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Judgment day? A goal of restoration

One of the lectionary texts on the Sunday after 9/11 was Psalm 51, which traditionally has been understood as King David’s plea to God to have mercy on his sins. One pastor that Sunday used the psalm to ask whether the events of 9/11 were a judgment on the United States: Was the U.S. in some way culpable for the evil actions of the terrorists? His congregation would have none of it. They were overwhelmed by pain, sorrow and anger; emotionally and intellectually they couldn’t handle guilt too.

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