Another Rose Hedge Awaits

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There are a couple things in Thabiti’s most recent post that I would like to respond to immediately, and then perhaps pick up the thread of the discussion on Monday — after we have all celebrated the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the one in whom all nations, kindreds, peoples, and tongues may dwell together in harmony (Rev. 7:9).

But here are the quick things.

The first thing is that I would like to stand corrected. Thabiti points out that he was not asking me to apologize for Black & Tan across the board, but rather for the particular portions of the book that he cited. By stating it the way I did, I misunderstood and misrepresented his request, one which he had made clearly. I am responsible for reading him too hastily when I ought to have read more carefully. And for that I am happy to seek his forgiveness.

The second thing is a response to this question:

“I’m simply asking the question: Doug, do you think it might be possible that a reasonable man (and I’m thankful that you include me among them) might take legitimate offense at the way you have put some things in the book? As a reasonable man yourself, do you think that some of your comments in the book are insensitive to the legitimate concerns, natural affections, and understandable perspectives of some of your reasonable readers?”

Thabiti, the answer to that question is yes, and was the reason why I sought your forgiveness in the earlier post. And I am sure this response will generate further reasonable questions from reasonable men, and further howls from the unreasonable ones. But that is why I did it.

The question that Thabiti raises about fear of “downstream consequences” is quite a reasonable one also, and one that I need to defer until next week. But this is not because I am fearful of answering it, but rather because it is Saturday and I need to make a dump run to the landfill and trim a rose hedge. That rose hedge provides a remarkable metaphor for this whole conversation, which I may expand on later. Many thanks, and may God richly bless your Easter celebrations.

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