iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 03/05/2026

Five years of PhD work summarized in about a minute — but a lifetime of preparation!

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 25/04/2026

Website updated around my work on education and religion. More to come. www.jonsawyer.org

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 20/04/2026

Grateful to @edweek.org for including my piece on conversion “therapy” in this morning’s newsletter. The implications are stark. www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 18/04/2026

Honored that the largest news outlet tailored to education published my piece about the Supreme Court’s decision on conversion therapy. I try to avoid the partisanship of today’s court discourse, while not compromising the passion I feel. Let me know what you think. www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 30/03/2026

Many thanks, to all, for your kind congratulations. For those who were asking, the title is “Negotiating Faith: Catholic Educators on LGBTQ+ Personhood.” I am a scholar of American education — w/ focus on religion, policy and law, & LGBTQ+ topics. Abstract attached.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 26/03/2026

I successfully defended my PhD dissertation today at the University of Colorado Boulder. Sincerely, Dr. Jonathon E. Sawyer

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 10/07/2025

I shall henceforth think about everything we are witnessing around Christian nationalism, policy and the law as the “puritan mistake”

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 02/07/2025

If you’re looking for a book on religion and public education in the US, I can’t recommend this one enough. I’m assigning it for an undergrad class I’m teaching in the fall on the history of American public education. It leaves no stone unturned, and it is super reader friendly for an academic book.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 28/06/2025

Powerful start to the dissent in the case about opting out on LGBTQ+ topics in public schools. Someone gets it on the Court, but far too few.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 15/05/2025

This is insightful work by @chelseaebin.bsky.social, troubling the idea that today’s Right is solely a reactionary response to perceived victimization (i.e., “Judeo-Christian values” are under threat). Ebin shows how political actors use that narrative to advance a clear, proactive political agenda.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 08/05/2025

Let’s hope. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/w...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 06/05/2025

Really looking forward to teaching this course in the fall!

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 06/05/2025

We are living through yet another era of state sanctioned scapegoating. Standing with my friends and colleagues who are impacted. In truth, this political targeting does nothing good for any of us.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 27/04/2025

Great to be w/ these folks at the Religion & Education Presidential session at #aera2025

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 17/04/2025

As Trump and his cronies threaten Harvard’s tax exemption, remember that there are churches that have full size cardboard cut outs of the wanna-be King during their worship services. This is from Kingdom Life Church in Frisco, TX a few months ago.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 31/03/2025

In his 2020 book, Schoolhouse Burning, Derek Black wrote that today’s “rallying cry is against public education itself.” This is a clip of Jake Clay, head of the K-12 BRAVE Academy, speaking at BRAVE Church near Denver. The lead pastor recently prayed over Donald Trump at the Resolute Desk.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 30/03/2025

Bad news; I think. Check this clip out from a few months ago, during which the pastor interviewed Eric Metaxas

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 30/03/2025

I was recently tipped off about BRAVE Church near Denver. Since then, I've been going down the rabbit hole. The senior pastor, who recently prayed over Trump at the Resolute Desk, combines a toxic brew of Calvinist Reconstructionism & charismaticism. This has breen tried before. It doesn't end well.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 30/03/2025

Churches to avoid: BRAVE Church near Denver. Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub opens his sermon last Sunday discussing his Resolute Desk prayer. Unsurprisingly, "Pastor" Jeff is also unflinching in his opposition to LGBTQ+ visibility & recommends that his congregants flee public schools.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 15/03/2025

I’ve read enough of the Founding Fathers to know that at least James Madison is rolling in his grave. Here, the religious MAGA base keeps pressing to erode democratic norms as Lance Wallnau trains the crowd to chant: “Government. Church. Together.”

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 15/03/2025

The religious MAGA base keeps pressing to erode democratic norms. Here, on FlashPoint Live, Lance Wallnau trains the crowd to chant: “Government. Church. Together.”

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 28/02/2025

That was one of the most disturbing things I’ve seen from the so-called leaders of our nation. Standing with Ukraine. Grieving for America.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 17/02/2025

This is Lance Wallnau & Roberts Liardon, both toxic Christian dominionists, cackling about dismantling the Department of Education. I wrote about what their version of American education would look like here religiondispatches.org/rising-influ...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 17/02/2025

These are not good people. Here, Steve Bannon chats with Lance Wallnau (of 7 Mountains/New Apostolic Reformation fame) about seizing the institutions — with help of the White House Faith Office.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 16/02/2025

Feeling a little nostalgic for the days when American evangelical Christians largely believed transcendence of the law came only through faith in Christ. But, the golden calf is so enticing.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 15/02/2025

I’ve been saying this for a couple years now, but finally an admission from Lance Wallnau (of New Apostolic Reformation/MAGA fame) that he has been deeply influenced by Roberts Liardon’s militaristic teaching. Check out my article on the NAR for more than a glimpse into the shadow sides of Liardon.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 08/02/2025

The order calls for “ending any form of religious discrimination by the Federal Government.” This is code for squashing any effort to regulate religiously motivated discrimination — toward LGBTQ folks or any group that doesn’t fit the Christian Nationalist narrative.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 07/02/2025

On the recent Executive Order on Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias: note that according to Open Doors, a Christian org that tracks Christian persecution worldwide, America is *not* on the list. Yet in 2024, there were 533 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. This is about scapegoating, not religious freedom.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 07/02/2025

This one chills my bones. It is not about religious freedom, but about entangling government so deeply with religion that believers may one day lose the very liberties they think are being strengthened.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 07/02/2025

This one chills my bones. It is not about protecting religious freedom, but about stripping away the religious liberty of religious minorities and LGBTQ+ people.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 07/02/2025

This one chills my bones. This is not about protecting people of faith. It’s about establishing a very particular brand of religious & political supremacy.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 07/02/2025

This one chills my bones. Strategically released on the day that Russell Vought, chief architect of Project 2025 will be confirmed by the Senate. Christian nationalism is ascendant, and that is bad news for anyone who doesn’t conform to its mythical narratives and norms.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 04/02/2025

“We don’t have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk, and that’s gonna become real clear.” Full remarks from @raskin.house.gov here www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo3P...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 01/02/2025

I am a survivor of conversion therapy and practices. I will not be erased again — let alone by my government. www.bbc.com/news/article...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 30/01/2025

Let’s not tiptoe around it: Trump just used the plane/helicopter tragedy in D.C. to scapegoat people with disabilities and other minority populations who are served (even if imperfectly) by DEI policies and practices. This is totalitarianism in plain sight.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 27/01/2025

“This episode lands at a crucial point of religiopolitical history, as we talk about all things New Apostolic Reformation… we talk about…heavy hitting topics - self-invisible LGBT Christians, sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts” — & much more. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 23/01/2025

Check it out here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 19/01/2025

This is Brandon Burden’s church, Kingdom Life, in Frisco TX worshipping today w/ a cardboard cut out of Trump. Burden made news last week when, ahead of TX House speaker race, he declared “jurisdiction over the affairs of men.” See @robertdownen.bsky.social piece www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/t...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 13/01/2025

As a young boy, I wanted to become an author. I couldn’t have expected my first contribution to a book to be on the topic of conversion therapy. But in the process of healing, sometimes you pair your wounds w/ your gifts. You can find the book, edited by @lukeslamdunkwilson.bsky.social, on Amazon.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 26/12/2024

I just finished listening to @matthewdtaylor.bsky.social's excellent new book on the New Apostolic Reformation, The Violent Take It by Force. I'm left with how well Taylor shows the dynamics of plausible deniability among NAR leaders. Full review here.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 02/12/2024

From Notre Dame law prof Hitoshi Mayer's article on churches and federal tax law: a church should have "'no substantial part' of its activities consist of 'carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation.'" But hey, anything goes these days.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 29/11/2024

This is from a New Apostolic Reformation leader who is way too close to Trump for comfort. Replacing “woke” curriculum with Wallnau curriculum is not the way to go. I promise you. If you’re unfamiliar with him/NAR, @profgagne.bsky.social has some important work. And I’ve written a few things, too.

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 27/11/2024

People for the American Way has drawn connections between Trump's AG pick and the dominionist New Apostolic Reformation. Also note that Lance Wallnau, prominent NAR leader, boasted in October about his interview with Linda McMahon (education secretary pick). www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwat...

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Dr. Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org · 26/11/2024

Look out for this book on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy in early ‘25. Especially important topic in today’s political climate. Toward end of my chapter, I used allegory to convey experience of dissociation during a public session of “exorcism” at a Bible college years ago. See below for ways to order.

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