Sunrise at IU Indianapolis this morning.

A great piece by Dennis Wieboldt, a J.D./Ph.D. student at @notredame.bsky.social who will soon finish his J.D. at @notredamelaw.bsky.social.

Thank you so much for this kind comment, which I especially appreciate because I really do try to get at fundamental questions in religious studies. I’m gratified you think the book manages to do that!

No I haven’t. Thanks for the recommendation!!

No Kings protest at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis today

Denmark goes to the polls in a snap election spurred by Trump's Greenland threat Danish voters head to the polls in an election spurred by President Trump's threat to seize Greenland.

My dad, who died before Trump was reelected, was always so proud of his Danish heritage. He would have loved this story by @robschmitz.bsky.social (esp. the part about Danes gathering to sing old songs)! More power to PM Mette Frederiksen in her fight against Trump!

www.npr.org/2026/03/23/n...

The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes this morning at @notredame.bsky.social.

I've been coming to the Cushwa Center's Seminar in American Religion twice a year for 22 years, and I'm always grateful for @notredame.bsky.social's hospitality. Featured book this time is Crabgrass Catholicism, @uchicagopress.bsky.social, by Fr. Stephen Koeth, C.S.C. Should be a great discussion!

The obits for Jesse Jackson this morning reminded me of so much history. Here's a photo I took of him in Washington on Aug. 11, 1990, while I was a college student intern at a North Carolina daily newspaper.

In Under 500 Words, a Judge Weaponized Wit to Free the Child Detained by ICE (Gift Article) Our critic annotates the barbed wordplay of a decision challenging the Trump administration’s theory of executive power.

The Hon. Fred Biery of the Western District of Texas is my new literary hero. His order freeing 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from ICE detention is a masterpiece that belongs in the canon of works articulating our core American values.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Flag at half-staff at IU Indianapolis this morning for U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Indiana), a grad of Indiana University's
@iumaurerlaw.bsky.social and a politician respected by members from both sides of the aisle.

Lee H. Hamilton, a Foreign Policy Power in Congress, Dies at 94

A principled Indiana moderate who could rise above the fray. Seems like he was from a different universe now.

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...

The Indiana War Memorial in downtown Indianapolis this morning

Another person shot dead by ICE in Minneapolis. This federal occupation of our cities must stop!

U.S. Formally Withdraws From World Health Organization

Knew this was coming, but it’s still horrible. You’d think public health would be a nonpartisan issue. And it mostly was under normal presidents.

U.S. Formally Withdraws From World Health Organization www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...

Visited St. Mark’s, Philadelphia, this morning. Beautiful liturgy with lots of incense!

First Amendment monument, with Independence Hall in the background, in Philadelphia this afternoon.

A great thread debunking the "data" used by the Department of Education to evaluate religious studies programs. As @annetteyreed.bsky.social points out, the DoED report also highlights the challenges we face in educating the public about what religious studies even is.

The morning of the first day of the spring semester at IU Indianapolis. Despite all the headwinds at the state and national levels, we're still here educating for democracy!

Pope Leo (in the form of a very realistic cutout!) stopped by the registration table this morning at the American Catholic Historical Association. @achahistory.bsky.social

Tomorrow at #AHA26, I'm presenting "Cardinal Cushing and the Rise of Ecumenical Catholicism at Harvard," on the history of the Stillman Chair of Catholic Studies at Harvard. Here's Cushing with Harvard President Nathan Pusey. @harvarddivinity.bsky.social @harvard.edu @achahistory.bsky.social

Great to hear from you, Joel! I definitely remember you from UNC days!

So sad.

Passing through Charleston, WV, just now, I stopped at the state capitol and found an anti-Trump protest in progress.

My fair alma mater on a rainy night in Chapel Hill.

A victory for sanity and democracy.

Second that. I was working at the Edwards edition at the time and remember Nick well.

In a special session marking the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (the Vatican II declaration on non-Christian religions), I'm presenting this morning at 9:00 "Cardinal Cushing and the Jews: An American Context for Nostra Aetate." #AARSBL25

Took the Green Line this afternoon to Brighton to see the cardinal's residence, where Cardinal Cushing lived; it's now the @bostoncollege.bsky.social art museum. Tomorrow at #AARSBL25 I'm presenting "Cardinal Cushing and the Jews: An American Context for Nostra Aetate."

The Episcopal Church of All Saints, a liberal Anglo-Catholic parish in Indianapolis.