I received an apology from the Isthmus this afternoon. It turns out that the illustrator did use an image of Grace downloaded from the web as inspiration. Here is an excerpt from my reply:

Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to follow up with this matter. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression, given my reaction now to this second cover of Isthmus that references Grace. I’m quite willing to absorb the shots, when they are fair …. I am also well aware that religious institutions deserve much of the criticism they receive in our culture and that it is up to those of us in leadership positions and in the pews to work hard to gain the larger culture’s trust.

We are a long distance from the times when churches and religious institutions were at the heart of our culture and highly respected. The article behind the cover illustration is evidence of that. Still, it’s easy to take cheap shots at churches and religious institutions from the outside and for insiders who have a beef with their leadership to turn to the media for ammunition in their internal struggles. Outside criticism often has a negative effect, circling the wagons if you will.

Grace has experienced all of that over the years. Just as it’s important to defend our image, it is also important to admit to our failures publicly and to accept apologies when offered.

Madison, like all of American culture, needs a robust and watchful press to serve the public interest. Here’s hoping for a productive and challenging relationship with the Isthmus and with all of Madison’s media.