No reason to prolong 2025. In bed by 10pm, like God intended!
Ending 2025 with an Edmund Fitzgerald porter, because it’s been bittersweet and it feels like we’re on a sinking ship (at least here in the USA)! 😅 Happy New Year! 🚢🫡
Socio-politically, at least here in the USA, 2025 ended up being even worse than I feared. What say you?
I’m aiming for more relationships, less social media in 2026. If you think we should be in touch outside of billionaire-owned attention farms, let me know ASAP so we can at least exchange e-mail addresses. My online home will continue to be at joshuapsteele.com. Short posts at social.joshuapsteele.com. Let’s not let rich people keep us misinformed, angry, and lonely. AI and social media are making the internet (and us) worse. But we can fight back.
On the fourth day of Christmas, the Church calendar gives to us…the massacred baby boys of Bethlehem?! The Feast of the Holy Innocents is a liturgical antidote to a merely superficial and sentimental Christmas season. joshuapsteele.com/the-hope-…
Have you ever had a disappointing Christmas? joshuapsteele.com/a-christm…
Absolutely gutted to learn that Dr. Daniel Treier has passed. What a wise and gracious follower of Jesus Christ. If American evangelicalism had more Daniel Treiers throughout its ranks, it would not be in such a sorry state today. I regretfully did not finish my Ph.D. with him as my second reader/supervisor, but I’m grateful to have been one of the many, many students that he not only taught about Christ but also to whom he demonstrated Christ’s love. His seminar on Dietrich Bonhoeffer was particularly memorable, and I imagine he held Bonhoeffer’s last words quite dear recently: “This is the end. For me, the beginning of life.” Amen. Rest in peace, Dr. Treier.
I’m a big fan of Madeira wine. Anyone else?
I’ve been asked 2x in the past 2 weeks if I’m (still) ordained. And, for what it’s worth, the answer is yes. I resigned from ministry in the ACNA, but I did not renounce my Holy Orders. Though I’m not sure what difference that makes, going forward. The phrase “aborted ministry” keeps coming to mind.
David Brooks is in the latest Epstein photo dump. Shame. bsky.app/profile/p…
What are your favorite roadtrip snacks?
Something’s rotten in Ambridge. #ACNA #ACNAtoo
Call me crazy, but, if you repeatedly fail to protect the weak out of self-interest and self-righteousness, you forfeit any spiritual authority you might have had. I don’t care how flashy the vestments, pointy the hat, or lofty the title. #ACNAtoo #ACNA
Well, color me shocked that the ACNA found Bp. Ruch not guilty of anything. 🙄
O come, Defender of the weak, Teach us their welfare first to seek. May widow, orphan, refugee Find rest within Thy jubilee!
O come, Avenger of the poor, And open wide redemption’s door. Undo the yoke, break every chain, And with Thee in Thy kingdom let them reign!
O come, Sustainer of the least, And lift them to Thy heavenly feast. Cast down the mighty from their seat, And fill the hungry with good things to eat!
O come, O Voice of Prophets bold, And bring the Day Thy saints foretold. Let justice roll like waters down, And righteousness for all abound!
“By nature,” are humans good or evil? Discuss.
Just realized the Sovereign Grace Music version of “O Holy Night” drops the “Truly, he taught us to love one another…” verse! And that makes me really angry 😡
Quite the niche problem, I realize, but I accidentally took my Zepbound dose (15mg, the highest dose) the day before a big holiday party. Oops!
“Wake Up, Dead Man,” the latest “Knives Out” movie, was fantastic. Highly recommend. Much more gospel in it than a normal whodunnit.
Normally, I’m not one for loud noises. But, when you get to “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!” in “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” it should shake your church building. Throw the kitchen sink at that stanza and line. Choir, organ, piano, guitar, whatever you’ve got. 🕯️⛪️🎄