News

Evangelicals Left Off 9/11 Memorial Events

Christianity Today September 7, 2011

Two high-profile memorial services for September 11 have drawn protests from faith leaders and religious organizations who have objected that an event plans de-emphasize the role that Christians played in the aftermath of the attacks.


In this episode of Music & Meaning, we take you on a sonic sojourn. We’re dialing back the clock to the dusty scrolls of St. Augustine—the original bad-boy rock star turned philosopher-saint, a proto–Kendrick Lamar with parchment and pen, not a playlist. Now, picture Augustine with a pair of Apple AirPods nodding to today’s Top 40. What does he hear? Beats that drop harder than Roman empires and lyrics that scratch at the eternal itch of the human heart. Augustine’s own lyrics, his Confessions, had it all: pride, sex, sin, and salvation—the same stuff fueling our hit parade today. Listen as Charlie and his cohost, Augustine, sample the charts and the lyrical stories we tell each other and the world. It’s confession time. Bend a knee while we bend your ears.

Charlie Peacock is a Grammy Award–winning, Billboard chart–topping music producer, composer, and recording artist. He is a cofounder of the Art House, Wedgwood Circle, and founder/director emeritus of the commercial music program at Lipscomb University. Charlie has produced music for film and television, including A Walk to Remember, Chris Cornell’s “Misery Chain” from the soundtrack of 12 Years a Slave, and “Hush,” the title theme to the AMC drama Turn: Washington’s Spies. Named by Billboard’s The Encyclopedia of Record Producers as one of the 500 most important producers in music history, Charlie is also a three-time recipient of the Gospel Music Award for Producer of the Year. His books include Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much; New Way to Be Human; At the Crossroads; and a contribution to It Was Good: Making Music to the Glory of God. Charlie is the senior music editor for Christianity Today and host of the CT podcast Music and Meaning. He has been married to writer Andi Ashworth for nearly 50 years and they have two grown, married children and four grandchildren.

“Music and Meaning” is a production of Christianity Today
Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens
Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper
Original Music and Editing by David LaChance and Charlie Peacock
Mix Engineer: Mark Owens
Show theme, “Sound of the Room,” composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci
Narrator (voice of Augustine): Kevin Max
Performance of “Fast Car” by Ruby Amanfu and Sam Ashworth
Performance of “Cruel Summer” by Bridget Ashworth

President Obama will attend an event at the Washington National Cathedral on the evening of September 11 where he will deliver remarks at what appears to be a more secular service but is expected to include some form of benediction.

A 9/11 interfaith prayer vigil at the Cathedral earlier in the day will include Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III, Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane, Rabbi Bruce Lustig, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche of Tibet, Buddhist nun and incarnate lama, Dr. D.C. Rao, a representative of the Hindu and Jain faiths and Imam Mohamed Magid.

A representative of the Southern Baptist Convention pointed out that the list of prayer participants does not include any evangelicals. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, protested that for a church service, the line-up seemed better suited for a meeting of the United Nations.

According to Richard Weinberg, the National Cathedral’s director of communications, the choice of participants emphasized diversity in order to “appeal to as many in the country as possible.”

“The Cathedral itself is an Episcopal church and it stands to reason that our own clergy serve as Christian representatives,” he told Fox News Radio.

In comparison, on Sept. 14, 2001, evangelist Billy Graham spoke at the National Cathedral, speaking explicitly of Jesus on the cross as the comfort in a time of great need.

New York City’s 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero, which both Obama and former President George W. Bush plan to attend, does not include any members of the clergy. Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) wrote to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to request that prayer be included in the event.

“On September 11, 2001, our nation prayed,” wrote Forbes, who is co-chair of the Congressional Prayer Caucus. “And on September 11, 2011, our nation will pray once again.”

Bloomberg’s office suggested that it wanted to avoid disagreements.

“It has been widely supported for the past 10 years and rather than have disagreements over which religious leaders participate we would like to keep the focus of our commemoration ceremony on the family members of those who died,” said Evelyn Erskine, a spokeswoman for Bloomberg, in an e-mail to CNN.

Smaller ceremonies including one hosted by the New York Police Department will include prayers by the NYPD chief of chaplains for and the Archbishop emeritus of New York.

The nation’s response to September 11 included plenty of prayer in 2001, though not without controversy. Media mogul Oprah led the nation in an interfaith rally that included Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu clerics televised from Yankee Stadium just days after the attacks. Following the event, Lutheran pastor David Benke was suspended by his denomination after suggestions that he mixed religion for adding his prayer on stage.

This year’s commemorative events mostly steer clear of overt religious themes. Sarah McLahlan and a wreath ceremony are featured at the dedication of the new National United 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 10, which both Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will attend.

The Obama administration has also promoted 9/11 as a “Day of Service and Remembrance,” urging Americans to perform acts of service in tribute. And members of Congress will participate in a moment of remembrance and a Congressional Remembrance Ceremony on the steps outside the Capitol on September 12, where members of Congress gathered to sing a spontaneous rendition of “God Bless America” in 2001.

The approach of the tenth anniversary has prompted a variety of ceremonies that seek to remember the event—and highlight the fact that 10 years after the fact, Americans remember the terrorist attacks in very different ways.

Our Latest

News

Amid Fragile Cease-Fire, Limited Aid Reaches Gazans

Locals see the price of flour rise and fall as truce is strained and some borders remain closed.

News

Federal Job Cuts Hit Home as Virginia Picks Its Next Governor

Meanwhile, the GOP candidate draws from Trump’s playbook to focus on transgender issues in schools. 

Religious OCD and Me

Scrupulosity latches onto the thing we hold most dear—our relationship with God.

Why ‘The Screwtape Letters’ Is Uncomfortable to Watch

The two-actor play uses C. S. Lewis’s classic work to warn people—especially Christians—about the dangers of lukewarm faith.

News

Fewer Hong Kong Youth Interested in Seminary

Many feel disillusioned about the church and its lack of engagement amid the turmoil of the past few years.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Tiffany Loftin: How Everyday People Win Big Change

A conversation about the challenges of sustaining joy while fighting injustice.

Public Theology Project

A Real Revival Is Not Controllable 

It implies a movement of the Spirit, not just a boost in numbers.

From Our Community

For Vince Bacote, the Black Evangelical Story Has Something for Everyone

The theologian behind a recent documentary on what compelled him to tell a challenging and beautiful story.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube