It’s sometimes easy to think that the Church is a club that meets on Sundays and perhaps once or twice more during the week. We’re all friends so we hang out together and share meals from time to time. It’s sometimes easy to forget that the Church is the invasion of this world by heaven. The Church is the colonization of this planet by its Creator. (Toby Sumpter, We Are Not Here As Tourists)

This past Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Pastor Patrick referenced it in his sermon last Sunday, and I’m sure it’s weighed heavily on many of our hearts and minds. Events like that can be challenging for Christians to reflect on…what should our response be?  How should differences in opinion between Christians over this matter be resolved? Some have even asked if Christianity has any “business” interjecting itself into the memories and events of that day.

As a starting point for those questions (and more), I’d like to offer a small collection of articles penned by men far wiser than I.  I hope you will read them carefully.

• Russell Moore compares the events and horror of 9/11 with the events and horror of Good Friday in his article The Gospel at Ground Zero.
• Kevin DeYoung pens a thought-provoking and moving Prayer for 9/11 Ten Years Later.
• John Piper talks about the power of the future…and the difference between a true future and a false future…in his article One Thing the 9/11 Terrorists Got Right.
• Douglas Wilson responds to Christopher Hitchens’ most recent article with his own affirmation and denial in his article Simply Incoherent.
• And finally, if you still would like additional resources on the matter, the Biblical Counseling Coalition dealt with the subject and has links to their own selection of articles here.

9/11 was a horrible tragedy. But as an event of this world, it was subject to the attention and sovereignty of God. That same God sent His Son to save us, His Word to inform us, and His Spirit to empower us. The Christian is not powerless in the face of such events.

Tragedies should not paralyze us; rather, they should provoke us.

Pro Rege