THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS
A Public Response to Brian Schwertley
by Greg Loren Durand

Exhibit I:
Corey Graff's 22 October 2007 E-Mail to Brian Schwertley

From: Corey Graff
To: Brian Schwertley
Cc: Crown Rights Book Company
Subject: Greg Durand and Judicial Warfare
Date: 22 Oct 2007 19:56:39

October 22, 2007

To: Brian Schwertley
Re: Judicial Law series, Parts 1-8

Dear Brian,

This note is to bring to your attention the fact that I am acting as a witness on behalf of Mr. Greg Loren Durand, author of Judicial Warfare, The Christian Reconstruction Movement and its Blueprints for Dominion, per Matthew 18.

It saddens me to say that your criticisms of Mr. Durand's views in your recent sermon series on the judicial law (sermonaudio.com) were intellectually dishonest. As you know, I have read Durand's work and am convinced that the book articulates the biblical and reformed view of the judicial law's application today — and represents a cogent critique of the modern reconstruction movement.

But let's forget about my views. My greater immediate concern is the manner in which you have treated — that is, misrepresented — Durand in your public comments. Thus far, you have not dealt with the issues Mr. Durand has raised in his book but have mischaracterized him and attacked a strawman. On the one hand, I remain unimpressed: While considering membership at the [then] Manawa CRPC, I had tried to discuss these issues with you patiently but did not see a cogent response. In fact, I found the teaching on this issue to be in a state of total confusion. On the other hand, while I believe the issues themselves are serious, my overriding concern at the time was the manner in which things were handled.

More recently, your series on the Judicial Law was a good opportunity for you to clarify your position and even attempt to refute Mr. Durand if you saw it fit to do so. But you didn't refute Durand; you instead maligned a good man with inaccurate labels such as "natural law antinomian" and "rogue theologian" which seem to me to be immature and unbecoming of a Christian pastor. This behavior crosses the line. You are free to discuss Mr. Durand's work in your sermons but I do not believe you have license to treat a fellow Christian and fellow author in such a manner.

I am also concerned about the folks who had to sit through your recent diatribe: I suspect many of them have either no or limited exposure or context to these issues or Durand's views — not to mention all the good that Durand is doing by republishing hard-to-find works. Falsely informing your congregation that someone is advocating a throwing out of the Ten Commandments — when such is most definitely not the case — is bearing false witness against that person while at the same time misleading your congregation, insulting their intelligence and undermining their trust. I fail to see how this could have been helpful or edifying for anyone, but for the time being my concern is for the damage done to Mr. Durand.

Durand has forwarded to you a document (subtitled, "History of the Controversy") which details a short list of your misrepresentations. I urge you to do the right Christian thing by retracting and correcting the specific misrepresentations of Greg Durand's position, which he has brought to your attention.

I look forward to you correcting these wrongs and dealing with the issues going forward.

Sincerely,
Corey Graff
Graff Communications
New London, WI 54961