Dave Walker and Mark Brewer

The letter below was sent yesterday to Mark Brewer, from representatives of the We Support Dave Walker facebook group:

Dear Mr. Brewer

We are writing on behalf of 498 supporters of cartoonist and blogger Dave Walker, a group which includes bishops, national journalists in the UK and US, lawyers, clergy, and concerned members of the public. 

We would like to ask you please to contact Dave Walker and withdraw the demands made in the ‘Cease and Desist’ letter which you sent him in July. Your letter, as far as we know, instructed Dave to remove all his posts about the recent history of SPCK bookshops or face action for libel. With the pressures of the impending Lambeth conference, and a very short deadline given by yourself, Dave complied. He commented at the time: “I have therefore removed all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this blog, as, although I believe I have not done anything wrong I do not have the money to face a legal battle. The removal of these posts is in no way an admission of guilt.”

Many of us have read the posts concerned, and are surprised, to say the least, that they could be called libelous. Indeed, the first three posts make no mention at all of yourself, the Society of St. Stephen the Great, or anyone associated with you. The 4th post reports your takeover of the bookshops with the comment “this is splendid news.” Another post is a simple link to your SSG video on YouTube. Other items include verbatim reports of your own statements, and in the simple post on the death of Steve Jeynes, dozens of people used the comments to expressed their grief and condolences to Steve’s family. 

Dave is a reasonable man, and if all critics were as fair as he is the world would be a better place. If you were able to reconsider, and point out specific statements and claims you were unhappy with, we are sure Dave would be happy to correct them where appropriate. This is the normal process of debate on the internet, and in real life, and follows the strong tradition of free speech for which our countries stand and are rightly proud.

So this is a polite request from all of us: please contact Dave Walker, advise him that your ‘cease and desist’ communication no longer stands, and let him report freely. 

Yours sincerely

Rev. David Keen and seven other signatories representing the ‘We Support Dave Walker’ group

I'm in my prime...

Strictly speaking I'm now in one of my primes, but am no longer the age (according to DNA001 mark one) of the answer.

Should have thought to get a picture of all of us at staircase fellowship group, but here is some evidence of festivities on 'H'.

Looking forward to cake at home later. (And backward to yesterday - when I had my camera but forgot to use it. Bah!)

By the way, I had the pleasure of leading 'alternative morning prayer' on the staircase last week, which I thoroughly enjoyed, except (note to self) with a little time pressure I cut the mention of King 'Cakes' Alfred, forgetting he was there in the collect.

Back at the farm, tooth fairies continue their raids.

Autumn continues to charm.

We continue to enjoy pleasant company.

Now, especially for you, David, some reading lists :)

One of my courses this term is Pastoral Skills for Mission and Ministry (I'll try and give you another later on): like a number of our courses, this is dual purpose, being a module of both the Anglia Ruskin University B.A. and the University of Cambridge BTh and CTM courses (same teaching, different assessment).

Key texts are

• Fiddes, P (2000) Participating in God: A Pastoral Theology of the Trinity, London: DLT
• Long, Anne (1990) Listening, London: DLT
• Lynch, Gordon (2003) Pastoral Care and Counselling, London: Sage
• Whitehead, J D and Whitehead, E (1995) Method in Ministry: Theological Reflection and Christian Ministry (Revised edition), Kansas City: Sheed and Ward
• Woodward, J and Pattison, S (2001) Blackwell Reader in Practical and Pastoral Theology, Oxford: Blackwell
• Willows and Swinton (2001) Spiritual Dimensions of Pastoral Care, London: Jessica Kingsley

Plus I've borrowed

• Graham, E, Walton, H and Ward, F (2005) Theological Reflection: Methods, London: SCM
• Graham, E, Walton, H and Ward, F (2007) Theological Reflection: Sources, London: SCM

Books - The Original Story

Another book from my reading - the first I read because it was on the reading list (there were some I'd read before I had the reading list, which pleased me greatly!).

The Original Story, subtitled God, Israel and the World Barton & Bowden

Very readable - Old Testament background, overview of scholarly views and techniques, but written and presented in a school text book way (which isn't meant to be a criticism!).

Horrible cover, though.

End of the day

Wonderful resource, common worship. At night time, there's compline. Try it!

(Also available as a very nice booklet :) )

Friday

Well, not so much Greek yesterday as I intended. What does today have in store?

• Cycle off to the shops for cat food etc
• Cook, ready for a guest tonight
• Finish at least one reading list book

I'll publish some more of what I'm reading later, but the priority now is

How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth Fee & Stuart

(bought this one on BookDepository.com). Nearly finished, just want to polish it off so I can tick it off the list!

A new day

Job #1 - cycle to Sainsbury's for the day's provisions. Then a bit of New Testament Greek. Languages aren't my strongest point - just as well I have a bit of help from Ruth (who's doing Hebrew too, show-off :) ).

The Elements of New Testament Greek, Duff