Can anyone recommend some accessible, scholarly books on the Merkabah tradition? There appears to be so much stuff clouded with contemporary New Age material that it’s hard to know what’s actually worthwhile and relevant to the historical tradition. #religiousstudies #religion #judaism #mysticism

Any other Frightened Rabbit fans never heard this deep cut with James Graham? Just me? It’s sad boy season and we’re pulling the 2010s out of retirement: m.youtube.com/watch?v=B76h...

Here we go, folks. The statements are becoming more and more bold, with implications ever more consequential. For those waiting to see what role Jay Stratton may play, pay attention to what he flatly and unapologetically attests to in this trailer. #ufoSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkU7...

I appeared on Iowa Catholic Radio KMMK’s Kolbe Konnection podcast to discuss my film about beer brewing monks, AI and sacred art, my journey of faith, and UFOs. It was a fun and wide ranging conversation, available via Spotify! open.spotify.com/episode/4U7i...

The Digital Exhibition of Felt Presence is live! The culmination of two years of graduate work, the website explores miraculous images, relics of the saints, Catholic visual history, and our contemporary media landscape in the era of AI. 🧵 mjburchick.com/felt-presence/

I’ll be posting the digital exhibition of my MFA show, about Catholic visual history, relics, miracles and AI, very soon. I’ve spoken with some folks already, but I have a very limited amount of artworks/souvenirs from the show to send out to those who are interested. (1/2)

I’ll be appearing on EWTN’s Miracle Hunter radio show/podcast tomorrow, Dec 28th at 1 and 7pm, discussing the release of the digital exhibition of my show Felt Presence. We look at the Catholic visual tradition and relics as they relate to art and culture today.

I was honored to serve as the graduate commencement speaker at Towson University’s College of Fine Arts and Communication, having graduated with my Studio Art MFA. Watch me ugly (stoically?) cry at: www.youtube.com/live/2VEVmqQ...

Our Lady of Guadalupe - Dec 12, 1531. She appears with roses.

Excited to share that I’ll be appearing on Michael O’Neill’s Miracle Hunter show/podcast on EWTN, discussing my latest art exhibition. 7pm on Dec 21st. The show explores miraculous images within Catholicism and their relationship to AI art. Digital Exhibition will go live in conjunction!

I wrote a thing on X about why I’m choosing Bluesky.

My MFA thesis exhibition "Felt Presence" is featured on the Catholic news outlet Aleteia: aleteia.org/2024/12/03/a...

As I migrate over to BlueSky, I want to highlight some of my work surrounding religion, AI, and anomalous human experience. First up is my peer-reviewed journal article co-written with Diana Walsh Pasulka about using AI to image Catholic sacred history 🧵: mjburchick.com/choreographi...

Hi folks! I'm in the process of migrating my X profile over here, so you may see some construction bumps in the road. My apologies if I spam you.

Delivering my first draft of my MFA thesis tomorrow and getting to cite Jacques Vallee, @dwpasulka, Jeff Kripal, @trevorpaglen, @pilgrim_travels, and @seance_book together has made these last few years an utter joy. Can’t wait to share something in the near future!

As a person of faith and experiencer of anomalous phenomena, I’m fascinated with how art and human history have been deeply affected and influenced by the miraculous and impossible. Felt Presence, my thesis show, opens October 24th at Towson University🧵

107 years ago today, “The Miracle of the Sun” occurred in Fatima, Portugal. The Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children earlier that year, promising that if they returned to that spot every month, she would make an undeniable sign appear to the crowds.

The Medjugorje Marian apparitions are declared “nihil obstat,” or “nothing stands in the way” for their popular devotion. The remaining step the Church can take, according to their new norms, would be for the Pope to declare them supernatural in origin.

Making a third-class relic of St Therese of Lisieux for my MFA thesis. This project has become increasingly personal, and thus, more difficult to tell. On the flip side, it’s been really rewarding to listen to her materials and to bring her “presence” home with me.

Help! I'm trying to find any details about this Marian Apparition which looks to be in Chile. Photo comes from National Geographic, sourcing from the Miracle Hunter's website, but I can't find anything about it. Any thoughts or leads?

Ahh! This is the first time I've found my research pop-up in the wild, thanks to @johntouhey at Aleteia. I'm grateful for the write-up and John's contribution to the conversation. You'll be seeing more of my research shortly! @dwpasulka

I am currently investigating the original sources for the Lipa Marian apparition, which was recently and definitively deemed non-supernatural by papal order. Despite allegations of hoaxing, the primary source material is rife with eyewitness testimony of unusual occurrences...

October 13, 1917.

Here is a fun one. In the course of my archives research, I came across an alleged “miraculous” photo of the Virgin Mary taken in the clouds over Fatima. I couldn’t quite make it out myself, but I found that the source is allegedly a parish in Baltimore. 🧵

This is someone’s greatest day of their life, and I’m super excited for them.

I spoke with my new friend Robin Lassiter on her podcast “Earth: A Love Story” about my history of anomalous experiences and their influence on my current body of research and artwork. Available wherever you listen to podcasts!

In a field in Fatima, Portugal, in the year 1917, a crowd of upwards of 40,000 people saw what they believed to be the Sun “dance” and change colors. Mysterious flower petals fell from the skies and disappeared just out of reach of the upstretched hands.

Going full Charlie Day and explaining to my critique class how influential the Lord of the Rings was to my artistic practice 🤣 Came to Tolkien as a download, Peter Jackson’s insane vision 👌🏻, the films employed 1 out of every 160 New Zealanders… it has everything.

As I’m working on my thesis, this scene from PTA’s Magnolia has been playing in my head on loop. It’s an interesting, albeit unusual mantra.

I’m in @morbidanatomy’s online journal! Check out my talk from the American Academy of Religion’s conference discussing AI art.

Shoutout to @deirdreleong whose ethnography “Mother Figured” about Filipino Marian apparitions is an absolute joy to read. Doing research on the Lipa apparition and this book is among the authoritative literature.

If you need your chakras cracked open, have a child. I have experienced more intense, indescribable spiritual experiences in the last year than ever before, and my only prayer is an endless chorus of “thank you.” Happy 1st Birthday baby girl.

Considering Spielberg’s involvement in Masters of the Air, I’m holding out for a Foo Fighters episode. 🤞

My installation, “Noo Icons,” will be on view as part of the “Emerging Aesthetics,” group MFA show at Towson University in Baltimore, MD. This has been my favorite iteration of this install, so if you’re nearby, come check it out!

I have to imagine my school’s interlibrary loan either hate me, or are entertained by me.

The response I just got from Dutch Ruppersberger’s office, former ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, on support of the Schumer-Rounds amendment. #ufotwitter

Working on two very different writing projects, and can’t wait to share them!

This was a year so completely full that tears were common and my partner and I chalked it up to “our cups running over.” I got into three gallery shows and published a journal article with one of my academic heroes. But everything pales into comparison to starting a family.

The reason we put lights in trees on Christmas is to remind us that everything has light within it. The world can be re-enchanted if we learn to see. Merry Christmas!

Stumbled on this MD Dept of the Environment Emergency Response Truck while dog walking, seemingly outfitted for… ghost busting?

With my Fall semester wrapping up, I'm excited to finally tackle some personal projects I've been wanting to get to. Primary among them is a textual analysis of St. Francis's hagiography as compared to the artistic depictions which alter the narratives.

Noo Icons Work in Progress: Certain Marian Apparitions of the 20th Century, including Fatima, report the falling of “angel hair” or rose petals associated with appearances of the Virgin Mary. At Lipa, Philippines, these rose petals are even alleged to carry miraculous images. 🧵

Finally pulling together this semester's research: building towards using AI-generated images and the historical archive as a "witness" to power at Marian Apparitions sites.

Developing a project that relies on communicating messages through simple symbols. What is some deep-cut, esoteric imagery you associate with the Virgin Mary? I’m looking for answers beyond roses, doves, hearts, etc. Please help me art and religious history folk!