Posted on The Layman Online: Wednesday, September 8, 2004 March 25, 2004 The Rev. O. Benjamin Sparks, Interim Editor The Presbyterian Outlook 2112 Laburnum Avenue, Suite 109 Richmond, Virginia 23227 Dear Rev. Sparks: I am writing to request that The Presbyterian Outlook publish corrections and apologies for erroneous statements made in two editorials, titled "Ministry of Fear" by Associate Editor John Sniffen and, "Addressing the Issues" by Interim Editor O. Benjamin Sparks. I request that these corrections and apologies be prominently displayed where the errors appeared, in both online and print versions of The Presbyterian Outlook, and that they appear no later than Apri115, 2004. I do not object to any opinion expressed on your editorial pages. My concern has to do with erroneous statements purporting to be fact, wherever they may appear in your publication. In "Ministry of Fear," Mr. Sniffen states as fact the following: "But this is the same journal which, without checking its facts, printed the rumor that Syngman Rhee was connected with the North Korean Communists." This statement is false. In "Addressing the Issues," Rev. Sparks calls for The Layman "publicly to seek the forgiveness of those they have slandered." Rev. Sparks then states as fact an "instance" of the alleged slander: "The most visible and egregious instance (mentioned in the reasons for disqualifying Williamson's ministry) was the 1989 attack on Syngman Rhee, calling him a communist dupe when he was working in [sic] for the Global Mission Ministry Unit and with the National Council of Churches for the reunification of Korea." This statement is false. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, [signature] Parker T. Williamson Editor and Chief Executive Officer

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