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The American Response to the Tragic Events of September 11, 2001: Opportunities and Pitfalls for Christians

By John Dennis, SDM Staff

      Anyone who has remotely followed the news since the tragedy of September 11 has surely noticed an unprecedented interest in spiritual things among the larger American population. The tragedy has forced most Americans to loose, at least temporarily, interest in the trivial things that we Americans are usually so engaged in (Hollywood, all sorts of entertainment, political squabbles, the newest diet or fitness plan, etc.) and to focus our attention on more substantive realities like national safety and security, family and friends, life and death. As a result, people are also seeking fulfillment and solace in religions and spiritual pursuits, a phenomenon heretofore unprecedented (at least in my lifetime). In the last week and a half since the tragedy, religion has come to the fore of national consciousness in a very visible way. In light of this, I will suggest below what I believe to be unique, God-ordained opportunities for the communication of the Gospel in this present environment, but I will also point out what I believe to be the pitfalls of this so called “new spiritual openness and renewal.”

Opportunities

      The Sunday after September 11, Church attendance was at an all time high across America. The words “prayer” and “God” have been used over and over again in every form of media. Even NPR (National Public Radio) and CNN anchors have used these words numerous times in favorable ways. High School and University sporting events witness people engaging in “prayer” for the nation and invoking “God” in our present day of crisis. In fact, a Fox/Zogby poll just a few days ago showed that 89% of Americans have engaged in prayer and 55% of Americans have experienced a “renewed spiritual commitment” of some kind in the week following the tragedy. This encouraging new openness to spiritually and “God” has created an environment in the last two weeks where it is no longer controversial to speak publicly about prayer and God. Just a few weeks ago, the ACLU  (American Civil Liberties Union) would have no doubt raised serious objections and possible legal action to the prayer talk and God talk we have been hearing in almost every sector of American society (both public and private).

      I noted above that I believe this new environment is God-ordained. No doubt this is one of the good results of the horrible events of September 11. Since “God works all things together for good to those who love him and are called to his purpose” (Rom 8:28) and since God no doubt has higher purposes even in the tragic events of late, he is surely orchestrating these events to bring many to a saving relationship with himself. But, as is crystal clear in the New Testament, God uses the “foolishness of proclaiming the Gospel” to bring people to salvation (1 Cor 1:21). This is where you and I come in!  We are the means by which God uses to bring people to faith. Therefore, we must take every advantage of this God-ordained opportunity in which many, many people are thinking anew about ultimate matters: God, prayer, life and death. Tragedy and fear have a way of stripping out from under us all the false foundations around which we have normally built our lives. I see this dynamic presently happening in America. This is good!  Let us keep our ears open to conversations and concerns expressed by people with whom we mingle everyday. When people mention “prayer” or “God bless America,” should we not take these opportunities to engage these people concerning the true, Biblical meaning of prayer and God?  What an opportunity we have for the Gospel at the present moment.

Pitfalls

      Although we have a renewed spiritual openness in our land, this present state of spiritual openness and renewal is not entirely positive. There are perils and pitfalls of which we Christians must be aware. Let me explain what I mean by this statement by providing a few examples.

      In the midst of all the present talk of “spirituality,” “prayer,” and “God,” I am very troubled by the profoundly mixed theological messages Americans are actually getting. I want to pose the simple question: What God have we been referring to in the last two weeks?  At the end of the first week of the tragedy, there was an interfaith prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral (an Episcopal Church). Political and religious leaders of all stripes were present. There were prayers and short speeches by various Jewish, Christian, and Islamic clerics. Billy Graham gave a short sermon. My problem is simply this: Everybody who spoke at the pulpit invoked and prayed to “God.” Texts were read from the Koran and the Bible. Even more troubling for me was when president Bush quoted from Romans 8:36-39 in a modified way; but, he did not read the last clause of the paragraph. He essentially said: “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor power…can separate us from the love of God.” But, the last part of verse 39 reads, “nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Why did the president leave out  “in Christ Jesus our Lord”?  I do not know. Was it because he did not want to offend the Muslims in the audience?  I hope not. In the name of what “God” were the political and religious leaders united?

      On Saturday night, September 22, a host of entertainers and celebrities came together for a fundraiser for the families who were affected by the tragedy. I applaud this effort. But, again, America heard a very mixed and confusing theological message. Julia Roberts ended her address with the words: “God be with you.” Again, what “God?”  Faith Hill sang a song that included language that was very Christianesque. Some of the words were, “There’s coming a day when sin will have no sway and every tear will fly away.” Then, Neil Young sang John Lennon’s song Imagine. The vision of this song is the hope that one day we can all agree that there really is no heaven, hell, God, country, or religion of any kind. Then and only then will the world “be as one.” So, which is it? Is it the vision of Faith Hill that “God” will wipe away sin one day, or the vision of Neil Young that there really is no God, no sin, but only a sentimental, meaningless unity and love?  On Sunday, September 23, there was a Prayer/Memorial at Yankee stadium. Again, the impression upon many people watching was, no doubt, that Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus and Jews were unified under the name of “God.” The Koran and the Bible were referred to as “The Word of God.” The Stadium that day was referred to as a “House of Prayer.” A speaker quoted from Romans 8.36-39 and again, as did President Bush, purposely left out “…in Jesus Christ our Lord.” He thus applied the promise of this paragraph, namely, that nothing can separate us from the love of God, to all in the stadium. But, that promise was not made to all people; it was made only to those who are in Jesus.

      Though we are now experiencing a new spiritual openness, the message has been a pluralistic one: God is being defined as a sort of umbrella deity, an empty concept into which people can pour their own definition. This is a false god and results in a false unity. We should be now unifying as Americans (Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, etc). But, Christians must not sacrifice the Biblical God who is known in Jesus for some false sense of “spiritual” unity. Let us be aware of the nature of the new spiritual openness today—it provides both opportunities and perils.