Constantine Enters Rome, Peter Paul Reubens, 1621 (Wikimedia Commons). Beginning Saturday, I'll be auditing an online Church History Survey course offered by the Central/Southern Illinois Synod, ELCA. In addition to our assigned readings by Justo L. González listed below, we're assigned to write a one-page reflection paper on what we read. The prompt says: "While … Continue reading What do Constantine and the 4th-century Byzantine church councils tell us about the separation of church and state today?
Money changers in the temple? Justice Alito’s leaks show dangers of too-cozy relationships between church, state
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN_TcmU1-k4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN_TcmU1-k4 [Roger] Williams described the true church as a magnificent garden, unsullied and pure, resonant of Eden. The world he described as “the Wilderness,” a word with personal resonance for him. Then he used for the first time a phrase he would use again, a phrase that although not commonly attributed to him has … Continue reading Money changers in the temple? Justice Alito’s leaks show dangers of too-cozy relationships between church, state
The score when Nixon spoke at a Billy Graham crusade at UT-Knoxville: Lions 0; Christians 1; First Amendment -1
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/President_Richard_Nixon_and_Reverend_Billy_Graham_at_the_Podium_during_the_%22Crusade_for_Christ%22_at_Neyland_Stadium_in_Knoxville%2C_Tennessee.jpg Nixon and Billy Graham, UT-Knoxville, 1970 (Wikimedia Commons) “[Roger Williams] described the true church as a magnificent garden, unsullied and pure, resonant of Eden. The world he described as “the Wilderness,” a word with personal resonance for him. Then he used for the first time a phrase he would use again, a phrase that … Continue reading The score when Nixon spoke at a Billy Graham crusade at UT-Knoxville: Lions 0; Christians 1; First Amendment -1
‘What am I doing for Christ?’: An Ignatian triple colloquy F2F with Jesus via Zoom
Third in an occasional series of Ignatian colloquies ... Christ Pantocrator, Haiga Sophia, Istanbul, ca. 1080-1100 (Wikimedia Commons) Editor's (admin's) note. One of a series of posts in which I journal my attempts to incorporate Jesuit imaginative prayer exercises into my own prayer life. In today's, I try what is often known as the triple … Continue reading ‘What am I doing for Christ?’: An Ignatian triple colloquy F2F with Jesus via Zoom
Notes & quotes: Alito’s speech on First Amendment rights, free exercise clause at Notre Dame event in Rome
Content advisory: The speaker pictured in the video below is not Justice Samuel Alito but another political figure who shares a similar ideology. The video is embedded to share remarks by Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee, regarding Alito's speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kht_3z3hrQs Amanda Tyler's remarks begin at 4:20. More than a year ago … Continue reading Notes & quotes: Alito’s speech on First Amendment rights, free exercise clause at Notre Dame event in Rome
What can Roger Williams and Swedish Lutherans of the 1850s tell us about the culture wars? A research proposal
Alonzo Chappel, "Landing of Roger Williams," 1857 (Wikimedia Commons) “I have to write to discover what I am doing. Like the old lady, I don't know so well what I think until I see what I say; then I have to say it again.”― Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor, quoted in Goodreads. … Continue reading What can Roger Williams and Swedish Lutherans of the 1850s tell us about the culture wars? A research proposal
Book-burning white evangelical pastor in Middle Tennessee proves: Religion plus extremist politics equals extremist politics
[Roger] Williams described the true church as a magnificent garden, unsullied and pure, resonant of Eden. The world he described as “the Wilderness,” a word with personal resonance for him. Then he used for the first time a phrase he would use again, a phrase that although not commonly attributed to him has echoed through … Continue reading Book-burning white evangelical pastor in Middle Tennessee proves: Religion plus extremist politics equals extremist politics
For the futures file? Another look at ‘Swedes in Roger Williams’ Garden’ in light of new circumstances
d r a f t In memoriam, Oley the Cat, ca. 2006-March 13, 2022. LTK Seems like the tectonic plates are shifting again, in my life and in the world at large ... In ways that may give a new context for my study of the church-planting stage of Swedish-American immigration and the foundation of … Continue reading For the futures file? Another look at ‘Swedes in Roger Williams’ Garden’ in light of new circumstances
19th-century Swedes in Roger Williams’ Garden: Applying a Japanese discernment concept to a historical research project
With an awkward footnote preserving a middle-of-the-night scratch outline on how to further revise my ALPLM paper 'Swedes in Roger Williams' Garden: Acculturation in Immigrant Churches, 1848-1860.' A useful discernment or decision-making technique I learned in a class for Dominican lay associate candidates -- it's called ikigai, and I wish I'd known about it when … Continue reading 19th-century Swedes in Roger Williams’ Garden: Applying a Japanese discernment concept to a historical research project
Baptist video shows Roger Williams, other religious figures in colonial America
d r a f t https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut10jVFZDQw Segment on Roger Williams begins at 20:20, runs about 10 minutes ... Blurb on YouTube is as follows: Saints and Strangers addresses religious influences from the time of the Mayflower to the Great Awakening, from Plymouth Rock to the War of Independence. It examines the groups of the faithful … Continue reading Baptist video shows Roger Williams, other religious figures in colonial America
A dissent on the ‘assertion of imaginary freedoms’ in Trump’s Supreme Court, by an English major turned jailhouse lawyer and armchair historian
“It was all Mrs. Bumble. She would do it," urged Mr. Bumble; first looking round, to ascertain that his partner had left the room.That is no excuse," returned Mr. Brownlow. "You were present on the occasion of the destruction of these trinkets, and, indeed, are the more guilty of the two, in the eye of … Continue reading A dissent on the ‘assertion of imaginary freedoms’ in Trump’s Supreme Court, by an English major turned jailhouse lawyer and armchair historian
‘Swedes in Roger Williams Garden’: Main outline and links
D R A F T Working title: Swedes in Roger Williams’ Garden: Church, State and Community in Swedish Immigrant Churches, 1848-1860 Link here for earlier outlines and notes HERE for Oct. 23-Jan. 24HERE for Jan. 25-April 7 ** INSERT A (Dec. 17, 2021): ** Scratch outline, from notes I jotted down at 3:57 a.m. during a midnight snack, on … Continue reading ‘Swedes in Roger Williams Garden’: Main outline and links
17th-century Arabic coins suggest presence of pirates, slavers in colonial Rhode Island
[Also: cite to Bejean, Roberts, Barry -- case of Richard Chasmore ...] William J. Cole, "Ancient coins may solve mystery of murderous 1600s pirate," Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/ancient-coins-may-solve-mystery-1600s-pirate-f5a6151b74e0dcf96de585eab451f90c Excerpts: “It’s a new history of a nearly perfect crime,” said Jim Bailey, an amateur historian and metal detectorist who found the first intact 17th-century Arabian coin in … Continue reading 17th-century Arabic coins suggest presence of pirates, slavers in colonial Rhode Island
Notes & quotes: Nixon’s visit to UT-Knoxville in 1970
d r a f t https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/President_Richard_Nixon_and_Reverend_Billy_Graham_at_the_Podium_during_the_%22Crusade_for_Christ%22_at_Neyland_Stadium_in_Knoxville%2C_Tennessee.jpg Nixon at Billy Graham Crusade, UT-Knoxville, 1970 (Wikimedia Commons) “[Roger Williams] described the true church as a magnificent garden, unsullied and pure, resonant of Eden. The world he described as “the Wilderness,” a word with personal resonance for him. Then he used for the first time a phrase he … Continue reading Notes & quotes: Nixon’s visit to UT-Knoxville in 1970
Ordinary Time 
