached by William Sloane Coffin while he was senior minister at the prestigious Riverside Church in New York City, The Collected Sermons of William Sloane CoffinThe Riverside Years captures the renowned preacher and social activist at work: ministering to American hostages in Iran, supporting AIDS awareness, and rallying his audiences to battle poverty and nuclear proliferationall the while celebrating marriages, baptisms, and Mothers Days and mourning the loss of loved ones, including his own son. In each of these brilliant and painstakingly crafted sermons, Coffin combined his deep love of Scripture and passionate commitment to peace and justice with his unparalleled gift for the spoken word. While also revealing the personal and pastoral dimensions of ministry, each sermon provides a powerful example of lifes well-accomplished mission: to challenge the conscience of a nation. For those who knew William Sloane Coffin, these sermons will be a treasured remembrance. For those who regret not knowing him, they provide the best of introductions. And for those who as yet have escaped Coffins influence, they are superb testimony to the great potential of ministry, the possibilities of hope and determination, and the remarkable power of one human voice.