Some Answers to Questions about the Timetable

First off, a quick word to all of you who have contacted me recently via Facebook, email, or phone: Thanks very much for the support and encouragement (especially you who have defended me publicly even while disagreeing with me). I obviously will not be able to reply to all of you, and the replies I do give will take a while, but I just want you to know that I have read your messages and am thankful for them. I realize it will take a while to clear up all of the misunderstandings, and clean up all the mess, I have caused, but I will do my best (and yes, I do hope to respond to Carl Trueman's post soon). One of the biggest issues people have raised has to do with the timetable of events that led to my resignation. A few are under the impression that I just woke up the other day and penned my letter with little or no planning, and have asked, "Why didn't Jason talk to anyone about this first?" So I'd like to clear the air about this.
As I mentioned in my last post, I started asking questions about Sola Scriptura in mid-2008, and about Sola Fide a little while later. When it became clear that those questions weren't going away, I began having dialogues with trusted colleagues in the ministry. For a long time, my questions were just that: questions and not anywhere near settled changes of position. During this entire time, I did my best to ensure that my teaching, preaching, and interactions with people (public and private) were completely above board and that my adherence to the Westminster Standards was solid and unwavering.
(Yes, I include in this my prosecution of Leithart. I thought then, as I do now, that his views are out of accord with our Standards, and all who care to read the trial transcripts will see that my case against him was that his views are unconfessional.)
When it became clear to me that my own private study and limited dialogue partners were not sufficiently helping me, I approached my session and divulged to them my questions, whereupon they granted me a sabbatical to seek answers from theologians who may be able to help (I initially approached my session last December, and my sabbatical began this past March). I spent the greater part of the last three months flying around the country and spending many hours with men like Mike Horton, Ligon Duncan, and James White. During this time I was also meeting regularly with men from my session and presbytery, giving status updates on the progress of these meetings.
When my sabbatical was drawing to a close, it became clear to me that, despite all the challenging questions posed to me (and despite my not having airtight answers to all of them), Protestantism seemed no more true than it did when my sabbatical began. Therefore I tendered my resignation, and the rest you know.
I say all this knowing full well that it will do little to satisfy those who have called me a liar, a thief, and a wolf in sheep's clothing, and that's fine. But for those of you who have honest questions about how I have handled this whole process, I hope this will help you understand how things went down (even if you still disagree with how I have handled everything).
Lastly, I do appreciate those of you who have expressed concern for Exile Pres. For the record, its session of seven men, including a rock-solid associate pastor, has handled this with great grace and godly leadership. They all, as well as many members of the congregation, have expressed (here on my blog as well as elsewhere) their love and care for me and my family, and not a single person, whether in the church, on the session, or in the presbytery, has voiced a complaint about how I have navigated this incredibly messy situation. Yes, there is grief and sadness on their part, as well as concern and fear for me, but so far the only people who have charged me with wrongdoing are those who know absolutely nothing about the actual situation.
Now that you have the facts, you're certainly free to think I blundered this whole thing, which I may have done. But now at least your opinion can be a better-informed one.
Again, thank you for your prayers.