iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

College: REAL ID is all you need. College: if you don’t have “REAL ID” you have to provide proof of citizenship. College: no, your birth certificate cannot be used to verify your citizenship. Easier if you just get a REAL ID. DMV: bring your birth certificate to get a REAL ID. 🙄

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

A couple years ago, I came across David Cecelski’s website. He’s an historian who studies NC, especially eastern NC where I grew up. I’ve been surprised to learn how significant my hometown (Plymouth) and nearby areas were to the civil rights movement. davidcecelski.com/2026/03/05/r...

davidcecelski.com

Reflections on Teaching the History of the White Supremacy Movement of 1898-1900

A few weeks ago, I gave a lecture at Duke Law School on the history of the white supremacy movement of 1898-1900 and how it shaped our political system, our society, and our legal system here in No…

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

I work with men who are in prison, and I’m constantly trying to understand my responsibility to them in terms of their own desires to recover their lives and move forward in a positive direction. Rereading bell hooks, this line resonates:

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

George Floyd and Charlie Kirk shared the same birthday. Floyd’s murder by police reminds me how much work remains in pursuit of “liberty and justice for all.” Charlie’s life reminds me that so many stand in opposition to liberty and justice and baptize their opposition in religious language.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

“When Jesus talked about the lost, he was talking to bitterly divided groups of people.” Oppressors and oppressed—the people in the crowd were and had been both victims and offenders at various times. Each of them needed to recover wholeness, first within themselves, then among one another.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

“A life of faith is a life of unlearning our certainty… Life with Jesus is learning to see as Jesus sees. And here's the thing: On the Jesus Way, sight precedes salvation … And seeing, we enter into the kingdom, stunned to realize it is already in our midst.” K H Murphy @broadleafbooks.bsky.social

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

To all the school students complaining “why do I have to learn this? I’m never gonna use it” You might be president one day, and we’re gonna need you to know some stuff.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

@PayTelComm advertises itself as an ethical company that invests in “restorative initiatives,” but as soon as @FCC caved to the sheriffs and backed out of its 2024 ruling, PayTel doubled the cost of phone calls for incarcerated people. Integrity has a price, I guess.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

One thing that bothers me about the pardons is that I work everyday with men incarcerated for far less. Last week, a man who completed our program was denied a job, not because he wasn’t qualified, because he has 6 mos of supervised release.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

If Jesus asked the marginalized to vouch for me, would they? (A thought from Brandon McCoy’s sermon yesterday).

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Church denominations and statements of belief are helpful. They let you know who’s not welcome.

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Reposted by Jonathan Branch

Sojourners @sojo.net · 03/01/2025

“I didn’t want to be a preacher or a priest, but once you find your voice, you become that no matter what.”

buff.ly

Meet the Street Artist Who Calls His Work Church

“I didn’t want to be a preacher or a priest, but once you find your voice, you become that no matter what.”

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Reposted by Jonathan Branch

NakedPastor @nakedpastor.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

My “The Holy Family” print.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Okay, I’m sure this conversation already happened a couple years ago, but Spirited—the Will Ferrell Christmas movie… Just watched it tonight for the first time.

media.tenor.com

a woman sitting at a table with a cup of coffee and a sign that says hallelujer on it

ALT: a woman sitting at a table with a cup of coffee and a sign that says hallelujer on it

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Tonight, someone—who knows the work I do—said they didn’t know I was a Christian. All things considered, I chose to take that as a compliment.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

If you’re looking to financially support the work of justice and restoration as a way of giving thanks this season, please consider supporting Amazing Journey Inc. If you want to know more about what they do, message me. www.facebook.com/share/p/1AXu...?

facebook.com

Redirecting...

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I run a reentry program at my county’s detention center; working on a few restorative justice initiatives. Last night, we had a brief conversation about justice, difference between punitive and restorative. Then we watched the Hollow Water doc. (Addresses sexual assault) www.nfb.ca/film/hollow_...

nfb.ca

Hollow Water

This documentary profiles the tiny Ojibway community of Hollow Water on the shores of Lake Winnipeg as they deal with an epidemic of sexual abuse in their midst. …

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

I’ve found it helpful lately to remember that American evangelicalism is just one, relatively modern expression of Christianity, a mere footnote in the long history of those who have followed after Jesus.

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Reposted by Jonathan Branch

David Dark @daviddark.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

God sees everything money hides.

Justice Clarence Thomas places face in hand.

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Reposted by Jonathan Branch

Mathew Voth 🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸🏳️‍🌈 @mathewvoth.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Especially relevant for anyone whose church has forsaken Jesus and followed after Trump.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Oh god, this is right up the road from me. Anybody called this guy?

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Welp, looks like conspiracy trolls have come along, too.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

After we get the rest we need, let’s work in solidarity with each other — especially with those in the most-vulnerable situations — to make sure we can look back and say with confidence that by faith we co-labored with God and each other… sojo.net/articles/opi...

sojo.net

The Road Ahead Will Test Us. We Start By Accepting Trump’s Win

If we want a more just future, people of faith must resist siren songs of violence, conspiracy theory, and anti-democratic methods.

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Love is the protest. (Jars of Clay)

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

“The answer’s simple: Live right, Speak the truth, Despise exploitation, Refuse bribes, Reject violence, Avoid evil amusements. This is how you raise your standard of living.” Is. 33:15-16

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Jonathan Branch @jonathanbranch.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

A line of peace might appear if we restructured the sentence our lives are making, revoked it’s reaffirmation of profit and power, questioned our needs, allowed long pauses… A cadence of peace might balance its weight on that different fulcrum. - D Levertov

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