Watanabe, Akira. Translated by Jim Peterson. "9/11 and the American Evangelical Church: An Observation and Analysis" (9・11 当時のアメリカの福音派の状況と分析). Japan Evangelical Association Theological Commission Pamphlet 6 (May 2006): 75-88.
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I. THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM
Two weeks after 9/11 an American woman in her 60s said, “I still just don't know what to make of it all. At times I feel terribly afraid, at times I feel anger, and at times I just don't want to think about it.” The reaction to the terrorist attacks among Christians didn't suddenly emerge from a fundamentalist doctrine. It is easy to see that when Americans faced the stress that resulted from experiencing an unprecedented terrorist attack, they sought some sort of foundation that would enable them to cope. In that moment, the aura of what sociologists refer to as “civil religion” came to weigh heavily on people's actions. The symbols of civil religion include national history and her heroes, and the flag, and people come to associate them with something universal and sacred. Furthermore, by mutually holding those symbols in esteem, the people come to sense a national return to traditional religious values. In a pluralistic society such as the United States, civil religion offers a common set of values and solidarity to those who feel alienated, regardless of individual creed or denominational affiliation. (McGuire 1997, pp.191-198) The church sought to offer comfort from the word of the Bible, amidst the confusion and fear of terrorism. But the symbols of civil religion were already present and in clear view. In the midst of uncertainty, the people were easily drawn toward these symbols of civil religion. In this paper I seek draw from my field notes to ascertain what was being said in American churches and how it was the people sought to overcome their uncertainties following the events of 9/11.
FIELD NOTE (1)
I attended Green Mountain Baptist Church on September 16th, the first Sunday following the terrorist attacks. Worshipers were welcomed by a sidewalk connecting the parking lot to the church entrance that was lined with small flags. The worship service began with everyone standing and singing the national anthem. To the right of the pulpit stood the stars and stripes and to the left the Christian flag adorned in red, white and blue. As we sang, images of people in prayer were projected onto the screen above the pulpit. The images were interspersed with images of the flag. Suddenly an image of the rubble of the World Trade Center was projected, followed by an image of the smoke rising above New York City. No doubt everyone including myself was gripped anew by the powerful emotions of seeing those images that we had all witnessed only days earlier. The pastor's first words were, “In this time of crisis the community of faith must stand united.” Without mentioning any names, the pastor began his sermon by making reference to the claim by a fundamentalist leader, Jerry Falwell only 3 days earlier, that this event was God's judgment upon America and refuted it. “People may ask, 'Where was God on the 11th' and where is God now?” but God is asking us, 'Where are you?'”
The essence of the sermon was that in our state of moral corruption, we must respond to the crisis by returning to the house of God as did the prodigal son. In the final prayer of “God, grant wisdom to our president,” I sensed that the preacher was leaving the response to this event in the hands of the president.
After the service I went to meet my children and my 10-year-old daughter reported on the contents of her Sunday school class. “All they talked about was the airplanes that crashed into the buildings. The teacher said 'Even if World War III begins you will all be okay because God is protecting us.' And we read in the Bible where it says 'God is with us.'” My 5-year-old daughter returned from her class with ribbons that they had made with red, white and blue construction paper.
We received a letter to parents from the Sunday school that offered suggestions of how we could help our children cope with the shock of this event. The letter concluded with the following comments. “God does not want us to be afraid. You and your children can draw comfort by reading these passages of Scripture together… The most important thing for your children right now is to know that they are safe. As parents and other adults give your time, your love and hope in Jesus Christ to your children, they will be able to recover from their fear, anger and confusion.
As I read the letter I realized that the adult worship service had been rooted in the very same context. The preacher's message to the congregation, whose daily routines had been destroyed and who were gripped by fear, was an affirmation from God and a reminder that we need to stand firm before God as a community of faith. That led to an affirmation in our faith in our political leaders and an offering of prayers on their behalf. It would seem that this was the context that led to the social phenomena marked by phrases such as “God Bless America,” “America the Beautiful,” and “United we Stand.” (September 16, 2001)
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