Reflections on September 11: A Spiritual Conflict
The conflict that began on September 11, 2001, was already part of a larger struggle, but I think its essence remains rooted in spiritual issues.
It’s interesting to note that Minoru Yamasaki, the architect of the World Trade Center, designed buildings in Saudi Arabia and infused Islamic elements into the arches surrounding the Twin Towers—a point recognized even by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. But, despite this connection, the World Trade Center evolved into a symbol of Western civilization and American identity, intertwined with the Judeo-Christian heritage. It became a place of beauty and grace, attracting various people, including a daring tightrope walker and a toy maker. Love blossomed within its walls. All this contributed to why the World Trade Center was targeted by Islamists.
The first building to truly fall on 9/11 was actually a church—St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. It was destroyed by the still-collapsing South Tower. Thankfully, it has been rebuilt and now overlooks the 9/11 Memorial Site.
Interestingly, the first person to lose their life that day was likely Daniel Lewin, an American-Israeli Jew. He had served in an elite commando unit of the Israeli Defense Forces and had knowledge of Arabic. Accounts indicate that he may have attempted to thwart the hijackers, as flight attendants reported a stabbing incident in first class, which was likely Lewin’s doing.
Then there was Father Mychal Judge, the FDNY Chaplain, who was marked as the first official casualty of the attacks, having died in the North Tower while the South Tower was collapsing. While it’s true that many others on the four planes, not to mention countless individuals in the buildings and the Pentagon, died before him, Judge’s body was the first to arrive at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York.
Father Judge wasn’t alone in his priestly role on that tragic day; Reverend Lyndon Harris also played a pivotal part.
Reverend Harris was the priest responsible for St. Paul’s Chapel, situated just a short distance from Trinity Church and right across from the World Trade Center. St. Paul’s Chapel holds historical significance—George Washington prayed there after being inaugurated as the first President on April 30, 1789, marking a sort of spiritual beginning for the nation.
Remarkably, St. Paul’s survived the Great New York Fire of September 1776, and when the World Trade Center fell on September 11, 2001, not a single window was broken. In contrast, Federal Hall, another historic site, suffered damage to its foundations.
Under Harris’s guidance, St. Paul’s became a sanctuary for rescue workers, providing meals, counseling, services, and even classical music for months afterward. Firefighters and other rescue personnel found rest in its historic pews, including the one where Washington once sat. However, Trinity Church began to urge, “When will St. Paul’s return to being a church?” To that, Harris asserted, “We’ve never been more of a church.”
In March 2002, Trinity Church, often referred to dismissively as “Trin Co.,” attempted to shut down St. Paul’s relief efforts. Faced with potential protests from police and firefighters on Easter Sunday, Trinity ultimately capitulated until the Ground Zero cleanup concluded in late May 2002. However, Lyndon Harris was later pressured to resign from his role at St. Paul’s Chapel in October 2002, and a video documenting the chapel’s mission after 9/11 did not feature him.
Afterward, Harris’s life became tumultuous due to health concerns and the treatment he received from Trinity, coupled with his own reactions. He once quoted Nelson Mandela, saying, “Not to forgive is like drinking a glass of poison and waiting for your enemies to die,” acknowledging how a part of him struggled with that poison. Eventually, he embraced the radical forgiveness of Jesus and was welcomed back to St. Paul’s Chapel for the 20th anniversary of September 11 in 2021.
Harris’s ability to forgive highlights a Christian response to injustice by turning the other cheek. In a similar light, the passengers of Flight 93 exhibited a different form of sacrificial love by confronting their attackers. Their bravery prevented the plane from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C. They, too, embodied the message of Jesus, choosing to lay down their lives for strangers, with Todd Beamer famously asking for divine help before they charged the terrorists.
Amidst this poignant atmosphere, the National Prayer Service on September 14 brought back the long-forgotten “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
While national spiritual struggles are undeniably significant, Scripture often highlights that the most crucial battles we face concern our personal integrity before God and our salvation through Christ. In seeking victories, even when they come through difficult means, it’s vital we don’t become what we oppose—whether that means fighting terrorism, dealing with malevolent forces, or confronting our own shortcomings.
Each of us has our own personal Ground Zeros, yet, similar to the Cross formed by the destruction at the World Trade Center, we can find ultimate victory amid the chaos, receiving salvation for our sins and souls by responding to Jesus’ call for repentance and love.
