Conservatives, Republicans and commentators on the right have been fond – for decades – of claiming that they are the true American patriots. Donald Trump (our President who is also a convicted felon, has been impeached twice, has been indicted in three other jurisdictions, and has been found liable for sexual assault) has followed in […]
Celebrating America’s 250th in Concord: Implications for the Trump 2.0 Era
As the United States gears up for our 250th anniversary in 2026, we should remember that the official start of our Revolution took place in Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, in April 1775. By exploring our historic roots, we can draw inspiration and lessons for how to survive the Trump 2.0 Administration. There are pitfalls and […]
Unnamed Women in the Christian Testament: Celebrating the Contributions of the Invisible
In earlier posts, we have highlighted women whose names and some of their roles in the Jesus movement we know, many of whom have long been ignored in the history of New (Christian) Testament scholarship (and Sunday School stories): women from Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 16 (the apostle Junia, the deacon Phoebe, the […]
Let’s Discuss Evil
Evil is a huge topic, but since some influential figures on the American right have been using the term more frequently lately to describe those on the left, it’s important to look at the word in our current political context. The straight white man who has been appointed by President Trump as Deputy Director of […]
The Democracy Coalition Fighting Back – and How the Rest of Us Can Help
Millions of Americans are in an uproar over the “chainsaw” that the Trump Administration has taken not only to federal departments and employees but also to the Constitution and the rule of law. Lawmakers all over the country are fielding thousands of calls asking their Senators and Representatives to “do something” to stop the carnage. […]
Good News from the Baltic Nations
While recent national elections in the United States and some other democracies have taken a turn toward the right and authoritarianism, three nations that were once part of the Soviet Union are cutting ties with Russia and its ally Belarus in a courageous, significant way. As of February 8, 2025, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have […]
Bishop Mary
In several earlier posts, we have examined women who were leaders in the early Jesus movement – thus disproving the traditional argument of many Christian denominations that women could not (and therefore cannot) serve as leaders. We have shown how many anti-women assertions in the New (Christian) Testament of the Bible that have long been […]
What Americans Need to Know about Stephen Miller
As we noted earlier, the people with whom a President surrounds himself (so far, sadly, “herself” does not apply in the US…) tell us a great deal about that President. The American people have seen Stephen Miller before in the Trump Administration, as Senior Adviser/Advisor, 2017-2021. Miller is proud to have helped orchestrate some of […]
Supporting Trump’s Targets
President-elect Donald Trump – convicted felon and psychopath – has made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on scores of people whom he deems his enemies, people in many professions and fields who have only been doing their jobs but who could become potential targets for investigation or worse. While Trump is often […]
Resistance in the Trump 2.0 Era
In World War II, with the Nazi menace threatening the entire world, civilians as well as armed bands of partisans and guerrilla fighters worked – usually secretly and at great peril to their safety – to thwart the Nazis in German-occupied France and elsewhere. Understanding that a win by Nazi Germany would be dire for […]