Readings

Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the Serenity

and Wisdom to know the difference.

The origins of the Serenity Prayer is somewhat clouded.   It is commonly attributed

to Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971).  It was adapted by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous

as a centerpiece of the various 12 step programs.   Niebuhr acknowledged that

similar prayers may have " been spooking around for years, even centuries,

but I don't think so. I honestly do believe that I wrote it myself."

I have read elsewhere that he had conceded its derivation as a translation

of a traditional German prayer.  The earliest publication, seems to be  attributed to

Friedrich Christoph Oetinger (1702-1782), a German theologian and theosophist.

I read in a pamphlet which we gave patients in a treatment facility that The Serenity

Prayer was written by Friedrich Christoph which was a transposition of my father's

name (Christoph Fredrich Ebsen).  Also the name Johann Christoph Oetinger, deacon

in Weinnsberg from 1762 to 1769, has been associated with the prayer.  Although we

have no certainty about origins, we know that it was Niebuhr who translated the prayer

into English, expanded and elaborated it,  and brought it to prominence in the

United States.  We can thank the Recovery Movement for its current universality. 

 

What follows is Niebuhr's original long version of The Serenity Prayer.

 

The Serenity Prayer

 

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

 

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship 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

Here is a slightly more ecumenical version of Niebuhr's prayer ~

 

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the Serenity

to accept the things

I cannot change

Courage

to change the

things I can

and 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

                   ~ Reinhold Niebuhr (1943)

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