The Serenity Prayer Have Quoted It Incorrectly

January 1950

and then someone tells us that we The way it was originally written The Serenity Prayer have quoted it incorrectly. We have. by Dr. Niebuhr is as follows: As it appears in The A. A. Grape- vine, it reads: God give me the serenity to accept things which cannot be ...it's origin is traced... God grant me the serenity changed; To accept things I cannot change, Give me courage to change things Courage to change things I can, which must be changed; And wisdom to know the dif- And the wisdom to distinguish ference. one from the other.

Many tell us that it should read: T long last the mystery of the time. It was published in that Dr. Niebuhr doesn't seem to mind A the Serenity Prayer has been year in Dr. Robbins' book of prayers. God grant me the serenity that his prayer is incorrectly solved! Dr. Niebuhr says, "Of course, it To accept the things I cannot quoted. . .a comma. . .a preposition We have learned who wrote it, may have been spooking around for change; . . .even several verbs. . .the mean- when it was written and how it years, even centuries, but I don't The courage to change the things ing and the message remain intact. came to the attention of the early think so. I honestly do believe that I can; "In fact," says the good doctor, members of AA. We have learned, I wrote it myself." And the wisdom to know the dif- "in some respects, I believe your too, how it was originally written, It came to the attention of an ference. way is better." a bit of information which should early member of AA in 1939. He lay to rest all arguments as to read it in an obituary appearing in which is the correct quotation. the New York Times. He liked it The timeless little prayer has so much he brought it in to the been credited to almost every theo- little office on Vesey St. for Bill logian, philosopher and saint known W. to read. When Bill and the staff to man. The most popular opinion read the little prayer, they felt on its authorship favors St. Francis that it particularly suited the needs of Assisi. of AA. Cards were printed and It was actually written by Dr. passed around. Thus the simple Reinhold Niebuhr, of the Union little prayer became an integral Theological Seminary, New York part of the AA movement. City, in about 1932 as the ending Today it is in the pockets of to a longer prayer. In 1934 the thousands of AAs; it is framed and doctor's friend and neighbor, Dr. placed on the wall of AA meeting Howard Robbins asked permission rooms throughout the world; it ap- to use that part of the longer prayer pears monthly on the back cover in a compilation he was making at of your magazine and every now

Silkworth.net PDF Index