{"id":26,"date":"2011-09-09T17:22:00","date_gmt":"2011-09-09T17:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/unequallyyoked\/2011\/09\/the-idiotic-interfaith-911-backlash\/"},"modified":"2012-11-05T00:42:20","modified_gmt":"2012-11-05T05:42:20","slug":"the-idiotic-interfaith-911-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/unequallyyoked\/2011\/09\/the-idiotic-interfaith-911-backlash.html","title":{"rendered":"The Idiotic Interfaith 9\/11 Backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I know I promised a scifi vs fantasy post next, but I\u2019m delaying it for one that is timely and a little more germane to this blog. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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A model of interfaith outreach<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Today, the hullabaloo over the exclusion of religious figures from New York City\u2019s 9\/11 memorial service made the front page of The New York Times<\/em><\/a>. Scrolling through my \u2018Religion\u2019 folder in Google Reader, I\u2019m still seeing post after post from Christians expressing outrage. Let me try to address some of the reactions briefly.<\/p>\n

When I first heard about this \u2018scandalous\u2019 neglect, I assumed Bloomberg had nixed a religious component because he didn\u2019t want the tenth anniversary embroiled in a controversy about whether an imam would be an appropriate co-presider. I certainly don\u2019t doubt the Pamela Gellers of the country would have made that<\/em> fight a heckuva lot uglier than this one is.<\/p>\n

But it turns out the NYC decision stemmed from more than a desire to avoid controversy. Bloomberg is just sticking with the now-traditional format of the memorial. From the Times<\/em> story:<\/p>\n

For a decade, New York City has conducted the same ritualized ceremony on each anniversary of the attacks. The heart of the ritual has been the reading aloud of the names of the victims. In 2003, the victims\u2019 children read the names; in 2004, it was their parents; and in 2007, the honor went to first responders.<\/p>\n

The names are read in a continuous stream for hours, with four breaks to allow moments of silence at the times when hijacked planes struck the two World Trade Center towers, and when each tower fell.<\/p>\n

This year, there will be six moments of silence, to acknowledge also the planes that hit the Pentagon and the ground near Shanksville, Pa., said Stu Loeser, Mr. Bloomberg\u2019s press secretary.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First of all, this description should put paid to the accusation that first responders are being excluded. They were the focus of 2007\u2019s ceremony, but, in this format, wouldn\u2019t be expected to take center stage every year. On the religion front: I think a significant proportion of the people expressing indignation are unaware of New York\u2019s particular ritual and wouldn\u2019t insist on grafting on additional elements. I\u2019m sure most of them were picturing a gaudy line-up of speakers and politicians, to which one additional attendee may always be added.<\/p>\n

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That description is a pretty fair picture of how I imagine the national service (which will include clergy). And considering the controversy enveloping that<\/em> event raises some questions about what religious inclusion is supposed to achieve. Long story short: the interfaith service Obama is attending was to have been held at the National Cathedral (until earthquake damage necessitated a move to a synagogue) and will feature all kinds of religious leaders from an Episcopal bishop to a Buddhist<\/a> nun. The trouble is, there are no Southern Baptists, or evangelical ministers at all.<\/p>\n

After all, they argue, evangelicals are the largest Christian subtype<\/a>, so why shouldn\u2019t they be represented when Buddhists get a slot? The Roman Catholics are only a hair behind, and also don\u2019t have a speaking slot, but, so far, Fox hasn\u2019t taken up their cause. \u00a0The fight threatens to devolve into a push for the kind of state-sponsored, theological census<\/a> that I though was ridiculous when the American Atheists used it in their WTC cross suit.<\/p>\n

So what does the problem boil down to? Are the Southern Baptists afraid that the Episcopal bishop will not adequately represent their theological views? Given the bland nature of these kinds of invocation, it seems unlikely the bishop will touch on predestination, infant baptism, or any other thorny theological issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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This guy is unlikely to be needed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It seems more like different sects are using the event to keep score, or to burnish their own legitimacy. That\u2019s the kind of impression I get from comments like this from Elizabeth Scalia at The Anchoress<\/a>:<\/p>\n

I am frankly surprised and disappointed that the NY Times reports [Archbishop Dolan] to be \u201cuntroubled\u201d by the exclusion of clergy at Mayor Mike\u2019s Memorial.<\/p>\n

I really love and admire Timothy Dolan, but I feel like I want to grab his hand, announce \u201cnobody puts Baby in the corner!<\/em>\u201d and haul him down to Lower Manhattan.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There\u2019s a clear sense that Bloomberg or Obama are slighting and harming<\/em> the sects they exclude. But churches shouldn\u2019t be seeking the imprimatur and blessing of the state. Leave aside the constitutional issues; it\u2019s bad for the church, which, I\u2019m told, is supposed to offer a critique of worldly powers, not line up for photo-ops.<\/p>\n

Plus, no one\u2019s missing out by not hearing a particular sect\u2019s watered down preaching. \u00a0Community depends on shared frame of reference, which is why the most moving sermons will be the ones prepped for individual parishes<\/a>, not prime time. \u00a0So,\u00a0everybody lay off Bloomberg, unless you have some clever suggestion about how he could have possibly avoided the overscheduled, self-serving mess the DC event is threatening to become.<\/p>\n

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I know I promised a scifi vs fantasy post next, but I\u2019m delaying it for one that is timely and a little more germane to this blog. A model of interfaith outreach Today, the hullabaloo over the exclusion of religious figures from New York City\u2019s 9\/11 memorial service made the front page of The New […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[64],"class_list":["post-26","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-churchstate"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Idiotic Interfaith 9\/11 Backlash<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I know I promised a scifi vs fantasy post next, but I\u2019m delaying it for one that is timely and a little more germane to this blog. 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