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Lydia Bremer-McCollum

@lcbmphd.bsky.social

479 followers 506 following 267 posts

Teacher-scholar of religion and ancient Christianities. Coptic language lover. Fighting for the Undercommons. Currently a Lecturer @ Spelman College | Assistant Editor of the Journal of Interreligious Studies Website: lcbmphd.com

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

I will be giving a lecture titled "Meeting Thekla in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Silk Road" later this month as part of The Silk Roads Lecture Series: People, Objects, and Stories on the Move at SLU's AMES Center. | February 26, 2026 at 3:30-5:00pm CST | Zoom: slu.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Poster providing information for a lecture to be given by Lydia Bremer-McCollum titled "Meeting Thekla in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Silk Road." The lecture will be held online via Zoom and in-person at Saint Louis University's Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Center on Thursday, February 26 at 3:30-5:00pm CST. The blurb for the talk reads: "Legends about Thekla survive in over eight languages, including Syriac, Ge'ez, Armenian, and Old Turkic. This talk analyzes the diverse linguistic manuscript traditions of the stories about Thekla contained in the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thekla, using this text as a case study to think about the value of variation and linguistic diversity. Through examination of manuscripts from the Caucasus and across the Silk Road, we reflect on how these artifacts serve as crucial sites for thinking about justice, marginalization, and the richness of ancient Christianity."

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Teaching eco-criticism my intro to the bible course today. Excited to talk about one of my all time favorite things: Eduardo Kac's trans-genic installation, "Genesis" (c. 1999-2001). Gen. 1:26-28 translated as genetic code and bacteria writing back! | www.ekac.org/genesis.html

Photo of an art installation. The room is dark with one single small light source on a podium in the center of the room. Projected on the walls are 1) Genesis 1:26-28 translated into genetic code (via morse code) on one side of the room, 2) a microscope project of bacteria entangling with the genetic code of Genesis 1:26-28--blue background with green illuminated bacteria visible on another wall, and 3) a projection of Genesis 1:26-28 in English standard translation on the third visible wall. The podium at the center includes the petri dish with bacteria that is projected on the wall (barely visible to the viewer). Photo shows a spectator-patron closely examining the petri dish and light at the center of the frame. Two others stare at the other walls. Spectator-patrons--both physical and digital--could manipulate and change the light source (e.g. changing from white to red light) and move the light source. These in turn manipulated the bacterial environment and led to bacterial re-writing of Genesis.

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Yesterday, my students and I made a visual and (very!) abridged version of the canonical Acts of the Apostles in my Intro Christian Testament course. One of my brilliant students summarized Acts 15-16 (mostly 16) with memes. It is so good!

A series of three memes on a black background. At the top left, the numbers 15-16 are visible (referring to Acts ch. 15-16). The memes are a student's visual abridged summary of the chapters. The first meme is an image of four cats looking to the right. The center cat holds an open book in one paw and is holding another up to the right in a rigid/straight manner. Looks like the cat is preaching. The third and fourth cat are looking up to the 'preaching' cat. The meme text is "Me telling the gang about Jesus." The second meme has an image of a toddler with a tan shirt and dark pants hanging onto a ceiling fan. The child looks rather distressed and the the text above on a white background reads "holding onto the Lord during trials like." The third image is a clip from an animated Barbie show with a blonde Ken in a blue and white rugby shirt and cargo pants holding hands and dancing with a blonde Barbie in a gray cardigan, pink shirt, and cropped skinny jeans. The meme text on the bottom third reads "Me after meeting someone who loves Jesus as much as me."

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Acquired a medicine ball/naturally researched. Rather chuffed to discover this piece of Harvard history: Aaron Molyneaux Hewlett, 1st Black instructor at Harvard/head of the gymnasium. In the first known photo of a medicine ball c.1866 Famed boxer + equal rights advocate in MA tinyurl.com/b87xebpj

Photo of a Black Harvard Instructor Aaron Molyneaux Hewlett c. 1866 sitting in the center of the frame on a chair and wearing a light colored three piece suit and holding a long wooden stick. He is surrounded by exercise equipment, including something called "Indian clubs," a bowling pin looking weighted wooden implement used for full body workouts. His foot is resting on a large weighted medicine ball. This photo is the earliest known photo of a medicine ball. The 19th c. photo is in sepia tones and has an oval frame, again with the Harvard instructor Aaron Molyneaux Hewlett sitting at the center.

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

This week in music: New (to me) album, "Call Me" a 1983 pressing by artist Sylvester. Known for their androgynous style, a Disco + queer icon, called the "Queen of Disco." Later = head of a drag group the Cockettes. Also, an outspoken activist during the AIDS crisis. tinyurl.com/y6ex5jah

LP or Vinyl cover for a 1983 album by Sylvester titled "Call Me." Red background with a Black androgynous figure in the center. The figure has long straight hair sticking up from their head. They are wearing a black and white jacket with large shoulder pads. They have a lightening bolt earring on their left ear.

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Grateful to Amy Smith Carmen for the inspiration to get creative on my Religion midterm exam. I am so excited to read the responses!

Picture of text. Text = Scenario: The year is 2075. You survived the end of the human occupation and domination of the earth. Wildfires and nuclear disasters took over the planet, destroying cities and governments throughout the globe. There were many survivors now tasked with forging new communities and finding safe and inhabitable land on earth. A few dedicated and very smart Black women scientists figured out how to build a ship to transport 2,000 humans from around the globe to a once unknown planet where a vital water source was detected. You were one of these humans to leave earth and inhabit this new planet. The first five years were quite difficult as the group worked to build an infrastructure and vital services to sustain the community.

You have been tasked with writing a history of religion in the life and community of this new planet. Your job is to document the origins of the important rituals and practices that developed in the first five years and the kinds of religious customs and practices that are a vital part of your group. Write your group’s definition of religion? What is it and what does it look like? What is its role does it play in the community? What sort of rituals and practices are important? How did the rituals and practices develop in the first years? Are there rules? Texts/scriptures you follow? Prayers? Dress? Food? Language? Were there any debates or fights over religion amongst the community and how did you resolve those disputes?

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

This very good dog is helping me think through some thorny article revisions. Grateful for this creature and a sunny space to write this morning.

A large brown dog with a white patch on his chest lying in sunshine next to a stack of books and a pillow with an orange sun on it.

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Lydia Bremer-McCollum @lcbmphd.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

I made a list of worship/ritual sites for my intro religious studies class @ Spelman. I learned greater ATL has the largest Hindu temple outside India, a Tibetan monastery, historic Jewish synagogues, Jain society, huge mosque & much more! Check out my map + lmk what I missed! tinyurl.com/4hrwdajz

Map of Atlanta with different religious sites and institutions marked and labeled.

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