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If I am correct in thinking God may be using these events to wake up America, we must face the same sobering reality Wilberforce faced. We will prevail not so much because of the diplomatic or military efforts of our government, but only if God in his mercy decides to forgive us, heal our land, and give America another chance. This means that the role of the church is of life-and-death importance.

So, yes, keep those flags waving and comfort those who mourn, but don't stop there. While we cannot know God's great purposes in these tumultuous and terrifying events, we should be seeking his mercy through repentance, in the full Greek sense of metanoia: a changing of our hearts and our ways.

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Shortly after the attacks, Jerry Falwell blamed pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians and the ACLU for the devastation. See The Washington Post and The New York Times for further coverage.

Frederica Mathewes-Green wrote in September that God promised calamity would follow disobedience—so why are we quick to dismiss judgment as a reason for the September 11 attacks?

Other Christianity Today essays and analysis following the September 11 attacks include:

Bush's Defining Moment | The President, facing a grief-stricken nation under attack, finds his voice and his mission. (Nov. 2, 2001)

White-Powder Worries | The anthrax scare has put us on edge. How shall we deal with wartime fears? (Nov. 1, 2001)

Where Was God on 9/11? | Reflections from Ground Zero and beyond. (Oct.23, 2001)

Apocalypse Not | As speculations mount regarding the significance of recent events in God's plan for the end of the world, voices from the past urge restraint. (Oct. 12, 2001)

Books & Culture Corner: Myths of the Taliban | Misinformation and disinformation abounds. What do we know? (Sept. 24, 2001)

Now What? | A Christian response to religious terrorism. (Sept. 21, 2001)

To Embrace the Enemy | Is reconciliation possible in the wake of such evil? (Sept. 21, 2001)

After the Grave in the Air | True reconciliation comes not by ignoring justice nor by putting justice first, but by unconditional embrace. (Sept. 21, 2001)

Was September 11 the Beginning of the End? | Observers say geography and gravity of attacks have led to little prophecy speculation. (Sept. 19, 2001)

Books & Culture Corner: The Imagination of Disaster | "We thought we were invulnerable." Really? (Sept. 17, 2001)

Taking It Personally | What do we do with all this anger? (Sept. 14, 2001)

A Wake-Up Call to Become Global Christians | The deadly attacks on America will provoke many responses, but Christians are commanded to love our neighbors. (Sept. 12, 2001)

God's Message in the Language of Events | In the face of evil, we must focus on keeping our hearts right. (Sept. 11, 2001)above all else.

Reflections on Suffering | Classic and contemporary quotations for dark times. (Sept. 13, 2001)

When Sin Reigns | An event like this shows us what humans are capable of becoming—both as children of darkness and of light. (Sept. 13, 2001)

Recent Charles Colson columns for Christianity Today include:

The New Tyranny | Biotechnology threatens to turn humanity into raw material. (Oct. 5, 2001)

Merchants of Cool | We should be angry that the media hawks violence and that parents allow it. (June 6, 2001)

Slouching into Sloth | The XFL is but the latest sign of the coarsening of our culture. (Apr. 17, 2001)

Checks and (out of) Balance | Moral truth is in jeopardy when the courts enter the business of making law. (Feb. 27, 2001)

Pander Politics | Poll-driven elections turn voters into self-seeking consumers.(Jan. 3, 2001)

Neighborhood Outpost | Changing a culture takes more than politics. (Nov.8, 2000)

MAD No More | In this post-Cold War era, it's time to rethink our nation's defensive strategy. (Sept. 27, 2000)

Salad-Bar Christianity | Too many believers pick and choose their own truths. (Aug. 8, 2000)

A Healthy 'Cult' | A lively response by one unusual audience shows how God's power transforms culture. (June 12, 2000)

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November 12 2001, Vol. 45, No. 14