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David R. Bains

@drbains.bsky.social
439 followers 326 following 107 posts

Historian of religion in America and of Christian worship at Samford U. | Editor of magiccityreligion.org, an undergraduate-written site on religion in Birmingham, AL | Studies religion in D.C. | Blog at chasingchurches.org. | Displaced Virginian.

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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
That was a hard pivot to 3 ships! #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
"'worship' him, also" :) #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Great drama here with the wise men reading. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Wise choices on the organ for "slew the little children" #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Nice slow ending to the Lamb. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Another great reading, love the brightness of "together" #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
This is true. #9lc
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Edward Jensen @edwardjensen.net · 24/12/2025
This is the proper tune for "It came upon the midnight clear" and I will fight you otherwise. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
No one is going to say they could not hear this chorister read! Forceful! #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
unusual for such a reflective carol before the first lesson, I think. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
The dean is reading the bidding prayer at a good clip, until he gets to those to remember. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
When I grew up, Protestant clergy could be styled “the Reverend James John” in formal address but in every day direct address and reference were called “Mr. John.” Why can’t we just do that? Why must it now be “Pastor John,” “the Reverend John,” or even “Father John”?
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Ben Rosen @benrosen.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
1977: why would the bartender in star wars even care if some robots with artificial intelligence came into his bar 2025: ohhh ok
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Check out our new set of essays on worship in Birmingham, AL, by Samford University students magiccityreligion.org/2025/06/16/c...
magiccityreligion.org
Christian Worship in Birmingham, Alabama: Byzantine, Charismatic, and Much in between
By David R. Bains, founder and editor of Magic City Religion What does Christain worship look like in Birmingham, Alabama? In spring 2025, students in my Christian Worship: History and Theology cou…
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Yell In a War @jelenawoehr.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
remember, the blitzkrieg is intended to make you feel like there is nothing you can do about it; that’s the only reason to go forward in this haphazard and sloppy manner all in the first week and the choice of that strategy tells you they are afraid you *will* do something about it
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
I'm very grateful to these clergy: Baptist, Disciples, Roman Catholic for joining us at Samford University to discuss the eucharist this morning!
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Very well written article on Bishop Budde and her sermon www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/u...
nytimes.com
The Bishop Who Pleaded With Trump: ‘Was Anyone Going to Say Anything?’ (Gift Article)
Bishop Budde locked eyes with President Trump and made a plea for mercy — and the war over spiritual authority in America was ignited anew.
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Diana Butler Bass @dianabutlerbass.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
You’ve certainly seen the controversy and cruelty over the last three minutes of this sermon. But watch the entire thing. It is less than 15 minutes. You'll be inspired and strengthened for theological and spiritual resistance. The First Sermon open.substack.com/pub/dianabut...
open.substack.com
The First Sermon
The parts you probably didn't hear
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
I'm looking foward to convening this discussion tomorrow. Thanks to our panelists for agreeing to participate!
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Bill Motz @billmotz.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Can you imagine the courage it took to preach this message directly to the president? This is what a follower of Jesus looks like. (Partial transcript below.)
youtu.be
1.21.25 Homily by The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde
YouTube video by Washington National Cathedral
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
The rise of non-denominational Protestants has certainly changed the context in which I teach. But I find that most of them don't even know they are Protestants. They just think they are non-denominational Christians.
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
The official schedule has the Carter family boarding the plane for Georgia in 13 minutes, but President Biden just started his eulogy. Clearly the schedule underestimated the length of this funeral. #carter
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/News/Article...
jtfncr.mdw.army.mil
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
At President Bush's funeral four years ago, President Trump made news by remaining silent during the recitation of the Apostle's Creed. Carter's funeral today will not include it. #carter 1/x chasingchurches.org/2018/12/06/a...
chasingchurches.org
The Apostles’ Creed Has a Big Day, Thanks to the Trumps’ Silence.
Besides giving Trump critics another opportunity to denounce him, the online discussion involved a number of interesting points about the creed.
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
The spaces and logistics are different. But do British state funerals, ever involve this long awkward silences? Mind you awkward silences are appropriate at funerals. #carter #statefuneral
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 04/01/2025
The role of the cathedral and First Baptist Church in President Carter's funeral. chasingchurches.org/2025/01/04/w...
chasingchurches.org
Why President Carter’s Funeral is at Washington National Cathedral
In a brief essay posted last week I noted some of the reasons why Washington’s Episcopal cathedral had become the accustomed place for presidential funerals, even for those, like Jimmy Carter…
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
chasingchurches.org/2024/12/29/t...
chasingchurches.org
The Burial of Presidents and Washington National Cathedral
The burial of presidents helped build Washington National Cathedral, but Carter’s will be the first funeral of a Democratic president there in 100 years.
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
chasingchurches.org/2024/12/29/j...
chasingchurches.org
Jimmy Carter at Samford University
Jimmy Carter spoken on Samford University’s campus twice. Once in 1975 when he was governor of Georgia and again after his presidency in 1984 when he was hosted by Cumberland School of Law.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
I’ve always thought of Jimmy Carter and Herbert Hoover as twin spirits. Two of the smartest men to become president; two of the most politically tone deaf, too. And both were driven by their faith to give back to the public, though Hoover’s good work all came *before* entering politics.
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Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
Jimmy Carter is a hero of the renewable energy revolution, and if we’d listened to him we could have gotten where we are now decades earlier.
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Bob Smietana @bmietana.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
Carter was the ironically the first president to make evangelical a political powerhouse and inadvertently launched the religious right. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
washingtonpost.com
Jimmy Carter, 39th president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 100, his son says
The tenacious Southerner was turned out of office after one term. But he had a brilliant post-presidential career as a champion of health, peace and democracy.
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
Will there be a church funeral for President Carter in DC, and if there is will it be at First Baptist Church or Washington National Cathedral? #carter
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 28/12/2024
OpenAI doesn't report a single number for its climate impacts - not anywhere, in any way, shape or form. It sounds kind of obvious but the fact that a company with such incredible electricity hunger isn't disclosing basic information about its energy consumption and associated emissions is v bad..
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 28/12/2024
A tour of one of the roads in my hometown with lots of churches: Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Lutherans (LCMS) built these (plus the site of one of the first Anglican parishes in the U.S.) chasingchurches.org/2024/12/21/k... #churches
chasingchurches.org
Kecoughtan Road Churches (Hampton, Virginia). Part 1
From Downtown Hampton, Virginia, to the Newport News city line, US-60 follows Kecoughtan Road. (Pronounced Kick-uh-TAN.) Opened as the first hard-surface road between Hampton and Newport News in 19…
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Love that Hyde makes them sing all the stanzas. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
May-gi? #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Yes, and I rather liked it. — But I’ve never sung in a choir with the chord. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
The vice-provost is doing an excellent job with this Matthew reading. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Where is he who is born king of the Jews? — Way to express that question mark! #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Loved that 3 ships #9lc
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georgeanne elisabeth @georgeanne.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
excellent representation of "angels praising" with a cacophony of voices singing #9LC
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Absolutely! It is not done enough.
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Sarah Lawton @sarahelawton.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
(for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind) - relatable #9LC
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
It is the deputy mayor who gets to read the lesson about taxation. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Rutter is what I was raised on in my Methodist youth choir in the 80s (along with Handel and much other stuff). Always very grateful for it and happy to hear it. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Indeed.
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
this American prefers this tune. #9lc
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Kathleen Kelly @kathleenkellymusic.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
a lil shapenotey vibe from this Machon hey #9LC
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Thou, hast obeyed, my voice. —love it. #9lc
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David R. Bains @drbains.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
“She gave me of the and I did eat” — I love the way he is hitting these words. #9lc
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