READING
CORRECTIONS

Topics: Confession; Honesty; Humility; Hypocrisy; Truth

References: Proverbs 28:13; Matthew 5:25–26; James 5:16

The Guardian, a major newspaper in England, has a daily column of “Corrections and Clarifications.” Edited by Ian Mayes, the column breaks the stodgy English tradition of rarely admitting error.

Sometimes done with humor at the paper’s own expense, the column averages about five corrections a day, ranging from typos and simple misspellings to substituting “ex-patriots” for “expatriates,” and “having insight” for “having incited.” Thinking that more people read the corrections than the original story, Maye began working the columns into a book of his favorite mishaps, Only Correct: The Best of Corrections and Clarifications.

If a newspaper has learned that confession expands readership rather than turns people away, perhaps individuals will catch on too. Neither newspapers nor human beings can avoid making mistakes. It is candor in admitting them and taking responsibility for them that is unique.

—Rubel Shelly, Nashville, Tennessee, from CNN.com