BOOKS
Two
Authors on the Spiritual Ramifications of 9/11
By Linda Green CBN.com
Producer
CBN.com
- The tragedy of September 11 will be compounded if we don't ultimately
draw spiritual strength from that devastating experience. That is the message
of new books published by two best-selling authors. From Tommy Tenney comes
Trust & Tragedy: Encountering God in Times of Crisis. Charles Stanley
has produced When Tragedy Strikes. Both were written when outrage at the
atrocities was still white-hot. "A few days ago I was in Manhattan
at 'Ground Zero' to bring comfort and solace, to be a helping presence for God
and good in a place of indescribable horror and suffering," writes Stanley,
pastor of the 15,000-member First Baptist Church in Atlanta. "I will never
be the same." In a nation where outrage has cooled - all too quickly
by some standards - the books could be challenged as being slightly outdated,
but only Stanley's runs that risk. His deals more exclusively with the details
of the September 11 events. Tenney puts a broader spin on his book with an intense
look at the lessons learned about response to any tragedy. "The truth
is tragedy visits every generation," writes Tenney, author of the best-selling
series The God Chasers, God's Favorite House and The God Catchers.
"The question is, How do we deal with it? Especially how, as Christians,
do we deal with tragedy?" The two authors are united in their assertion
that the primary step to take as Christians is to reach out. Stanley calls for
"passionate giving and selfless living." Tenney describes it in terms
of tenderness, both our own and that of the people around us. "The wisest
thing you can do for them, while they are tender, is tell them who they can trust,"
writes Tenney. Stanley spends more time exhorting us as a nation to respond
correctly. "
we must
execute our God-given responsibility to discover
the perpetrators of these crimes and bring them to justice." He devotes
a section to "Passion for God and Country," extolling the new patriotism
the tragedies have spawned. But he doesn't neglect the growth of the individual.
This is the "
opportunity of a lifetime to make a change - to be a different
person and a different people," writes Stanley. Tenney also encourages
us to use the pain to fuel a re-evaluation of our priorities. We're coming home
from a funeral, having just buried many of our hopes for safety and self-sufficiency.
Now is the time for new beginnings, he says, especially a resurgence of trust
in our God. "A season of crisis is the perfect time to transfer your
trust from your earthly resources to your heavenly Source," writes Tenney. Drawing
heavily on the stories of Job and Isaiah, Tenney explores the biblical repercussions
of tragedy and concludes that a key element is repentance, a humble admission
of our total dependence on God. Christians must get right with God before they
can lead others to Him. But lead others they must. "Millions stand
in the valley of decision," writes Tenney. "Who is willing to become
an anointed signpost of safety in the hand of God? Who is willing to lovingly
pay the price to preserve divine purpose and human potential - even if it puts
him or her at risk from the anger of men?" These are small, short books.
Both are a quick read. But both are meaty. If you're still struggling with the
September events as terrorism against America, I recommend Stanley's When Tragedy
Strikes. If you are more troubled by the tragedy and uncertainty that 911
introduced into your personal world, read Tenney's Trust & Tragedy.
If you want the more readable of the two, stick with Tenney. Both will convince
you that in the depths of tragedy lie buried the seeds of spiritual renewal and
hope. Dr. Charles Stanley is well known through his In Touch radio and
television ministry. He is also the author of many books. He received his bachelor
of arts degree from the University of Richmond, his bachelor of divinity degree
from Southwestern Theological Seminary, and his master's and doctor's degrees
from Luther Rice Seminary. Tommy Tenney spent 10 years as a pastor
and has spent more than 20 years in itinerant ministry, traveling to more than
40 nations. He speaks in over 150 venues each year sharing his heart with many
thousands. He also founded GodChasers.network.
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