Women'sTheologicalCenter Quarterly Newsletter - September 2001 Volume 19 No. 3 - Spiritual Leadership and Reflections

Sep 28, 2026

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Women'sTheologicalCenter Quarterly Newsletter for September 2001 (Volume 19, No. 3) brings member reflections following the September 11 attacks, focusing on spiritual leadership, the river of gifts, and the power of imagination. It explores questions about why such violence occurs, who may benefit, and how to respond without adopting hate. Contributors invite readers to send love to families and communities, strengthen critical thinking, and work toward a more just, free, and democratic social and economic order.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

September 11 and Beyond

Personal reflections by WTC members

Spiritual Leadership: the river of gifts

The Power of the Imagination

Women Respond: a Gathering

Women'sTheologicalCenter LEVEL ONE PROCESSEINOV 142001GTU LIBRAR Quarterly Newsletter September,2001Volume 19,No.3ISSN:1062-6565 In this issue: September 11 and Beyondby Julie MattaeiBonnie NeumeierLisa OwensMary DaviesDonna Bivens Spiritual Leadership:the river of giftsby Patricia Simmons The Power of the Imaginationby Marian(Meck)Groot Women Respond:a Gatheringby Marian(Meck)Groot and more! FEE:Free to our members Libraries:$35/year Dagger,a women's theatre group performing at "Women Respond.”More on page 7. September 11 and Beyond personal reflections by WTC members asking this question,and probing anddigging for real answers.How could sucha well-organized,wide scale attack hap-pen,given the security systems currentlyin place in the airlines industry?What areits predicted effects,besides the senselessloss of so many ordinary people?Towhom might these wider predicted ef-fects of this heinous crime actually makesense? Julie Matthaei Professor of Economics Wellesley College September 11 The events of this morning have trulyshaken the world.I feel impelled towrite this,because I do not understand,because I am full of questions,andgrief,and anger,and yes,still,love. Who might stand to gain by the cli-mate of terror and anger at all dissidentgroups,the vast majority of themstaunchly nonviolent and peace loving,that can be expected to result from theseviolent crimes?I ask this question as onesuch peace loving and nonviolent dissi-dent,who can already imagine the shiftin political climate about to occur againstpeople like me,such as the nonviolentSeattle-type protestors who are raisingchallenges to the undemocratic,profit-rather-than-people centered process of"globalization." In the wake of this great wrongdo-ing,let us not stoop to the tactics oremotions of those who have caused usthis hurt and terror.Remember that evilcomes from the absence of love;onlylove can overcome it.Let us send loveto the families who have lost members,to the friends who have lost friends,tothe teachers who have lost students andalums;to the children of the world whowill begin tomorrow much more fearfulof life and of their fellow human be-ings;to all of us,who have had ourfaith in the essential goodness of ourfellow creatures shaken,if not de-stroyed;and to the perpetrators,thatthey might realize the horror of theirdeeds and turn away from hate,towardsthe light and healing power of love. Who might gain from the increasedracism and violence,distrust in our fel-low human beings,and decline in thesense of unity and common purposeamong people around the world,that isalmost sure to follow in the wake ofthese crimes against humanity?I ask thisas a long-time participant in the struggleagainst racism,as a member of an inter-racial and inter-religious family,and assomeone who has supported the Israelis If you,like me,are asking,"Whywould anyone or any group do such asenseless thing?"I urge you to keep continued on page 2 But I also find myself looking up-ward,far upward,towards those peoplewho are at the very top of the economichierarchy,people with a more cold-blooded and diabolical motivation forthese crimes,the motivation perhaps toperpetuate their unjust and undemo-cratic economic and political power ina world that seems to be waking up toit,and is beginning to unite against it.Wondering if and how I will ever knowwhether such an involvement actuallyexists.Wondering whether we the peo-ple will ever find out the truth aboutthis -as well as about the many otherpolitically expedient tragedies that havemarked the half-century of my lifetime,from the Kennedy assassinations to theassassination of Dr.Martin LutherKing,Jr. and Palestinians who are bravely andnonviolently working for peace in theMiddle East.And as someone who hasbeen heartened by the growing sense ofworld sisterhood/brotherhood,and theincreasing awareness that self-interestdoes not mean not caring about others,orabout the earth,but rather best

FAQs

What is the central theme of this September 2001 newsletter issue?

The issue centers on personal spiritual reflections after September 11, addressing questions about violence, its causes, likely effects, and a response grounded in love and nonviolence.

How does the newsletter urge readers to respond to the attacks?

It calls on readers not to stoop to the tactics or emotions of those who caused harm, and instead to send love to affected families while resisting increased hate and fear.

What do contributors say about hope for social and political change?

The newsletter expresses hope that the incident can help people “wake up” to the pointlessness of violence and inspire critical thinking and work toward a more just, free, and democratic order.

Sep 28, 2026

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