V. TE Meyers’ Letter of Apology
In meeting with committee members, TE Meyers described ways in which God has worked in his life particularly over the last 5 years. Over this time, he has realized the error of some of his attitudes and actions. As many pastors do in times of Spirit-induced introspection, he realizes there are things he would say and do differently. This attitude of humble repentance moved him to write, “The past five years of ministry have been especially transformative as the Lord has graciously changed me and re-directed my ministry in many ways. I’ve said many things in the past that I would love to take back and correct.” (JJM Response, p. 97, lines 34–37). He also noted how his graduate work at Concordia Theological Seminary from 1995–2005 placed him in a context of academic debate wherein theological propositions were made, analyzed, defended, and critiqued in a spirit of friendly disputation. He continues, “During that same period, I extended that practice in my interaction with other ministers and friends in conferences, lectures, and on public and private internet discussion lists. Now that I look back on that period, I see that I was pretty naive about the manner in which many people would receive the exploratory kinds of theological propositions I offered for debate and discussion. I never intended for many of those oftentimes-provocative theses to be taken as formal, public confessions of faith on my part. There have, no doubt, been times in the past when my rhetoric has gotten away from me and I have overstated points in debate, or I have been overly provocative in arguing for certain theological positions.” (JJM Response, p. 1, line 16 through p. 2, line 2).
The committee further notes TE Meyers is by no means alone in having overstated positions or employed rhetoric that is overly provocative. This report has noted the existence of a unhealthy climate in our denomination (made possible in part by technological advances like the Internet) laden with rhetoric that is often at best ill-conceived, and at worst intemperate, caustic and uncharitable. If careful searches were made of blogs, discussion boards and other such media, the committee believes many in the PCA would be found guilty of the same or similar sins. Recognizing the lamentable state of what too often passes as debate and discussion within the denomination, the committee requested TE Meyers to examine his heart and submit a formal written apology for his contributions to this toxic climate. In response to this request, TE Meyers humbly and thoughtfully submitted the following written apology to MOP (dated December 6, 2010), which is a confession of error for the part he played in the acrimonious discussion/debate:
“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:27). When I review my own words in this now 8-year long debate about “federal vision theology,” I confess that I have not always been able to restrain my words. There have been some times, especially in answering accusations made in blogs and internet discussion groups, that I have failed to maintain a cool spirit. As I review my words from the past, I am not always sure how to discern the difference between righteous anger and intemperate, illicit wrath. I believe I have been careful in the past five years or so to err on the side of temperance and moderation. But at the beginning of this controversy I sometimes responded intemperately, especially when commenting on internet blogs and discussion lists. Most of these instances were short, sometimes sarcastic sentences typed out quickly without stopping to think about how they would be received. I restrained myself on many occasions, but not always. I am sorry my own derisive, immoderate language contributed to the divisive nature of this debate in our denomination. Please forgive me for these indiscretions and sins.29
The committee sincerely hopes that other brothers in the denomination who, upon careful examination of their own hearts and actions, may find themselves guilty of similar rhetorical indiscretions might offer like apologies to promote peace and a greater measure of unity in the church.
Recommendation for MO Presbytery:
MOP receives TE Meyers’ confession in accordance with BCO 38-1, that in presenting and promoting his theological views (particularly on the Internet) there were times, especially in the earlier part of the Federal Vision controversy, when he responded to others intemperately and failed to demonstrate godly self-control and humility by maintaining a cool spirit. The sorrow TE Meyers has expressed for those instances where his language was derisive and immoderate is fitting, because they hindered rather than helped the cause of unity in the Church in the midst of theological controversy.
MOP judges the confession of TE Meyers to be a genuine expression of a repentant heart, reminds him that by the sacrifice of Christ “your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:7); MOP is grateful to the Lord for the growing awareness TE Meyers has testified to of the importance of speaking with carefulness, restraint, and humility; and admonishes him to enlarge on that growth in grace by exercising greater care than he has in the past in presenting and promoting theological views in the future, particularly when those views, though orthodox, can be easily misinterpreted so as to cause discord among God’s people. MOP exhorts all presbyters to exercise similar care.
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29 J.J. Meyers (personal email communication to the committee), received December 9, 2010.
Tags: apology, Jeffrey Meyers, Missouri Presbytery
“I am sorry my own derisive, immoderate language contributed to the divisive nature of this debate in our denomination.”
I didn’t realize that FV was still debatable. I thought the GA already made a statement.
I really dislike apologies that sound like “I’m sorry you were offended.”
If I may point out the obvious, the charges brought against TE Meyers were not about how he said things, but about what he said. Thank you MO Pres and TE Meyers for muddying the issue.