The Serenity Prayer: Faith and Politics in Times of Peace and War

by Elisabeth Sifton

A landmark work on the liberal ideals of the progressive American tradition, reaffirming their relevance for today: "A major contribution to the intellectual history of modernity." ―Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. In 1943, the renowned theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote a prayer for a church service in a New England village. Its appeal for grace, courage, and wisdom soon became famous the world over. Here, Elisabeth Sifton, Niebuhr's daughter, reclaims the true history of the Serenity Prayer and, in a poignant narrative, tells of efforts made by the brave men and women who, like Niebuhr, devoted their lives to the causes of social justice, racial equality, and religious freedom in a world spiraling into and out of economic depression and war. Recalling her father's efforts to warn the clergy of the dangers of fascism, and of America's own social and spiritual crises, Sifton reminds us of what is possible when liberal, open-minded leaders―not zealous fundamentalists or hawkish plutocrats―shape the conscience of the nation. The Serenity Prayer is itself a meditation on the power of prayer in morally compromised, unstable times. 12 illustrations

Genres: Biography, Spirituality, Religion, Christian

368 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Editor, publisher, and author. Daughter of Reinhold Niebuhr, wife of Fritz Stern and mother of Sam Sifton.

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books that give the background for the networking behind literature that makes such an important part of my experience. This is such a book. The literature is the Serenity Prayer- shortened, made a little worse by the recovery movement. Reinhold Niebuhr wrote it, and this book is, in the main, the story of Niebuhr's World War II career. A week ago Saturday at my church's rummage sale I came upon a copy of a selection of Harry Emerson Fosdick's sermons original owned by the minister who brought me into the church in the '80s. The story of Fosdick a liberal preacher who John D. Rockefeller, Jr. set up in an amazingly huge church in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of New York City and who was an important radio preacher, broadcasting nationwide over the NBC network and shortwave from 1927 to 1946. That Fosdick's work was close in time and geography to Niebuhr's was apparent to me, so I got Niebuhr's daughter Elisabeth Sifton's book here. Sometimes the prose is a little chewy, as one might expect from a theologian's daughter, but I learned about early and middle 20th century political history from it, and also gained a measure of spiritual enlightenment about the challenges of public action in a sinful world.

[Erwin Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elisabeth Sifton’s The Serenity Prayer is a biographical account of her father Reinhold Niebuhr, author of this prayer. Since its inception in 1943, the prayer itself has a rather interesting history. It was hijacked in Germany, the country where the Niebuhr’s parents were born before settling in the United States. Many people throughout the world know this prayer through the Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings, and its many renditions on postcards, placemats, and souvenirs.
The book however described Reinhold Niebuhr’s life as a preacher, writer, professor, and ambassador to European countries especially Germany and England. It told about his interactions with the World Council of Churches and his ecumenical ventures, his thoughts about various denominations – Episcopalian, Methodist, Congregationalist, Reformed and Evangelical Lutherans, and the like.
Over 40 years, throughout Niebuhr’s career as a pastor, and professor at the Union Theological Seminary in New York, her Pa was to ruffle feathers by his opposition of America’s neutrality during World War Ⅱ, beliefs in equity of the races, and outreach to the poor. Sifton showed his resolution for progressive causes, his friendship with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and how he was instrumental for the hiring of Paul Tillich at Union. Throughout his years Niebuhr was a guest on panels, was welcomed on the international lecture circuit, known for his correspondence with Church leaders worldwide, and lived to see Europe liberated.
Sifton described her father’s activities in the 1950’s, ‘60’s, and ‘70’s, and their family eventual relocation from their summer cottage in Heath, Massachusetts, to the suburbs. Her life as a child was peppered with the beauty of the Heath’s countryside, her interactions with clergy, and farmers. Undoubtedly the serenity prayer captured all of life’s vicissitudes by how her family and English mother responded to the challenges of this era of their lives.

[Ralph B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The daughter of theologian Reinhold Niebuhr tells the story of her father and his like-minded pastoral colleagues in the early-to-mid 20th century as they preached social justice, racial equality and the need to take action to preserve democratic freedom. She uses the "Serenity Prayer" that he authored in 1943 as the theme for this remembrance and defense of his activity in his teachings (Union Theological Seminary in NYC), ecumenical talks and pastoral sermons for social justice.

She recalls with fondness the summers spent with her family in and near Heath, Massachusetts, which over time became a Mecca for other like-minded religious leaders of various denominations, civic activists and even future Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter, among others. Their gatherings provided them with respite as well as intellectual and philosophical support for the causes they fostered.

Sifton also described how the Nazi regime in Germany persecuted church leaders and close friends of the Niebuhrs. She noted that their acquiescence in the early days to this treatment only led to more of the same leading to torture and death of key figures like the Bonhoeffers, who unlike so many other religious leaders, resisted Hitler's autocratic moves.

Sifton draws parallels to today's religious leaders who, through apathy, indifference or other reasons, aren't doing enough to stand up for democratic freedoms. Written in the early 2000s, she especially derided the tele-evangelists who abused their roles as preachers for self-enrichment.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book to gain further information on my relatives who lived in Heath. My great aunt Hannah Landstrom Burrington was the organist at the Heath Union Church and was also a private nurse who tended to Niebuhr, and Heath was prominent town of respite for my family. And to think that my Aunt Hannah was probably in attendance at the service when the Serenity Prayer was first said is awesome. I learned much more from this book. What was also fascinating, (and disturbing) were the historical parallels between the rise of the Third Reich and the current state of our democracy under Trump. Very scary indeed. I can only imagine how sad Sifton would be.

Fascinating book.

[Blaine Morrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sifton's account of her father's life and her childhood is absorbing and replete with details about some of the great thinkers and doers of Reinhold Niebuhr's era - Felix Frankfurter, W.C. Auden, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Paul Tillich, Max Weber, etc. Her loyalty to her father's ideas and causes shows itself in her mild (or perhaps stronger) outrage at some of his detractors and at those who have attempted to co-opt the "serenity prayer" for other causes.

[Todd Putney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reinhold Niebuhr's daughter writes a personal memoir about the author of the famous prayer and one of the great theologians of the 20th century.

[Quitterie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago now but recall really enjoying it - The true story behind the famous serenity prayer, as told by its writer's daughter, has stuck with me.

[Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a powerful and powerfully opinionated history of the ubiquitous titular prayer, it creator - imminent 20th century theologian Reinhold Niebuhr - and the times in which it was developed and distributed. The author is Niebuhr's daughter, so her book is both history and memoir, analysis and appreciation ... and it's clear that her primary goal is not to be objective. Although a bit strident at times (and, ironically, often reflective of a lack of the self-critical skepticism that was a hallmark of her father), Ms. Sifton's is nonetheless a compelling story, both of the prayer and its genesis and of her father and his influence in the world. Her contrasting of the locale of the prayer's creation (the idyllic town of Heath in rural Massachusetts) and the developments in the world that spawned it (e.g., the dispiriting interwar years, WWII, etc.) is insightful, as is her inclusion of others of her father's lesser known but no less profound prayers and writings. Further, its recounting of the fluid, broad coalition of progressive thinkers who urged the reflection of our better natures in our (international and domestic) politics is also a major contribution. It is refeshing to know that many of the major issues and themes with which we wrestle today have antecedents and thoughtful responses that can inform our own efforts.

In sum, this is a worthwhile and impressive contribution. I would give it 4.5 stars (but I can't due to software limitations), the deduction reflecting the occasionally intrusive opinion of the author. Otherwise, it was a powerful, moving experience that I recommend highly to others.

[Elliot Ratzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sifton’s father, the socialist theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, composed the Serenity Prayer (“courage to change the things that should be changed…”) in 1943 while summering at Heath, MA, an idyll of ecumenical left-wing Protestants (and Jewish Felix Frankfurter). Sifton’s memoir is an account of the near-forgotten giants who walked through her family’s life during the 30s and 40s: Tillich, Fosdick, Bonheoffer, Tawney, Heschel. This is an interesting, if non-complex, picture of Niebuhr his temperament, his activism and his life as a preacher. Along with quick treatments of Protestant denominational differences, we also glimpse the culture of NYC’s Union Seminary. What’s lacking is any nuanced portrait of Niebuhr as teacher, friend, husband or brother. This is a fine snapshot of mid-century American Protestantism at war and on vacation, but you don’t get a sense of Niebuhr and his friends as sinners, doubters, or as mistaken–we should “have the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”

[Rod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wavered between 3 and 4 stars, only because it's a little long on many names that don't hold interest for the general reader. On the other hand, the story it tells and the light it casts on Reinhold Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer in terms of social ethics felt very timely and relevant. And I still think it should be called "The Change Prayer"...that's what it's about!

[Charlotte White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting historical account of the time preceding and immediately after World War II, the time when Reinhold Niebuhr reportedly penned the Serenity Prayer. Written by his daughter,the account includes many intereting details of Niebuhr family life.