How should Christians remember 9/11?

I attended a memorial service two days ago that took place on the five-year anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11. I was intrigued by the opening statement made by the program host which stated the purpose of the memorial: to uplift the name of God and honor him as the sovereign Lord who is in control of the world. Psalms were read, songs were sung and testimonies were given which emphasized God’s sovereignty in the world. The contrast with other memorials I had witnessed over the past few days was evident. Some chose to focus on the devastation and disaster while others desired to remember those who died on that day. The question came to my mind: why did the organizers of this Christian memorial service choose to seemingly overlook the remembrance of the fallen and instead emphasize God’s sovereignty?

A possible answer, shared by a fellow seminary student, is that many people gain a great deal of comfort from the reassurance that God is in control when tragedy strikes. This may be true, especially for immediate consolation after a calamity. The tendency is to ask “Why did God allow this to happen?” amidst the shock of disaster. Over time, however, these kind of theological questions submerge under the overwhelming tide of grief and loss that comes when the protective bubble of shock bursts and the realities of a new world emerge in the lives of the victims. The surviving victims of 9/11 are living in a reality that has seen most of the world resume to normal while they are left to themselves to reconstruct their devastated existence and rebuild their lives into a “new normal”.

Perhaps Christians ought to acknowledge the long-term suffering of the victims of 9/11 by remembering their dead loved ones and resolving to acknowledge their continued grief and sorrow. Doing so builds a bridge into their “new world” and provides opportunity to impact their lives with the hope of the Gospel, a hope whereby the King of the universe desires to enter into relationship with them and promises to judge the evil that destroyed their lives.