Serenity Prayer

The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by Confessing Church figure and Union Theological Seminary professor Reinhold Niebuhr in 1926 or 1932, according to records from Alcoholics Anonymous as the ending to a longer prayer. It is used in Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other Twelve-step programs.

Related Topics:
Prayer - Confessing Church - Union Theological Seminary - Reinhold Niebuhr - 1926 - 1932 - Alcoholics Anonymous - Narcotics Anonymous - Twelve-step programs

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The version used by Alcoholics Anonymous et al leaves out the overtly religious material and may be more acceptable to Freethinkers.

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The short version that most people are familiar with goes as follows:

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God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

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The courage to change the things I can,

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And the wisdom to know the difference.

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This version was used by Kurt Vonnegut in the book Slaughterhouse Five.

Related Topics:
Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Five

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One criticism of this prayer is over what the word 'accept' means. Some argue that while it is impossible to change the fact that crimes such as rape and murder happen, it would be inhumanly callous to accept them. Supporters of the prayer sometimes counter by saying that 'accept' does not mean 'condone', which satisfies some critics but not others.

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Alternate versions of the Serenity Prayer exist. Some are parodies and some are serious. The most commonly encountered complete prayer is as follows:

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:God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

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:The courage to change the things I can,

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:And the wisdom to know the difference.

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:Living one day at a time,

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:Enjoying one moment at a time,

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:Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

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

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:Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.

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:That I may be reasonably happy in this life,

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:And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

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:Amen.

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The following version is said to be the author's favorite version in a letter supposedly written by his wife:

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: God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,

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: courage to change the things which should/must be changed,

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: and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

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