David Dockery and Stan Grenz

I sent an email to David Dockery about his ridiculously insensitive "eulogy" for Stan Grenz. This is what he sent in return:

Thank your for writing. I take your words to heart. My intention was to honor Stan as a person, the wonderful, warm-hearted person that he was, but also to show how our thinking had gone in differnt directions over the years. I regret that I did not achieve the balance I was seeking in your reading of the piece. I certainly would never want to do anything to add to anyone's grief or sorrow at this difficult time.

Thanks again for writing.
dsd

Isn't that nice? He doesn't want to add to anyone's grief or sorrow. Might should have thought that ought before you wrote that crap, eh, Dave? He didn't achieve the balance in "my reading." Is that to say it was there and I missed it? Why is he striving for a balanced critique of a man he calls friend who has been dead for only a few days? Dear friends, please wait one week before talking shit about me after I die. Thanks. GH.

The real kicker with this email is that it is a form response. I know of one other person who emailed Dave Dockery and he received the same response. This probably means that Dockery got so much email about what an insensitive git he is that he had his secretary type up a form response about what dolts we were for not reading the balance that he had carefully inserted in the article. I guess I should expect a form response from someone who is so callous he can't wait for his "friend's" funeral before enlightening all of us on why Stan was no longer theologically trustworthy. Thanks, Dave. You did us all a real service.

Comments

[Dave Rattigan]

I was incensed by this. I blogged about it here: http://gracepages.blogspot.com/2005/03/dockery-on-grenz-what-planet-is-this.html

Hey, Greg, isn't it time you got Trackback...? :)

[Zossima]

I blogged about this, too, for today. My entry focuses on the differences between evangelicalism and post-evangelicalism that Dockery's piece highlights.

[greg]

Dave,

I keep forgetting to click on the trackback option.

[nick]

did i miss what the picture is up in the top left?

[greg]

Nick

I'm just putting random pics up there because I like to.

[Dave Rattigan]

Thanks, Greg. I gave Dockery a piece of my mind, and got the same automated response.

[greg]

Dave,

I also went to Baptist Press and sent them an email about how insensitive and irresponsible it was for an editor to approve that article. Haven't heard back from them yet.

[lee eddy]

greg (and dave),

it's probably nothing more than a quixotic maneuver, but i read your update and sent President Dockery an email anyway! I did mention in the email that I expected that it wouldn't be read and that I'd probably get a canned response, so... low expectations equals prophetic utterance?

I'm jumping in on the blogarama thang, and posted about this one. I tried to trackback, so we'll see if I did it right...

Dave: I just discovered your pages from this post; thanks! I quite enjoy them so far...

-lee

[lee eddy]

greg,

i just got a personal response from President Dockery. I now stick my tongue out at you and say, "Nyaah nyaah!"

Uh, just kidding.

Here it is:
** High Priority **

Lee Eddy

Thank you for your note. Yes, I did read it and appreciated your comments. I regret that I did not communicate well by appreciation for Stan as a person.

dsd

(end email)

So it seems he has turned off the auto-responder and is reading at least a few of the emails he is getting... I'm probably an idiot, but that gives me a little hope.

-lee

[Resident Atheist]

"...appreciation for Stan as a person"?

Even in conciliatory e-mails he feels obliged to distinguish between the man himself and his gross doctrinal errors? Mm. Lots of bridge-building here.

Oh well. Not really my battle, I guess.

[eddie]

I think you were a bit harsh on this guy and you read to much into his form letter. I didn't read his article though so who am I to say.

I just hope my friends are nice enough to wait until I die to trash me. That's much better than when your still alive an kickin.

Eddie

[Paul]

I just read this after spending the last few years in a fairly agnostic state. But in an earlier life I was a close associate of David Dockery.

I can categorically write that you are utterly full of shit. Mr. Dockery is the single finest example of Christian scholarship and humble Christian living I knew, and I fear I knew way too many.

You and your ilk are why I no longer give a rat's ass about the "parish" in any of its forms.

Paul

[greg]

Paul,

Hmm...perhaps you should read the full text of Dockery's comments. But, no, why do that? Or, maybe you could see what others said about his comments. Or, hell, maybe you could ask yourself, "why would my former close associate Davey apologize if he did nothing wrong?" Or you can just write histrionic comments on strangers' blogs.

[greg]

BTW, I've never been part of an ilk before. It kinda gives me a warm feeling. And I suspect you have nothing to do with the parish in any of its forms for reasons far more selfish, if your comments here are any indication of your social skills.

[Resident Alien]

Greg,

Look in the mirror. I'm sure you'll see an "ilk" looking back. You are so full of bitterness that you can't see the ad hominem log in your own eye.