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Progressive Christians To Join The Dispute Without The Clergy To The 9 / 11 Events
(CNN) - A handful of progressive Christian leaders have joined the chorus of religious leaders for the most conservative critics of the New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has left the clergy of the event 9 / 11 the memory of this weekend to ground zero.
But there's a twist.
In addition to criticizing Bloomberg, progressive religious leaders are also aimed at conservative leaders who have criticized Bloomberg in recent days, claiming that these criticisms are fueling the division at a time that calls for national unity.The group plans a press conference near Ground Zero on Friday to emphasize that "religion should not be excluded from the 9 / 11 memories," but also "to encourage unity, not division, the 9 / 11" according to a news release Tuesday.
Friday press conference, overlooking Ground Zero, will feature Jim Wallis, head of evangelical group Sojourners social justice, the Rev. Floyd Flake, a prominent New York priest and former Democratic congressman, and Geoff Tunnicliffe, head of the World Evangelical Alliance.
"Mayor Bloomberg has made a decision understandable, but regrettable," said Tim King, communications director of Sojourners, an evangelical Christian social justice group that helps plan the press conference.
"Religion and religious leaders have caused a lot of unnecessary conflicts and contradictions," King wrote in an e-mail. "But do not completely avoid religion to reach the heart of the problem."
"The best answer is in religion," King said. "And for those religious leaders who are causing controversy about this decision ... the media will show exactly why Mayor Bloomberg does not want first."
From the Wall Street Journal first reported last month that the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 anniversary event - which will be attended by President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush and other leaders - will exclude priests and prayers formal, conservative Christians have vented anger.
"The gag rule priests will be introduced to avoid" disagreements over the religious leaders participating. "But since when is it a problem?" Wrote Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in the last email to his supporters.
"Many members of the clergy, one Imam spoke at an interfaith service at Yankee Stadium after the attacks, and they managed to remove it without problem," he writes. "Why should it be different this time?"
Bloomberg's office defended the mayor's decision in the clergy.
"The ceremony was designed in collaboration with 9 / 11 families with a mix of measures that are spiritual, historical and personal nature," Evelyn Erskine, a spokeswoman for Bloomberg, said in an e-mail to CNN late August.
"It was widely supported in the past 10 years and disagreements rather than the religious leaders involved, we want to stay focused on our memorial to the family of those who died," she writes.
There were 10 ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York, pause and remember the events of 9 / 11, one six months after the attack, and September 11 of each year.
Spirituality and religion have been reserved for moments of silence in these events.
During the ceremonies preceding four moments of silence to mark when each tower was hit, and when each tower fell.
For the ceremony this year, organizers have added two moments of silence to recognize the strike on the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
"This year, six moments of silence allows time for personal introspection and religious identity of each individual," said Erskine.
The whole city will be the prayers of other events leading to Sept. 11.
But there's a twist.
In addition to criticizing Bloomberg, progressive religious leaders are also aimed at conservative leaders who have criticized Bloomberg in recent days, claiming that these criticisms are fueling the division at a time that calls for national unity.The group plans a press conference near Ground Zero on Friday to emphasize that "religion should not be excluded from the 9 / 11 memories," but also "to encourage unity, not division, the 9 / 11" according to a news release Tuesday.
Friday press conference, overlooking Ground Zero, will feature Jim Wallis, head of evangelical group Sojourners social justice, the Rev. Floyd Flake, a prominent New York priest and former Democratic congressman, and Geoff Tunnicliffe, head of the World Evangelical Alliance.
"Religion and religious leaders have caused a lot of unnecessary conflicts and contradictions," King wrote in an e-mail. "But do not completely avoid religion to reach the heart of the problem."
"The best answer is in religion," King said. "And for those religious leaders who are causing controversy about this decision ... the media will show exactly why Mayor Bloomberg does not want first."
From the Wall Street Journal first reported last month that the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 anniversary event - which will be attended by President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush and other leaders - will exclude priests and prayers formal, conservative Christians have vented anger.
"Many members of the clergy, one Imam spoke at an interfaith service at Yankee Stadium after the attacks, and they managed to remove it without problem," he writes. "Why should it be different this time?"
Bloomberg's office defended the mayor's decision in the clergy.
"The ceremony was designed in collaboration with 9 / 11 families with a mix of measures that are spiritual, historical and personal nature," Evelyn Erskine, a spokeswoman for Bloomberg, said in an e-mail to CNN late August.
There were 10 ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York, pause and remember the events of 9 / 11, one six months after the attack, and September 11 of each year.
Spirituality and religion have been reserved for moments of silence in these events.
During the ceremonies preceding four moments of silence to mark when each tower was hit, and when each tower fell.
For the ceremony this year, organizers have added two moments of silence to recognize the strike on the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
"This year, six moments of silence allows time for personal introspection and religious identity of each individual," said Erskine.
The whole city will be the prayers of other events leading to Sept. 11.
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