Volume 1 Issue 2

This week the United States of America will observe the first anniversary of the day it changed forever. Or did it?

Arguing that it did, Andrew Sullivan writes, “…I think that for all the return to superficial normality, Americans really have changed. The illusion of isolationism has been ripped apart. How can American opt out of the world when the world refuses to leave American alone? The illusion of appeasement has been destroyed. Do we really think that by coddling regimes like Iraq or Syria or Iran or Saudi Arabia, we will help defuse the evil that lurks in their societies? The illusion of American exceptionalism has been shattered. The whole dream of this continent—that it was a place where you could safely leave the old world and its resentments behind—was ended that day. A whole generation will grow up with this as its most formative experience—a whole younger generation that knows that there actually is a right and a wrong, and that neutrality is no longer an option. That generational power has only just begun to transform the culture. In decades’ time, we will look back and see what a difference it made.”

In his essay arguing that America has not been profoundly changed by September 11, I find it interesting that Michael Elliott chooses these particular criteria to support his contention: “Nothing that has happened since September 11 suggests that it will mark so profound a change in American society [as did December 7, 1941]. If it had, two indicators would by now have flashed red. Everyone knows that the churches were full on Sept. 16, but everyone who regularly goes to church knows they haven’t stayed that way. Michael Dimock, of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, who has tracked polling data since last fall, says he can find ‘no evidence’ of a religious awakening. The Pentagon says that although there was an approximate doubling in the number of people expressing interest in the armed forces after Sept. 11, this did not later translate into any marked increase in enlistments.”

I am personally divided. There is surely truth in the notion that September 11, 2001 changed everything, and nothing will ever be the same again. It is also true, however, that the majority of Americans seem to have returned to “business as usual,” and that the focus of our living has returned to “taking care of Number One” at the cost of accepting responsibility for what is happening to the rest of our world.

As a result, I have struggled with this week’s message. What does one say from the perspective of faith that has any real meaning in today’s world? I wish that I was smart enough or wise enough to know. The only conclusion that holds any certainty for me is that it ultimately depends upon our understanding of the nature of God and our relationship to It/Her/Him. I share Elliott’s sentiment that had anything really changed a year ago, we would have seen a more genuine quest on the part of the American people to discover in what ways the relationship is still in need of improvement, rather than the adamant assertion that we are serving God’s will through violent retaliation.

Matt Piper continues to be patient with me as I try to figure out what to do with the “Bulletin Board” and “Philosophy” pages. I ask you to be, as well. The intention to create a truly interactive theological forum on this website is sincere; it’s just time and my personal knowledge of the technology that are wonting. Your comments and reactions are most welcome. If they pertain to content, please e-mail me at: RevMAH@aol.com.
If they pertain to format (some of you have already let me know that the right margins of the sermons are missing if you try to print them), you may as well direct those to the person who can do anything about it: mpiper@WebICX.com.

I personally feel that our country has enough holidays, and so even though I would welcome another day-with-pay away from the workplace, I’m opposed to the movement to make such of September 11. We are, however, in desperate need of more holy days, and it is my closing prayer that this will be the experience of our virtual community of faith. May the love of God, the peace of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit be yours now and always!

Shalom,
Mark
P.S. Happy Rosh Hashanah (New Year) to our Jewish brothers and sisters!