The Serenity Prayer

 

The Serenity Prayer

Reinhold Niebuhr was author of this prayer.

Since its inception in 1943,

The prayer itself has had an interesting history

It was hijacked in Germany,

The country where Niebuhr’s parents were born

Before settling in the United States

 

Niebuhr’s life was as a preacher, writer, professor,

And ambassador to European countries

Especially Germany and England

He interacted with the World Council of Churches

And shared his thoughts on ecumenical ventures

Of various denominations – Episcopalian, Methodist,

Congregationalist, Reformed, and Evangelical Lutherans

 

For 40 years Niebuhr was a pastor, and professor

At the Union Theological Seminary in New York

He ruffled feathers with his opposition to American neutrality

During World War Ⅱ, beliefs in racial equality,

And his outreach to the poor in the ghettos

 

Niebuhr was a guest on panels, was welcomed internationally

On the lecture circuit, known for his correspondence

With Church leaders, and lived to see Europe liberated

The serenity prayer captured life’s vicissitudes

By how Niebuhr responded to the challenges of his era

 

“Loving God, you have blessed mankind with the kind spirit of Reinhold Niebuhr.  Grant that his legacy will live on as we utter the serenity prayer known worldwide through the Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings, and its many renditions on postcards, placemats, and souvenirs.”

Amen