[PW] Fame of Serenity Prayer

[Franco, Adrienne]

OK.  My contribution to the thread is simply to point out that there is
considerable credible evidence to indicate that there exists a longer
version of the prayer composed by Niebuhr.  Anyone doing research on the
Serenity prayer should be aware of this.

Adrienne Franco / Iona College

-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of
Frear, Ruth
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 12:37 PM
To: list at project-wombat.org; fred.shapiro at yale.edu
Subject: Re: [PW] Fame of Serenity Prayer

I was not implying anything.  I just wanted to point out the difference
between the "Serenity Prayer" used by AA and others, and what Niebuhr
wrote.

Ruth

-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of
Franco, Adrienne
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 11:24 AM
To: list at project-wombat.org; fred.shapiro at yale.edu
Subject: Re: [PW] Fame of Serenity Prayer

You seem to be implying that the prayer as recited in AA is the complete
prayer.  Longer versions of the prayer appear in many sources.
I would think that Fred Shapiro would find it relevant that longer
version exists. 

The Serenity Prayer
The Complete, Unabridged Version
(Legacy Group, Alcoholics Anonymous, Fort Worth, Texas)
http://www.legacyaa.com/articles/serenity.htm 

Tree of Renewed Life: Spiritual Renewal of the Church Through the Twelve
... - Page 28by Terry Webb, Mary Theresa Webb
http://books.google.com/books?id=w7P9c7F5mokC&pg=RA2-PA28&dq=%22serenity
+prayer%22+%2Bhardship&sig=tYuZWx0rmp7UzAAh09x1B5cwlFk 
(OR http://tinyurl.com/63oclz ).  See pages 28 and 29.

Prayer Steps to Serenity the Twelve Steps Journey: New Serenity Prayer
Edition - Page 27
by L. G. Parkhurst Jr, Louis Gifford Parkhurst
http://books.google.com/books?id=w48aNAWmu_wC&pg=PA27&dq=%22serenity+pra
yer%22+%2Bhardship&sig=V-M_i6lqJc2Bqd0N3J0-qYO8lls 
(OR http://tinyurl.com/5u9xjl )

Staying Sober: Tips for Working a Twelve Step Program of Recovery - Page
151
by Meredith Gould PAGE 151
http://books.google.com/books?id=cXUC5ktP6fQC&pg=PA151&dq=%22serenity+pr
ayer%22+%2Bhardship&sig=E90NDZ-BFYfU2gVaY-SrB9-e_xQ 
OR http://tinyurl.com/5896vp 

Stepping Out of Denial Into God's Grace Participant's Guide - Page 13
by Rick Warren, John Baker
http://books.google.com/books?id=2Q4zWbXcoNcC&pg=PA13&dq=%22serenity+pra
yer%22+%2Bhardship&lr=&sig=na_jO-5DHd9dHgXYkJYTD0tH4lo 
OR http://tinyurl.com/5cdhdo 

The Serenity Prayer 
by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
Complete, Unabridged, Original Version
http://skdesigns.com/internet/articles/prose/niebuhr/serenity_prayer/ 

There are a number of slightly variant versions of the complete prayer
out there. I have one in print at home with states "Taking as Jesus did
..... " whereas some versions say "Taking as He did ..... " 

Prayer for Serenity

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time; 
accepting hardships as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is;
not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right
if I surrender to your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
AMEN

Reinhold Niebuhr

http://www.aahistory.com/prayer.html 

http://www.solidrockbc.com/CR.htm 

Also go to:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Serenity_Prayer#The_Serenity_Prayer_.28
ca._1942.29 
Scroll down and read underneath "Full version of the original (c.1942):"

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_wrote_God_grant_you_the_serenity_to_accept
_the_things_you_cannot_change_the_courage_to_change_the_things_you_can_a
nd_wisdom_to_know_the_difference 

Adrienne Franco / Iona College

-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of
Frear, Ruth
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 11:34 AM
To: list at project-wombat.org; fred.shapiro at yale.edu
Subject: Re: [PW] Fame of Serenity Prayer

We're getting beyond what Fred asked for, but for the sake of accuracy,
I'd like to question the wording at achievebalance.com.  (In case, Fred,
you want to note the difference between what is now called the Serenity
Prayer and Niebuhr's original wording.)

According to Niebuhr, in "A View of Life from the Sidelines,"
The prayer, as he wrote it, read: ''God, give us grace to accept with
serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things
that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the
other."

See, for example:
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/niebuhr-rediscovered/ser
enityprayer.shtml


Possibly also of interest:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2003/12/14/beyond_sereni
ty/


Ruth.frear at wolterskluwer.com


................
-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of
Franco, Adrienne
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 10:03 AM
To: list at project-wombat.org
Subject: Re: [PW] Fame of Serenity Prayer
Importance: High

It's interesting to note that the serenity prayer as recited by AA and
many other groups is an abbreviated version.  The full version of the
prayer appears below (http://www.achievebalance.com/spirit/serenity.htm
)
Some Christian-based recovery groups, such as Celebrate Recovery
(http://wwww.celebraterecovery.com) recite the complete prayer.  The
prayer was composed by Reinhold Niebuhr:

God,
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the Courage to change the things I can
and the Wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

Amen.

Adrienne Franco / Iona College 


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