CTS GRADS STILL WRITING TO ME

Dear Ruth:

I am a graduate of CTS (M.Div.). . . . Thank you for your blogging and thank you for the Left Behind book [that] justified the affection I have with the idiosyncrasies of our small CRC, with . . . its children’s sermons which fail as often as they work. I appreciate the parishioner who is thinking of a divorce and feels free to bring it up with me in the parking lot, I tousle the head of a 17 year old who I know has been told by his mom to leave the house and tell him to smarten up and call me for a hot chocolate, I mention to ______ that I am thinking of him on the first anniversary of his boy’s choice to end it all with a shotgun. . . . Thank you so much for affirming that in such teasing, corny or incredibly sad moments the modest local church is moving in Christ. . . .

I am just so surprised that CTS did not provide a home and tenure for you. I thought Neal was intent on shaking things up. . . . To lose an author of your obvious talent is something which an institution with a serious publishing deficit cannot afford. To lose a professor of your humour and evident grit is a damn shame. . . . Neal’s conduct is the shocker. Unfortunately, his failure to sue for libel (something which any President would surely be compelled to do in the face of your allegations) tells me that your version of the notes is the correct one.

Keep writing. Please.