Brad Sargent/futuristguy

FYI I mostly tweet/retweet: * Abuse situations (esp. spiritual abuse), recovery, and restorative justice. * Media with lessons like: toxic power dynamics [Dune], the power of collaboration [Lord of the Rings], systems sustainability [Captain Planet], alt futures [Blade Runner].

The fact that as @bradleybirzer says, LOTR is "rooted in paganism baptized by the Catholic Church and Catholic theology" is seen in the contrast between the pagan Norse embrace of death and Aragorn's acceptance of death. The Norse met violent, inescapable death with fatalistic joy: "Full gladly do I go! See the Valkyrjar fresh from Odin's halls! High-seated among heroes shall I quaff the yellow mead. The Aesir welcome me. Laughing shall I die!" Meanwhile, Aragorn on his death-bed said "In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory. Farewell." In the second there are the echoes of the Northern pagan attitude to mortality. But you can also hear the resonance of the Christian acceptance of death as our true homecoming, even if it is a sorrow in and of itself, an instance of our fallen state that we must leave tyhis life. However, intermixed is the acknowledgement that our souls restless in the circles of the world, only finding true peace one we rest in God, to paraphrase Augustine. Tolkien, who wrote on and translated Beowulf, was attempting the same thing: as the Christian author of Beowulf used pagan elements to communicate Christianity to a world exiting its pre-Christian state, so was Tolkien employing pagan elements baptized by a Christian theology woven into the substance and symbolism of the story itself, communicating this to a world moving into a post-Christian state.

Wow

You'll want to strap in for this. My DUNE: PART THREE trailer breakdown: youtu.be/pSJVfbahgcw

Yesterday, I received an email that deeply encouraged me. About three years ago, I spoke to a residency cohort about covocational ministry. One of the participants had read my book "Covocational Church Planting" and came up afterward wrestling with a decision. This person and their family owned an electrical company that had been in their community for over 45 years, and they were considering leaving it for "full-time ministry." I remember asking a simple question: "Why would you ever give that up?" Yesterday, this person wrote to tell me what happened next. They didn’t leave the business. Instead, they "obliterated the line between sacred and secular." (their words) Today, their company: • Has a prayer board where employees & customers post requests • Gathers weekly to pray over those needs • Hired a corporate chaplain to care for their team of 100 employees • Intentionally looks for ways to bring the love of Jesus into everyday work They realized the business didn’t distract from mission; instead, the business became the mission. Not everyone is called to leave the marketplace. In fact, many are called to fully step into it as Jesus-shaped missionaries. Your workplace is not secondary to ministry. Your business is not separate from mission. Your profession is not outside of God's calling on your life. I am convinced that the sacred/secular divide is one of the biggest barriers to mission today. But when that divide disappears, something powerful can happen. #Covo #Marketplace #AllWorkMatters

@GAltringham When Duke Ellington was asked what his favorite song that he'd written, he reportedly smiled and said, "The next one ..."

🗞️ | They asked Ben Affleck, who was standing next to Matt Damon, what he considered his friend’s best film. Ben replied: “I’m really looking forward to The Odyssey.” Matt interrupted: “I’ve made over 100 films and you pick one that hasn’t even come out yet?” Without missing a beat, Ben shot back: “I’m trying to promote your movie—and that’s how you respond?”

@kristenrudd 5 books, 4 pairs shoes.

TSA security line at RDU airport this afternoon was fine and moving quickly. No issues. On my way to Houston! Get your books to shoes ratios in.

MacFarlane: I’m going to be in the courtrooms moving forward for all these critical legal challenges… Being in the courtroom tells you a lot, because as you know better than anybody, there are no cameras in these courts. There’s no audio feed in most of them. The only way to get the real nuggets of news as they happen is through reporters who are there. And we’re now positioned to be in those courtrooms as often as we need to be—or, in my case, also covering Capitol Hill.

The gist of the film is encapsulated in this sentence near the end: “The SBC…was vulnerable to the manipulative accusations of women.” That’s it. In a nutshell. It’s a creative twist on their “Eve ate the apple” schtick. #ThisistheSBC My column today: christabrown.substack.com/p/the-southern…

I’ll have a professional update tomorrow

The Southern Baptist Convention did not get "played" ... and the SBC isn't the victim. About that gawdawful film ... my column today. #ThisistheSBC christabrown.substack.com/p/the-southern…

Do we want to tell our kids or school students about Trump’s statement on death of Robert Mueller?

@CalderDune "Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)" ~ Chapterhouse Dune, opening quote for chapter 9.

@CalderDune Full quote: "All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."+

I call this “The Real Meaning of Dune”. Everyone is almost always wrong about Dune, so I’m here to set the record straight.

@millsalice144 surely there's a hair-brained idea for one out there ...

I want to write a pun about wigs but can't think of one off the top of my head.

@Lordoftheringsu Seems like we can track milestones in Aragorn's eventual acceptance and embracing of his identity and destiny by his clothing + weapon additions and changes throughout the trilogy. Brilliant visual way to show his journey ...

Did you know? Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn came up with the idea to wear Boromir's vambraces Mortensen asked Peter Jackson if he could take something from Boromir's character, and they decided on the vambraces. Which was not in the original script or books. He requested this change to Peter Jackson to show respect for Boromir and to honor his commitment to protecting Gondor, wearing them for the rest of the trilogy.

@HungerGamesDWTC What happens with younger Wireless is insightful on PTSD. Suzanne Collins is one of today's most knowledgeable thinkers and writers on the range and results of trauma -- and also on how malignant individuals and toxic systems perpetuate traumatizing conflict, chaos, and control.

“I remembered every moment of her performance. It stayed with me so deeply.” — Maya Hawke

The Jen Lyell case is back under discussion in SBC circles. For background, here are the details of the abuse allegations from Jen Lyell, made under oath before her death. Her alleged abuser sued her religionnews.com/2025/06/10/jen…

Middle-earth: From Script to Screen is back on shelves in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the #LOTR Film Trilogy, 17th March (US) and 26th March (UK)! #Tolkien #HappyHobbit

Makin big progress on book #2 👀 lakedrivebooks.com/2026/02/26/lak…