CJ Schmidt (he/him)

*Finally* went into St. Peter’s Basilica today after living living here for a year and a half (and living only two blocks away). Got to see the Pope deliver his homily afterward.

The deadline is fast approaching! Apply for a Shohet Scholars Grant from the International Catacomb Society!

Sending all the good vibes and love your way

Happy New Year from Albania!

(Photos of the ruins of Apollonia)

Was Christmas moved to eclipse Rome's Saturnalia festival? Ancient scribes often calculated Christ’s birth as falling in early spring.

I didn't want to write this piece on Christmas stealing from pagan festivals because I have always thought that was a myth. BUT in researching it I realized something interesting 1/6

www.nationalgeographic.com/history/arti...

featuring: @praxeas.bsky.social @zafulotus.bsky.social

Looking to make a few more end-of-year charitable donations? Consider supporting #Coptic Scriptorium. We are an #opensource, #openaccess resource that uses cutting-edge technology *and* human expertise to make the literature of late antique/medieval Egypt available to all +

Thanks!

Teaching First Year College Writing to 138 student-athletes, all armed with ChatGPT, is exhausting.

One more day of grading and I can finally close the book on this semester.

The Importance of Being Gorgeous by Susanna Elm - Paper Scholarship is a powerful tool for changing how people think, plan, and govern. By giving voice to bright minds and bold ideas, we seek to foster understanding and drive progressive change.

A fantastic-and better yet-Open access book by Susanna Elm : www.ucpress.edu/books/the-im...

The Roman emperor who died from eating too much cheese Lots of emperors met ignominious ends. And then there was Antoninus Pius.

My latest for Nat Geo on things you didn't know about Roman Emperors. Co-authored with Max J. Foa and featuring the work of @sarahebond.bsky.social, Stephanie Frampton, A. B. Bosworth, and Tom Geue.

www.nationalgeographic.com/history/arti...

this is required reading today. much love to my work co-conspirator @slyprofessor.bsky.social for this.

Really, truly good news---the series eds are real writers, who understand writing processes and are looking to work with real writers!

Click here to support Chance Bonar's story *AncientGazanLitTranslation *spotfund is the easiest place to create beautiful and free online fundraisers. It takes just minutes to start raising money today.

I’m only $110 away from my goal: supporting a Gazan translator for making an Arabic version of my forthcoming short intro and sourcebook of late ancient Gazan literature!

(Thx to a friend donating $100 off-platform)

Please consider chipping in a few dollars to reach the goal!

spot.fund/klk26smsc

Book flyer showing cover of Immigration + Apocalypse, with panelists Lloyd Barba, Amherst College, Melissa Borja, University of Michigan, Willie James Jennings, Yale Divinity School, Jennifer Kaalund, Independent Scholar, Tat-siong Benny Liew, College of the Holy Cross, Roberto Mata, Santa Clara University, Moderated by Jacqueline Hidalgo, University of San Diego. Co-sponsored by AAR Politics & Migration, SBL Asian and Asian-American Hermeneutics, Bible in America, John's Apocalypse & Cultural Contexts Ancient and Modern, Latino/a/e and Latin American Biblical Interpretation.

Come to my book review panel at #AARSBL2025 ! A cross-organization, interdisciplinary joint session, Sat. Nov 22 @ 1-3:30 Hynes Convention Center 201 -- if not for me, then to hear one of these fabulous panelists! @jaxhidalgo.bsky.social @elprofebarba.bsky.social

I am so proud of @vox-magica.bsky.social!! Cannot wait to dive into her latest book!

My book is now available open access on project muse, with OAPen launch coming soon. Hard copies should start going out this week (if they have not already): you can get yours for 50% off with code SAR50.

honored to be part of this #ScholarSunday. check out all this amazing work!!

Announcing a brand new series launching this #Halloween 👻

Manchester Studies in the Supernatural explores how the #supernatural shapes human experience across time and place.

Bridging disciplines and challenging boundaries, it welcomes bold new research on the #occult and the #unseen

I don’t suppose anyone connected to the SBL or AAR would like to tell them that misspelling the name of a scholar like Phyllis Trible in the heading of a Memorial is a disgrace. #SBL #AAR

Congratulations!!

it’s officially book promo time! so, hey, i wrote this book; it comes out in a week! would you mind signal boosting and asking your library to buy it? if you’d like a copy, the code AUFLY30 will get you 30%off.

I'm gearing up to record on @mikemotia.bsky.social's New Book Network podcast, and people, if you want to catch up on what's been going on in ancient Mediterranean studies lately, you should go look at his catalog!

newbooksnetwork.com/hosts/profil...

New Books in Late Antiquity Books Podcast · Interviews with authors of books about Late Antiquity. Sponsored by Ancient Jew Review.

We are pleased to announce a dedicated podcast feed for "New Books in Late Antiquity," sponsored by Ancient Jew Review. Follow on Apple (podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n... ) or
Spotify (open.spotify.com/show/6uGXkAl...) now!

Please reskeet: CFP is open for the North American Patristics Society meeting, May 21-23, 2026 in Chicago

Submit abstracts either for the general call or to a pre-arranged theme, or you can submit a whole planned session!

Deadline is Nov 19th, details at link:

www.patristics.org/annual-meeti...

Usually, to show an author love, the first rule is: buy the book. And, you can totally buy this book---but, it's also available OA, which means you can in a few weeks' time get it for free.
luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1...

So, the updated rule: to show an author love, get her book and read it!

hope we’re all paying attention to the conflation of christianity and neosegregation. hope other christians start pushing back. and i’m biased, but man, i hope schools stop shuttering their religion departments when we need them most.

Are you playing it??

Seems hyperbolic, is documentary

This remains the most important piece i’ve written about the goals and ideological principles of the second Trump administration www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

bsky.app/profile/jame...