Sadly, we have a history of religious persecution and execution here in the US, dating back to the colonies: one branch of Christianity believing it has “The Truth” and expelling all others, sometimes violently. If you want to know more about this, I highly recommend the book, Liberty of Conscience: Roger Williams in America, by Edwin S. Gaustad. The Founding Fathers were obviously aware of this, as we were many colonies from various religious groups. (And, as you already know... Read more
References to Mary Magdalene in Early Christian Texts: Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of Peter “It was early on Sunday morning, and Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Master, was afraid of the Jews, since their anger was aroused, and so she did not
If there’s one thing guaranteed to make people uncomfortable, it’s talking about politics and religion in the same breath. But here we are. And what better way to stir the pot than to explore the Gospel of Mary—yes, that Mary, Mary Magdalene—and what it has to say to our current political climate? The Gospel of Mary is one of those texts that got left on the cutting room floor when the powers that be decided what would make the “official”... Read more
Hey, how are you guys doing? Any anxiety or fear? Does it feel like you’re living through the Last Days of the American Empire? We’re only 2 Weeks into the Trump reign of terror and so far, it’s feeling kinda surreal. But, it’s pretty much EVERYTHING WE WARNED YOU ABOUT from Project 2025. So, if you’re curious what’s coming next week and the week after, just flip through that 1,000 page PDF and take note of what’s left on the... Read more
Imagine being a musician who stumbles upon a mystery hidden in the text of the Gospel of John—a mystery so profound that it could rewrite our understanding of Mary Magdalene’s role in early Christianity. That’s exactly what happened to Elizabeth Schrader, a singer-songwriter turned
In a world shadowed by the resurgence of authoritarianism and fascism, I believe it is vital to remember the power of light—my light and yours. Standing against darkness requires not only resistance but also the intentional act of creation. As Socrates once said, “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.” These words resonate deeply with me, offering a blueprint for how I can combat the shadows of... Read more
Some translators of Mary’s Gospel render the passage in the Gospel of Mary above not as “…let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us humans,” but rather as Mary saying that Jesus has “made us male.” If we accept
David Lynch (January 20, 1946 – January 15, 2025) was a visionary artist and cinematic genius whose surrealist work established him as an absurdist virtuoso filmmaker unlike any we have ever witnessed before. His “Lynchian” style blended nightmarish realism with deadpan humor to create a decidedly Americana-flavored existential horror show that many of us couldn’t get enough of. Most people discovered his work when his “Twin Peaks” television series introduced us to the unsolved mystery of who killed Laura Palmer... Read more
This might be a little late for some of you, but I wanted to go ahead and put it out there that I am no longer a Creedal Christian. Some of you won’t be too surprised by that statement. If you’ve been paying attention to my books and blogs and podcasts the last two or three years, you’ve already noticed my shifting away from Creedal Christianity. But others might not even know what I mean by “Creedal Christianity” or why... Read more
If you’ve spent any time diving into the writings of the Apostle Paul, you’ve likely wrestled with some big questions. Questions like: Could Paul ever have been wrong about something? Could his views have changed over time? And what did Paul really mean when he talked about being “in Christ”? The Humanity of Paul First, let’s be clear: Paul was human. He wasn’t some untouchable, infallible being floating around in the first century. He was a guy who had strong... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In