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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Golden Ahmed al Ahmed, Muslim, shot several times, said he would do it again. He put his life in danger so that others would live. Did he know the others were Jewish? Likely. But that was not his motivation - nor should it - rather he saw a need, then he responded. Christians, let's be like Ahmed.

Ahmed al Ahmed, wounded saving the life of others, resting in a hospital bed, awaiting additional medical care.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Metrical Psalter For those who like or would like to sing the Psalms to the hymns of the church, Julie and Timothy Tennent have developed an excellent Psalter. The Psalter is a blessing to this person. More information in the ALT text.

The cover of "A Metrical Psalter: The Book of Psalms Set to Meter for Singing" by Julie and Timothy Tennent.

The Psalter has hymn tune suggestions for each psalm (and a section with hymn tune notes and guitar chords) and a webpage that displays the each psalm and plays the hymn tune options for each free of charge. The Psalter and tunes are located at seedbed.com. The Psalter is available as a hardback book or in PDF or E-PUB format or enjoyed free online.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Preying Upon the Psalms Reading Praying the Psalms in memory of Brueggemann, I set it aside for a few minutes and upon my return I noticed my furry friend left a review of the work: "Although a short work, I found much to chew on." Walter, you left a legacy beyond your imagination. RIP, my friend.

Praying the Psalms, a short work, provides much to chew upon.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Pope Francis: One for the Ages A kind man with a profound faith and message gone too soon from a world struggling and needing to understand the wisdom he shared.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Humility Religion functioning as power jettisons its humble character but when it operates as humility one's openness to others releases transformational power that broadens acceptance thus creating conditions for the restoration of the broken places of humanity.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Extraordinary Scholar of American Religion Mourning the passing of Martin Marty, a scholar of American religion with very few peers and arguably the dean of said historians. A life well lived.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Voces 8: Lux Fighting the good fight requires self-care in order to sustain resistance to forces that reduce and distort the human experience. #Voces_8's Lux is music that refreshes the soul and renews one's spirit for engagement.

The front and back of Voces 8 Lux audio CD.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

God's Ghostwriters A very interesting book, God's Ghostwriters by Candida Moss, #Theology professor at the University of Birmingham, concerning #EnslavedPeople in the development of the #NewTestament. The insights from this writing contribute to an understanding of early #Christian origins.

The cover of God's ghostwriters: Enslaved Christians and the making of the Bible.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

Christmas with Voces 8 Nice #Music for enjoying the #Christmas #Holidays, #Voces8.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Creativity Three books that redefine #God in a manner that speaks to our time and the challenges it represents. #GordonKaufman (1925-2011) #Mennonite #Minister, #Theologian, and #Harvard professor challenges us to reconceive God as #Creativity, it a deep #Mystery manifest in the #World.

The cover of "In face of mystery: A constructive theology" by Gordon D. Kaufman.

The cover of "In the beginning ... Creativity" by Gordon D. Kaufman.

The cover of "Jesus and Creativity" by Gordon D. Kaufman.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Under Their Thumb #Jesus' #Disciples inquired about becoming great and were instructed that such required #Humility and being of #Service to #Others. #ChristianNationalism revised his teachings, preferring instead to attain greatness via the accrural of #Power for the #Domination of others.

Person being pressed down by a giant thumb upon the head.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Paging Amos #Trump is assembling a #Cabinet and an assortment of #Advisors that are extraordinarily wealthy and appear to prefer policies that benefit the wealthy, demonstrating little interest toward #Policy for and the needs of #MiddleClass and #Poor individuals. Might Amos have a word?

Painting of Amos and dog by James Tissot. Amos is holding a walking stick in his right hand and his left arm is extended parallel to his shoulder as is his index finger pointing to the left. A dog is facing foward as is Amos.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Down #Anti-intellectualism rampant among #GOP #Evangelical #Christians is alarming, especially given its influence on #Policy. Whether it be about the dismissal of critical methods for the study of #Scripture or the advance and findings of #Science, the low regard attenuates #Well-being.

A cartoon drawing of an elephant representing GOP that os stuck in a pit representing anti-intellectualism.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Needin' Sumpin? For the Blues and the Reds uplift and humility: Theo of Golden. The book will inspire, anger, uplift, give pause, and put a lump in the throat. From pride, brokeness, sorrow, to renewal, community, and redemption; a better way after all else leaves one wanting. The wanting.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Christian Nationalism: A Continuing Threat Adding to the growing #Literature on #ChristianNationalism are two recent publications. The #Movement is a growing threat to #ReligiousFreedom, #SeparationOfChurchAndState, and #Democracy.

Covers of two recent publications on Christian Nationalism. The cover on the left is for "The violent take it by force" by Matthew D. Taylor and on the right is for "How to end Christian Nationalism." Taylor is a scholar of religious studies at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Baltimore. Tyler is the Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington DC.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Lookin' for a Baptist When we feel a bit superior to those we decry for whatever reason we need to be reminded #God loves us all, regardless and completely. If we retain humility and love for God's #InclusiveCommunity, it can be said a #Baptist has been found. We baptists would do well to remember.

Cover of The Glad River, a novel by Will D. Campbell, author of Brother to a Dragonfly. On the cover is a drawing of three men in a small boat, all facing forward. Two men are seated and the third is standing in the back using a pole to propel and guide the boat forward.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

The Glad River by Will Campbell.

Cover of The Glad River. A novel by Will D. Campbell, author of Brother to a Dragonfly. The cover has a drawing of three men in a small boat, two of which are seated and facing forward and the third person standing in the back using a pole to propel and guide the boat forward.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

An Unequal Yoke #ChristianNationalism advocates #Authoritarianism and #Dominionism thus it cannot in any meaningful way advocate for #SoulCompetency, #LibertyOfConscience, #SeparationOfChurchAndState, and the #PriesthoodOfTheBeliever. It is a woefully inadequate system of belief for a #Baptist.

Christian Nationalism's advocacy for authoritarianism and dominionism - associated with the check mark - is inadquate for the advocacy of soul competency, liberty of conscience, separation of church and state, and the priesthood of the believer - the latter four associated with an X to indicate incompatibility of bedrock baptist principles with Christian Nationalism.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

NRSV Updated Edition Two relatively inexpensive hardback options of the updated edition of the NRSV, with or without the Apocrypha, include a study #Bible by the #SocietyofBiblicalLiterature and #CambridgePress. #NRSVue #SBL

Cover of SBL NRSVUE Study Bible on left and Cover of the Cambridge NRSVue Bible on the right. Both are hardback editions and include the Apocrypha.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

#Measurement Issue An open-access article (front page is below) on response categories for self-report measures is helpful for those doing survey work about #religion and wishing to ensure the validity and reliability of the scales in use. Link: journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1... #Methodology

First page of article titled "Does the number of response categories impact validity evidence in self-report measures? A scoping review. A link is provided for the article.

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bapticus @bapticus.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

Ancient Christianities For those following the scholarship of #PaulaFredriksen, a treat awaits with her newest book #AncientChristianities: The First Five Hundred Years (Princeton University Press). #Christianity #Religion #Theology #ChurchHistory #History

The cover of Fredriksen's Ancient Christianities book. It is a mosaic of Christ treading the beasts in the Chapel of Saint Andrew in Ravenna, Italy. Christ with a halo is holding scripture in his left hand and the cross with the right, the cross resting on his shoulders. Below his left foot is upon the head of a viper and his right foot upon the head of a lion. Behind him are hills representing Palestine.

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