The Clear Heart of Civil Disobedience

I can't think of a better way to wind down this blog than with the words of William Sloane Coffin, who died a little over a year ago. What he left behind, in books like Credo, from which the quotes you'll read are taken, is the same kind of insight we've tried to highlight here in our Friday Reflection space, through a variety of voices and genres. Like Martin Luther King, Coffin showed us that social awareness and civil activism are at their brightest and clearest when they arise from that deep mindfulness that is often known as spirituality.

We'll begin with Coffin's reflections on prejudice.

As a man I consider myself at best a recovering chauvinist. As a white person I am a recovering racist, and as a straight person a recovering heterosexist. To women, African Americans, gays, and lesbians, I am deeply grateful for stretching my mind, deepening my heart, and convincing me that no human being should ever be patient with prejudice at the expense of its victims.