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Calvin College closed after threat
Calvin College has evacuated student residences, cancelled classes, and shut down after receiving an anonymous phoned-in threat yesterday. "Though the nature of the threat is unclear, we have decided that the threat is sufficiently serious that we needed to put in place a plan to close Calvin College," said college president Gaylen Byker. "In light of recent terrorist activities in the United States, and yet also the large number of hoax incidents which have occurred since, the decision to close the campus was difficult." About 2,200 of Calvin's 4,300 students live on campus, but half of those are from Michigan and returned home last night. The remaining 1,100 students found accommodations for themselves, even though local churches and charities offered to put them up. The residences are scheduled to reopen at 9 p.m. Friday night.

More stories:

Megiddo: Omega Code 2:

• Matt Crouch believes OmegaCode sequel is ordained by God | "It was not God's breath that blew those planes off course and into those buildings, but when he knows that things like that are going to happen—because I believe God sees from the beginning to the end of all time—he positioned this film to be the answer for a question we didn't even know would be asked." (Los Angeles Times)
• Some chains shun Omega Code sequel | Concerns over explosions, negative portrayal of Muslims (Los Angeles Times)
• Also: Apocalypse No | Theater owners give Megiddo the cold shoulder (Inside.com)

See You at the Pole:

• Religious fervor joining church, state across land | Image of students praying on public school property calls attention to the social conservatism that terrorism has born. (Las Vegas Sun)
• Gathering their strength | Students find comfort in one another at flagpole prayer services (The Dallas Morning News)
• Heaven, help us | With the wounds of terrorism still fresh, students nationwide gather to appeal for healing from a higher power (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
• Praying at the pole | Wedgwood rally caps students' day of grace (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Opinion pieces:

• Stanley Hauerwas: A complex God | We are willing to worship a God only if God makes us safe. (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• R. Scott Appleby: Building peace to combat religious terror | The sobering encounter with religious extremism may lead us to recognize, support, and help extend the educational reach and influence of the world's religiously motivated peace-builders (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Richard Mouw: A time for self-examination | Falwell was wrong, but it's right to ask God to "see if there be any wicked way in me." (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• T.D. Jakes: Awake from your slumber | America has been taking it easy. But I want to serve notice on every evil, demonic force attacking us: we are awake now. (Beliefnet)
• Max Lucado: Do it again, Lord | We beg for comfort, protection, a miracle—a September Easter (Beliefnet)
• Frederica Mathewes-Green: Gleaning good in the midst of tragedy | For decades, our need for thrills was met by movie spatter. When the real thing comes, it makes playacting look stupid. (Beliefnet)
• Lauren F. Winner: Thoughts from New York | God uses tragedies, but they're still tragic (Boundless)
• Joel Belz: Feel lucky? | An impoverished vocabulary to describe the attack aftermath reveals impoverished hearts (World)

Falwell fallout:

• Falwell and folly | My heart sank when I heard Falwell's words, for I knew that, aside from their wrongheadedness, they would reinforce the worst stereotype of conservative Christianity, and they would be used to justify inane comparisons between Bible-believing Christians and the hate-filled zealots who carried out the attack (Timothy George, The Wall Street Journal, subscribers only)

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September (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45