David R. Bains

When I grew up, Protestant clergy could be styled “the Reverend James John” in formal address but in every day direct address and reference were called “Mr. John.”

Why can’t we just do that?
Why must it now be “Pastor John,” “the Reverend John,” or even “Father John”?

1977: why would the bartender in star wars even care if some robots with artificial intelligence came into his bar

2025: ohhh ok

Christian Worship in Birmingham, Alabama: Byzantine, Charismatic, and Much in between By David R. Bains, founder and editor of Magic City Religion What does Christain worship look like in Birmingham, Alabama? In spring 2025, students in my Christian Worship: History and Theology cou…

Check out our new set of essays on worship in Birmingham, AL, by Samford University students magiccityreligion.org/2025/06/16/c...

remember, the blitzkrieg is intended to make you feel like there is nothing you can do about it; that’s the only reason to go forward in this haphazard and sloppy manner all in the first week

and the choice of that strategy tells you they are afraid you *will* do something about it

I'm very grateful to these clergy: Baptist, Disciples, Roman Catholic for joining us at Samford University to discuss the eucharist this morning!

The Bishop Who Pleaded With Trump: ‘Was Anyone Going to Say Anything?’ (Gift Article) Bishop Budde locked eyes with President Trump and made a plea for mercy — and the war over spiritual authority in America was ignited anew.

Very well written article on Bishop Budde and her sermon
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/u...

The First Sermon The parts you probably didn't hear

You’ve certainly seen the controversy and cruelty over the last three minutes of this sermon.

But watch the entire thing. It is less than 15 minutes. You'll be inspired and strengthened for theological and spiritual resistance.

The First Sermon open.substack.com/pub/dianabut...

I heard the first part of the sermon before the end, that is I listed to the whole thing the first time--but haven't watched the president's reaction. When I was looking at it I was looking at the cathedral's feed, which didn't focus on the president at that point.

I'm looking foward to convening this discussion tomorrow. Thanks to our panelists for agreeing to participate!

YouTube video by Washington National Cathedral 1.21.25 Homily by The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde

Can you imagine the courage it took to preach this message directly to the president? This is what a follower of Jesus looks like. (Partial transcript below.)

Thanks for compiling these reactions. Given that Budde and changed things back in the summer so that she would preach (unlike for previous services), I was surprised when the Trump team agreed to attend, they should have expected this.
Maybe they did, and welcome the opprotunity to protest.

Do you want to write an explainer on this?

Thanks for the update.

The rise of non-denominational Protestants has certainly changed the context in which I teach. But I find that most of them don't even know they are Protestants. They just think they are non-denominational Christians.

The official schedule has the Carter family boarding the plane for Georgia in 13 minutes, but President Biden just started his eulogy. Clearly the schedule underestimated the length of this funeral. #carter

jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/News/Article...

On the other hand, the reading from the Gospel according to Matthew is being read by a layperson, not a deacon or priest, and thus is followed by the usual responses for scripture readings, not the special ones used for gospel readings. #carter 4/4

Included are the reception of the body, the prayers of intercession, and the commendation. These include brief prayers *for* the deceased. This is not something you would normally find in a Baptist funeral. #carter 3/x

The includes several elements from the Book of Common Prayer's liturgy for the burial of the dead, but omits several others including the creed. The full service leaflet is available here: #carter 2/x cathedral.org/about/state-...

The Apostles’ Creed Has a Big Day, Thanks to the Trumps’ Silence. Besides giving Trump critics another opportunity to denounce him, the online discussion involved a number of interesting points about the creed.

At President Bush's funeral four years ago, President Trump made news by remaining silent during the recitation of the Apostle's Creed. Carter's funeral today will not include it. #carter 1/x chasingchurches.org/2018/12/06/a...

The recent, and rather rare, snowfall in D.C. seems to add to the dignity. -- Perhaps it is a benediction from above.

The spaces and logistics are different. But do British state funerals, ever involve this long awkward silences?
Mind you awkward silences are appropriate at funerals.
#carter #statefuneral

Why President Carter’s Funeral is at Washington National Cathedral In a brief essay posted last week I noted some of the reasons why Washington’s Episcopal cathedral had become the accustomed place for presidential funerals, even for those, like Jimmy Carter…

The role of the cathedral and First Baptist Church in President Carter's funeral. chasingchurches.org/2025/01/04/w...

Striking that there are so many “don’t know / refused”. Not surprising but striking.

The Burial of Presidents and Washington National Cathedral The burial of presidents helped build Washington National Cathedral, but Carter’s will be the first funeral of a Democratic president there in 100 years.

chasingchurches.org/2024/12/29/t...

Jimmy Carter at Samford University Jimmy Carter spoken on Samford University’s campus twice. Once in 1975 when he was governor of Georgia and again after his presidency in 1984 when he was hosted by Cumberland School of Law.

chasingchurches.org/2024/12/29/j...

I’ve always thought of Jimmy Carter and Herbert Hoover as twin spirits.

Two of the smartest men to become president; two of the most politically tone deaf, too.

And both were driven by their faith to give back to the public, though Hoover’s good work all came *before* entering politics.

Jimmy Carter is a hero of the renewable energy revolution, and if we’d listened to him we could have gotten where we are now decades earlier.

Jimmy Carter, 39th president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 100, his son says The tenacious Southerner was turned out of office after one term. But he had a brilliant post-presidential career as a champion of health, peace and democracy.

Carter was the ironically the first president to make evangelical a political powerhouse and inadvertently launched the religious right.
www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...

Will there be a church funeral for President Carter in DC, and if there is will it be at First Baptist Church or Washington National Cathedral? #carter