I am grateful to Marida Nicolaci for permission to share a forthcoming paper on the problem of a nonviolent historical Jesus, neoliberal ideology, and the ways that scholarly discourse continues to uphold the status quo. 1/2

Big turnout today in South Elgin in solidarity with MN and all people terrorized by ICE.

Youth sports really bring out the worst in people. I did not think the way my 9 yo's coach was talking to the girls was appropriate- talking down and yelling to 3rd/4th grders. He called me a "soft helicopter parent," a few other insults, and wound not consider my view. It's been a long day.

Grateful to S Guijarro for his review of my book in RBL. “M’s thesis has many commendable aspects, including the fact that it covers a story that has been told many times but never in relation to the emergence, development, and questioning of the pre-Markan account of the passion.”

I finally got access and now settling in after the kids’ bedtime to watch what I assume will be the greatest Jesus film ever, “The Carpenter.”

Don't miss @eve9445.bsky.social's forthcoming work on Mary with Mohr Siebeck. We're very excited to have her feminist re-reading of the historical Mary in Mark 3 in our Rewriting Jesus volume!

I’ve never felt more seen…

Happy to have made it out of the Tuesday morning scrum at Yale Uni Press booth with @sarahebond.bsky.social Strike! #aarsbl25

My short Elements book "Literate Workers and the Production of Early Christian Literature" is now available on Cambridge Core. It was a lot of fun to learn from the exciting scholarship that's been happening and I hope that it's a useful resource for people. www.cambridge.org/core/element...

Love seeing a senior scholar very openly read a book during a presentation then kickoff q+a by saying “I found the argument hard to follow” #aarsbl25

Hey everyone heading to Boston for conferences, gentle encouragement to NOT BUY STARBUCKS as your conference fuel. Starbucks baristas are on strike across the country for fair wages and safe working conditions! Also, we're about to be in Boston, drink Dunkin. #sblaar25 #asor25

Sunday, 1-3:30pm - come for the panel discussion of Radical Antiquity at the annual meeting for SBL/AAR/NAASR! @plutopress.bsky.social

As we’re gearing up for #sblaar25 in Boston, I hope you’ll join us at the Historical Jesus section. I’m excited to share a session with these scholars and present my ideas on Christological closure, hidden criteria of authenticity in the field, and our attempts to discover a nonviolent Jesus.

Reminder to everyone that the Democratic party doesn’t work for you, doesn’t care about you, and won’t do anything to stop the rise of fascism in the US.

I spent way too much time and effort on this very niche joke for this years Halloween decorations. But it’s simply too good.

Great mail day with new books from @cbzeichmann.bsky.social and @iannelsonmills.bsky.social!

Wow,this Antipas guy sure was generous when he “freed” people under the condition they could never leave Tiberius! Why can’t NT scholars just call this out and stop portraying these rulers in positive light? I am reading on the Herodians and this type of comment is everywhere in the literature.

Fruit Bats tonight at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago!

God, Slavery, and Early Christianity is out in the real world with @universitypress.cambridge.org! I have some extra, so retweet this by the end of Oct. 19 if you’re interested in receiving a copy! Book info here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/g...

The guys at Spectrum think I’m just some dumb hick. They said that to me at a dinner. @ityslmemes.com

my book_smoke & mirrors_ is out on oxford scholarship online. i have many feelings, mostly good! this was a difficult write for many reasons. so i hope you find something useful in it if you read it.

Hosted by Gavin Newsome and Ezra Klein

#BREAKING: Sinclair says it will air a one-hour tribute to Charlie Kirk on its ABC-affiliated stations in the time slot that is usually occupied for "Jimmy Kimmel Live." The special will air on Friday, per a Sinclair spokesperson.

Preview of the announcement:

Took my kids to the Kpop Demon Hunters sing along today. Sold out and kids standing in their chairs singing and dancing. Absolute madness.

Nothing like getting the kids up at 5 am for a flight and getting a flat 3 minutes away from the airport and the tow truck is so late we miss our flight. No other flight options. Now driving from IL to NC today…

My daughters are obsessed with the KPop Demon Hunters movie and soundtrack. Send help.

I wonder what series of events led to this rule being implemented

Swamp milkweed is blooming and the monarchs are loving it!

My royal catchflys are blooming! They’re my favorite and the hummingbirds love them.

Hurray for the Riff Raff tonight at Old Town School if Folk Music.

Great mail day. Very happy to have this re-press of one of my favorite 90s albums.

New blooms in the garden today- hoary vervain.

New blooms in the garden today- hoary vervain.

Meadow Geranium and Kalm’s St John’s Wort blooms from the garden

Sign added to the garden with the wild bergamot and fairies.

My yard is officially registered as a monarch waystation! I’ve replaced all the invasive plants and flowers over the last few years with milkweeds, flowers, and shrubs for the butterflies and bees. We’ve had a number of monarchs already this year!

I wrote up a small post about Eusebius's Palestinian identity & hope to spread the stories of those experiencing state-sanctioned violence in one of his less-studied texts: On the Martyrs of Palestine. Check it and the rest of the EOPalestine series out!

“The medium and the real are now a single nebula whose truth is indecipherable.” www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

James Felice’s new album arrived today. Playing all day. My favorite album of the year so far.

Very good day at the record store!

<coffin flop sketch ends> Youth Pastor Voice: you know who else didn’t stay where they put him after he died,

I’ll be in Boston to share “Christological Closure, Hidden Criteria of Authenticity, and the Quest for a Nonviolent Jesus” in the Historical Jesus section at SBL. Look forward to discussing how recent reconstructions of a nonviolent Jesus perpetuate (neo)liberal ideology and the status quo.

Today, @christycobb.bsky.social and I’s JSNT article dropped! Go read “The Rhetoric and Ethic of Translating and Representing Enslaved Persons in New Testament and Early Christian Studies” journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Some pics from our recent trip to Palermo (1/3)

I have a new post live. It is a review of @mbrandonmassey.bsky.social's excellent book The Birth and Death of the PreMarkan Passion Narrative (2024). I think anyone interested in gMark or form criticism should read this volume intently. marxistleninisthistorian.substack.com/p/a-review-o...

Palatine Chapel in Palermo. Absolutely stunning

Considering just staying here in Palermo permanently.

After sitting on the runway for three hours, my flight has been cancelled.