… preaching the anniversary
If preachers don’t articulate the Zeitgeist on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks – then they can be sure that everyone from newspaper columnists to placard-toting protesters will do it for them. It is part of our role as preachers to ‘step up to the plate’ at times like this. However, we must do so carefully. Thinking back to Bonhoeffer’s gentle wisdom yesterday, here are a few personal pointers and cautions:
- “The man who despises others” – anything we say about the attacks ten years ago, or the unfolding conflicts since must not slip from comment to caricature about any group of people.
- “A generation with so little ground under its feet” – 9/11 was a sign of the times, but it did not utterly define them. Just after the attack I visited North Eastern India, where it was barely a blip on their horizon. To treat the WTC attacks as defining the state of the world at large is too big a deal, and may promote the kind of Western preoccupation which belittles other parts of the world.
- “Hardly anything can be more reprehensible than the sowing and encouragement of mistrust”- the pulpit is not a place to encourage the kind of fear and suspicion which makes us treat the ‘other’ as a lesser person.
- “It is not the genius we need…but honest, straightforward men” – a preacher is not a geo-political analyst, a military tactician, nor a sociologist – a preacher is a man or woman with God’s trumpet in their hand and God’s spirit in their heart.
- “The only cure for folly is spiritual redemption” – whilst I may stand accused of perpetuating a ‘sacred-secular divide’, preachers must never forget that their primary script is redemption. Our greatest gift to our listener is always to extend God’s gracious invitation to them.
- “Tomorrow may be the day of judgement. If it is, then we shall gladly give up working for a better future, but not before.” Sermons this Sunday may catch the retrospective wave – but they must point forwards.
Below is a picture of the USS New York, a warship commissioned in November 2009. Its bow is fashioned from 7.5 metric tons of steel from the wrecked World Trade Centre. In this way, something new has arisen from all that destruction. Mangled and twisted steel has been fashioned into something streamlined and purposeful.
As we trawl through the stories, recollections, and columns about 9/11 this week – may our sermons emerge as something streamlined and purposeful, with bows turned towards a new day.
image: wikimedia
Wise words Rochard – thanks. There’s a certain irony in the fact that the US chose to re-form part of the wreckage of the WTC into a warship though.
Wise words Richard thanks. I do find some irony in the fact that they chose to reform some of the WTC wreckage into a warship though. 😉
Wise words Richard – thanks.
I do find it ironic that they chose to make a warship out of the wreckage of the WTC though.
Who would have thought that Bonhoffer’s thoughts from 1942 could seem so relevant more than 50 years later?
let’s try this again.
Nancy has pre-empted what I was going to say about the warship but never the less – wise words Richard – thanks.
Wise words Richard – thanks. I do find it ironic though that the US decided to make a warship out of the wreckage of the WTC. Kind of displays their intentions somewhat.
Some helpful guidelines here for preachers next Sunday. But I can’t help but be horrified that the reused steel from the World Trade Centre is incorporated in a warship! What does that say?
Nancy has stolen what I was going to say about the warship but never the less (and at th third time of trying).. Wise words Richard – thanks.
Nancy – you’re right. I wish it had been used for a rescue ship of some description – would have been so much better!
I am horrified at the tendency in some quarters to use the anniversary as an excuse for anti-Islamic rhetoric. I know that in some places the Koran encourages the treatment of all non-Moslems as Kaffirs beyond the pale, but that surely is no excuse for Christians to fall into the same trap. Please let us use the occasion for a little Christian forbearance and effort to understand.
Like Bonhoeffer says (above) if we once allow ourselves to despise others, we sell out on our basic humanity
We were made in the image of God. Christ alone fulfills that image. Christ’s love drove him to do what was in the best interest of the world of those fallen image bearers. Christ’s love in us should drive us to do likewise. The question becomes, how do we treat terrorists so as to seek the best interest of the world of these fallen image bearers. We must die for the sake of bringing them the Good News. The message from the pulpit must be, “Who will go?”
When we were unable to help ourselves, at the right time, Christ died for us, although we were living against God. Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die. But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners. ~ Romans 5:6-8 (NCV)
Nancy got in before me about the warship but really I’m just trying this to see if I can finally comment on here. Wise words though Richard – thanks 😉