I am writing to express my dismay at how the Recorder chose to “wind up” your editorial entitled “Wisdom from the Pulpit” (Aug. 22, 2022.) In your semi-annual compilation of a few words from a variety of writers in the weekly Faith Matters column you included a few words from 10 different writers. My dismay, as a writer for this column myself, is that you ended the editorial with this sentence “Christianity has taught the existence of hell for one simple reason — because Christ taught it.” There was no date for Pastor Michael Grant’s column, so it is not easy to look back at the context of his words. But that is not my major concern. While the words you chose to reprint from every other writer lifted the readers to a place of love, peace, justice, respect, forgiveness or humility, this editorial, left readers in that very “hell.” Readers of the Greenfield Recorder and those who enjoy or just read Faith Matters, I deeply sorry that you were left with hell on earth. There is nothing redeeming or newsworthy or helpful in our time and place on this earth to putting a period/full stop as the one you chose to place on “Wisdom from the Pulpit.” Hell is not where Christ leaves us. I am sorry that you left us there.
Reverend Marguerite Sheehan
Shelburne Falls