Joshua Caleb

In this week’s News-Herald, Georgia Green Stamper wrote a “Response to ‘God resigns’”, which may be read here.  In her response, she mentions your’s truly by name and the letter that I wrote to the editor of the News-Herald, found here.  After reading her column, I sent her the following e-mail, which I decided to post here also as a retraction of sorts.  This is what I wrote:

Dear Mrs. Stamper,

I just finished reading your “Response to ‘God resigns,’” and I wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding.  An anonymous reader of my blog had suggested that the column was satire, but his or her comment was so full of ad hominem attack that I deleted it even though I thought it was a good suggestion (The comment told me I was stupid and that my education was sub-par.) and had it been given in a reasonable way I would have considered it.  Thankfully, you made your case for the suggestion that your column was satire in a reasonable manner, and I accept my reading as misinterpretation. (By the way, I enjoy satire, especially Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.”  I just did not expect satire in the Owenton News-Herald.  It just is not a form one expects when reading a paper made up of primarily obituaries, court news, and classifieds.  If nothing else, perhaps we boosted their readership for a few weeks.)

I had not mentioned, as Bro. Vincent had, that I had never read your column before either.  The headline, as good titles do, drew me into the piece.  I am certainly glad and thankful to hear that your theology was not reflected in that column.  I hope that you too could understand my concern.  Many people do think of God that way or act as if God is that way (a pathetic grandfather upstairs), and your article provided great opportunity to correct such thinking with Scripture.

As for not contacting you personally, the thought did not even cross my mind.  Since your column was public then I assumed (it is dangerous to assume, you know) that a public response would be sufficient.  For that I apologize.

I did not think my response to be particularly harsh—straightforward certainly, but not harsh.  However, upon further reflection, I do wish I would have toned it down slightly, especially the first paragraph.

It is my hope that we can make peace out of this situation.  I am preaching through the letter of James and my passage for this week is from chapter 3:  “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (vv. 17-18).  I want to be like that.  In my sin, I am not, but I pray that Jesus will make me that kind of man.  I repent of any bitterness, harshness, or selfish ambition, and I humbly seek your forgiveness and reconciliation.

God bless,
Bro. Josh Hutchens

P.S. I am posting this letter publicly on my blog (joshuacaleb.wordpress.com) so that my readers may hear my apology also.