Sign in

Mark Godin

@haldbeg.bsky.social
75 followers 156 following 78 posts

Wandering Presbyterian theologian. Writer of bits on bodies, literature, institutions and repentance. Scrabbles after hope in the undergrowth.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Mark Godin
Jesse Sheidlower @jessesword.com · 01/10/2026
Attention everyone I know! Perfectly accurate, no notes. (Forwarded to me; ultimate source unclear.)
Image headlined "WHAT YOUR FAVORITE OBSOLETE ENGLISH LETTER SAYS ABOUT YOU", with thumbnails of MSS focusing on thorn, eth, wynn, yogh, ash, insular G, and long S; each one has the label "You are a nerd."
14479187
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
It's hardcover publication day for A Theology of Particularity! To celebrate, here is the discount flyer again. #theology #literature
A flyer advertising a discount for a book called A Theology of Particularity: Unruly Bodies and the Stories They Carry (T&T Clark). In the top left corner is a reproduction of the cover, with a black and white photo of a person partially in shadow, the lower part of their face and top of their chest showing in the light, with Loren ipsum written on their skin. The discount code is GLR AT8 for 35% off purchases of the hardcover edition at bloomsbury.com/9781978713710
042
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This is tomorrow! If you are interested in reflecting on ways that theologians might discern bodies better, or work to amend institutional harm, or are just curious, and you are in the Toronto area, you are invited. (A recording will be made available later.) www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-theology...
eventbrite.ca
A Theology of Particularity: A Conversation with the Rev. Dr. Mark Godin
A lecture and conversation about discerning the body, the unruliness of flesh, and the stories our bodies carry.
022
Reposted by Mark Godin
alice @alicebennett.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Moodle Champions explaining how to drag and drop files into a VLE. I’ve watched Learning Technology Advocates demo mentimeter in the dark of a sparsely populated lecture theatre. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
37326
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Something about a rule. youtu.be/Brq-exSvB7Q?...
youtu.be
Tom Holland's "Umbrella" | Lip Sync Battle
YouTube video by Comedy Central Asia
010
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It has been a long time coming, and it is a little hard to believe, but the ebook of A Theology of Particularity is now out! To mark the occasion here is a flyer with a discount code for the hardcover, available on 1 October.
A flyer advertising a discount for a book called A Theology of Particularity: Unruly Bodies and the Stories They Carry (T&T Clark). In the top left corner is a reproduction of the cover, with a black and white photo of a person partially in shadow, the lower part of their face and top of their chest showing in the light, with Loren ipsum written on their skin. The discount code is GLR AT8 for 35% off purchases of the hardcover edition at bloomsbury.com/9781978713710
072
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Going to see “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma”, and my partner has just quipped, deadpan, that I am the oldest and straightest person in the theatre. Hmph.
140
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
So the first time you go to the local arthouse cinema, you should not assume that it only has one screen.
010
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The ebook is out in 8 days! And the hardcover a month after that! For anyone interested in how we think about the links between bodies and fiction and religion and theology… www.bloomsbury.com/us/theology-...
bloomsbury.com
A Theology of Particularity
This book defines a Christian theology of the body, considering the unruliness of the flesh and the stories our bodies carry.Within the Bible and religious prac…
061
Reposted by Mark Godin
Jill S @outseide.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I’m gonna open a bakery and call it ACCEPT ALL COOKIES
810517
Reposted by Mark Godin
A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Haven't watched yet, but as it has a new season let's bring over to Bluesky my cast list for Lord of the Rings using the cast of S1-3 of Ted Lasso. Let's start with an easy one: Aragorn. No fucking second breakfasts for any fucking hobbits or any other fucking muppets with this Aragorn.
Bret Goldstein as Roy Kent glares to the side.
24963233
Reposted by Mark Godin
Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com · 15/07/2026
Excessive LOLOLOLOL AI isn't like moving from horse + cart to a Ferrari It's moving into a palanquin: inefficient, a sign of conspicuous consumption from pretentious asshats, movement at the expense of and carried upon the pained backs of stolen/uncompensated labour mostly in the global South
31863251
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Some interesting thoughts on how alternate histories can prompt critical reflection on national myths and why Canadian writers often prefer imagining American histories. What does this say about the Canadian ability to examine our own myths and beliefs about history?
092
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I don’t think it’s a good sign if a bagel shrinks into itself at the touch of butter.
000
Reposted by Mark Godin
A. M. Vincent @vincent.northsky.social · 26/03/2026
Me, when students ask if they can use whatever citation style they were taught at school.
424042
Reposted by Mark Godin
A. M. Vincent @vincent.northsky.social · 15/03/2026
Sad to see the Ides of March becoming commercialised like this. I really feel like we're losing track of the true spirit of the holiday. It's not about how many knives you can stick in a tyrant all at once, it's about the whole community coming together to stab the tyrant as many times as possible.
7686432593
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
So this is really a thing, available for pre-order: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/theology-...
bloomsbury.com
A Theology of Particularity
This book defines a Christian theology of the body, considering the unruliness of the flesh and the stories our bodies carry.Within the Bible and religious prac…
031
Reposted by Mark Godin
andrea bennett (they/them) @akkabah.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Conservative MP for Powell River–North Island, Aaron Gunn, is, uh, well he’s being trolled a bit for his condemnation of land acknowledgements yesterday. Message from K’omoks, Klahoose, Homalco & Tla’amin Nations: “Chillax, bud.” #bcpoli
Aaron Gunn: If the federal government truly believes in the private property rights of Canadians, they should probably stop opening every public meeting by proclaiming the gathering on the “unceded territory” of this or that First Nation.
Doing so reinforces the radical and dangerous legal concept that most Canadians live on “stolen land”. This is Canada. One country. For all Canadians.𝗠𝗣 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙛𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝘼𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙣𝙣: “𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙭, 𝙗𝙪𝙙.” 
March 11, 2026
Chiefs from four First Nations communities are urging the public to please approach Aaron Gunn with no caution whatsoever. He is completely harmless, though momentarily unsettled by the alarming possibility that someone might acknowledge the land before a meeting.
Yesterday on social media, the MP appeared to crash out and demand to speak to the manager of land acknowledgements, a position that observers confirm does not exist.
Chiefs whose territories make up the riding had two words for the MP - Chillax, Bud. 
Land acknowledgements have never seized private property, cancelled a mortgage, repossessed a pickup truck, or altered a single title deed anywhere in Canada.
They are simply people recognizing the history of the place where they are standing.
No one is going anywhere. Canada will survive the brief moment of honesty.
Until then, Chiefs across the region continue to reassure the public that land acknowledgements have not, to date, resulted in any land back.
Hegus John Hackett, Tla’amin Nation
Chief Darren Blaney, Homalco Nation
Chief Nicole Rempel, K'ómoks Nation
Chief Kevin Peacey, Klahoose Nation
18544217
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Ouch.
000
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
An editing question where Chicago18 is letting me down. Putting albums by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in a reference list—I think it should be under N. The author of the piece has it under C. Any opinions, anyone? Thoughts @akma.bsky.social ?
230
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
I particularly like how, if you click through, you find that the toolkit turns to various other churches and organisations for many of the training resources, humbly admitting the need to listen to and learn from others. An excellent example for all of us in mainline churches.
081
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
This post demonstrates the continuing need for Christians, especially but not only Christian clergy and other leaders, to have education concerning the history and traditions of Judeophobia in Christian theology and the interpretation of sacred texts.
291
Reposted by Mark Godin
Kingfisher & Wombat @tkingfisher.com · 25/01/2026
My Catholicism is so lapsed that the Vatican has a photo of me behind the counter saying “Do not accept prayers from this woman.” Nevertheless, a lot of churches of many different denominations are doing a lot of genuinely good things! apnews.com/article/minn...
apnews.com
Thousands rally against immigration enforcement in subzero Minnesota temperatures
Police have arrested about 100 clergy who were demonstrating against immigration enforcement at Minnesota’s largest airport.
979577
Reposted by Mark Godin
Hildur Knútsdóttir @hildur.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
A very important thing for you to know about Icelandic is that the word "rassgat" (butthole) is used as an endearment about cute things. So if you say someone is "algjört rassgat" (a total butthole) it means they are VERY cute. If the cuteness is overwhelming we say "rúsínurassgat" (raisin asshole).
26627142
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Well. I guess this is a professional challenge.
Screenshot of a GIF from a Merriam-Webster post saying “Your 2026 Word: hopeful”
010
Reposted by Mark Godin
Anna Hughes 🍁 @annaghughes.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
A few months ago I got the story of a duck who aspires to curling greatness stuck in my brain and simply couldn't get it out until I did this
Drawing of a duck looking at a flier for curling lessonsduck pulling a curling stone A duck pushing a curling broomThat same duck on a podium winning first prize with a medal and crown
341915497
Reposted by Mark Godin
Solomon @solomonrmissouri.com · 30/12/2025
I have my coffee
My coffee
25791168
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
The main crimes I was faced with had to do with tastes in hymns and human nature, and both went unsolved. But for more standard mysteries: reactormag.com/an-infallibl...
reactormag.com
An Infallible Ranking of Crime-Solving Clergy - Reactor
There's a surprising amount of crossover between sleuthing and pastoral care.
000
Reposted by Mark Godin
Gautam Bhatia @gautambhatia88.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
In this week’s @strangehorizons.bsky.social, one of my favourite pieces I’ve edited this year — on orientalism from Star Trek to Game of Thrones. Photon Torpedoes Break the Space Muqarnas: SFF Audiovisuals and Anti-Muslim Violence,” by Tanvir Ahmed — strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
strangehorizons.com
Photon Torpedoes Break the Space Muqarnas: SFF Audiovisuals and Anti-Muslim Violence
Dragon fire on white bodies is sad. Dragon fire on not-Muslim bodies is cheered on the screen. We ache when the scimitar prows of not-Muslim ships cleave through a white human captain’s ship. But b…
15637
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Very interesting article on the deaf community, language and power.
040
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
When I fly back to Canada from my residence in Sweden to visit my parents, the hardest part of the trip is figuring out how I will get from Pearson International to Cambridge without a car.
140
Reposted by Mark Godin
Bruce Reyes-Chow @breyeschow.com · 12/11/2025
Why I Will Not Be Using AI to Write My Sermons: An encouragement to resist using AI for any part of your sermon writing process www.reyes-chow.com/an-ai-sermon-is-…
reyes-chow.com
Why I Will Not Be Using AI to Write My Sermons
An encouragement to resist using AI for any part of your sermon writing process
0104
Reposted by Mark Godin
Sara @sportsandsuffering.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
I regret to inform everyone that my pedantic brain couldn’t let me live until I knew whether or not dodger blue and blue jays blue are the same blue. They are ONE PANTONE NUMBER APART.
a graphic showing the pantone numbers for the two core colors of the toronto blue jays. they are skydome blue (pantone 293) and Stieb Navy (pantone 282)a hat and canvas tote with the pantone number for Dodger Blue (294 C)
1104184905
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Was following the baseball game using MLB’s live online tracker. There is something incredibly sad at the end of the 18th (!!!) inning, watching those tiny sigils, CF and 1B and C and all, wandering desultorily off the little green diamond, like a dejected alphabet wiped from a board.
020
Reposted by Mark Godin
Hannah M Strømmen @hannahmstrommen.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
My article on the use of “Render unto Caesar” to support secularism and exclude Islam is published in Critical Research on Religion (open access): doi.org/10.1177/2050...
doi.org
Rendering unto Caesar: Receptions of the Bible as a source for secularism - Hannah M Strømmen, 2025
In this article, I identify a key trend for demarcating the “secular” as a Western, Christian achievement. I analyze how the New Testament story often known as ...
066
Reposted by Mark Godin
Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 14/10/2025
9. As a species, we have figured out war to an astonishing degree. We are still working on the ability to hold peace. Real peace requires self-determination and justice. It requires trusting that differences do not make us enemies.
117519
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Ruin a book with a car: The Lada of the Rings
010
Reposted by Mark Godin
Janel Comeau 🍁 @verybadllama.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
thought the worst thing would be going about daily life while everyone just ignores the collapse of society but it turns out the actual worst thing is having 27 conversations per day that go “did you see the news alert? yeah, bleak times we live in. anyway, can you get this to me by Friday?”
322622
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
Ruin a song by adding the word “literally” to the title: New Orleans is Literally Sinking
142
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
Dessert mode: ACTIVATE! Best pie: Shoofly Best ice cream: Chocolate star anise Best doughnut: the kind my mom used to make by deep frying sometimes Best bar: salt caramel brownies Best cake: Pistachio rose Best other: maple butter tarts
100
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
vajra.me/2025/08/31/p... “We are at home in the body, but that homeliness makes us parochial. What is required of us is a practice of empathy that is deeply inhuman and unheimlich: to care about every one of us as if they were someone we loved.”
vajra.me
Persons of Story
A review of KATHAPURUSHAN (1995), and some thoughts on personhood, of story and otherwise.
000
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
For the second time this week, a magpie has flown to the sill outside my study window and knocked with its beak, then paced noisily before leaving. What story am I being invited/dragged into?
000
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
“It’s not overly dramatic to say that we risk losing the capacity for cultures to understand one another better if we’re all simply feeding output into each other’s automated translation systems.” www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/ai-killed-... By @bcmerchant.bsky.social‬
bloodinthemachine.com
AI Killed My Job: Translators
Few industries have been hit by AI as hard as translation. Rates are plummeting. Work is drying up. Translators are considering abandoning the field, or bankruptcy. These are their stories.
010
Reposted by Mark Godin
Brian Merchant @bcmerchant.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
Many translators paint a picture of how, despite there being no revolutionary advance in automating translation, the floor began to fall out from the industry around 2023. OpenAI, it seemed, made 'good enough' translations acceptable, and demand for quality work evaporated.
427248
Reposted by Mark Godin
Chuck Tingle @chucktingle.bsky.social · 20/07/2025
so i personally think healthy gratitude practice is not a denial of the pain on this timeline it is an acknowledgment. it is not an invitation to sit back because everything is just fine, it is a CALL to step up and help when you are in the position to. to CHOOSE kindness and service
116914
Mark Godin @haldbeg.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
This looks like a wonderful resource for gardeners in Canada. If only there were something similar for Sweden…
010
Reposted by Mark Godin
Samuel Moore @samuelmoore.org · 17/06/2025
'“I don't think that people appreciate how few people are working to keep these collections online, even at huge institutions,” Weinberg told me. “It's usually an incredibly small team, one person, half a person, half a person, plus, like their web person who is sympathetic to what's going on.'
404media.co
AI Scraping Bots Are Breaking Open Libraries, Archives, and Museums
"This is a moment where that community feels collectively under threat and isn't sure what the process is for solving the problem.”
3473228
Reposted by Mark Godin
A. M. Vincent @vincent.northsky.social · 18/06/2025
Nobody knows how this ends. Nobody knows what’s going to matter and what isn’t, in the end. Nobody’s even going to be able to agree on when the end is. That’s not Living In Unprecedented Times, that’s just living, period.
172