Matthew Murray's choice to attack and kill a number of Christians at a youth retreat and megachurch is a hot subject these days, especially to religious people, authors, theologians and philosophers, regardless of their religious beliefs. This tragic topic is certainly bound to create a religious and philosophical turmoil. However, Jason Pratt, an orthodox lay theologian and novelist, also wants to offer hope to the family of Matthew Murray and to Matthew himself, who committed suicide after being shot numerous times by a heroic security guard inside the church.

Jason Pratt addressed an open letter explaining why he offers consolation from within orthodox trinitarian Christianity. His open letter also expressly rebukes, not only the rhetoric of New Atheism and the popular anti-Christian evangelizing of author Philip Pullman (whose movie was released this past weekend), but also the Christian rhetoric and doctrines of hopelessness that they themselves are aping (and in the process critiquing).

Jason stated: "I pray that this will be of consolation to you, in this tragic and horrible time, to have someone who studies and professes and defends orthodox Christianity, which you yourselves accept and believe, assuring you that God still loves Matthew Murray, and will never give up trying to save and heal him."

The brave security guard Jeanne Assam is also comforted by Jason: "You did what was right and just, and stopped Matthew from hurting anyone further other than himself; and you even managed to do so without killing him, insofar as you could. You fought him fairly and without hatred in your heart--be comforted then that God has no hatred in His heart for Matthew Murray either, and will not abandon Matthew to his fate, but will continually seek to bring him home, reconciling him with you and with his victims and with his family, in the day of the Lord to come."

In addition, Jason addresses the families of the victims by saying: "It is only natural to grieve, and it is only natural to hate the man who has done this to you. I know how much anger and hatred I would feel, myself, if someone attacked the one whom I love the most under God. You have a deep and terrible challenge laid before you, a challenge you did not ask for, any more than your loved ones asked to face a firing gun. You can, if you choose, accept a hate and hopelessness for Matthew Murray; or you can choose to strive to actively hope for Matthew and for his sake and for the sake of those who still love him--even God. I pray that God will strengthen you and bring you peace, today or in a day to come."