Matthew L. Halsted

Part 2 youtu.be/1-kDmkNY_po?si…

Yesterday my homily centered around John 15. I’m *abiding* in this text again today. μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, κἀγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν. So much to consider…

It’s striking how this has been — and seemingly continues to be — a bipartisan issue…

I wrote this 3 years ago. Today’s a good day to share it again :-)

TWINING MEMO: It’s fantastic to finally see one of the most important historical UFO documents on an official site. The 1947 Twining Memo correctly described UFOs as “real and not visionary or fictitious.” Highly maneuverable “metallic” “discs” flew over the U.S. in the 1940s.

Link to full episode: matthewhalsted.substack.com/p/scripture-an…

The resurrection and hermeneutics...

This is a fair point, but it's unlikely to satisfy advocates of the "UFOs-are-demons" hypothesis. Even if, for example, one were to grant the incorporeality of spirits (such as angels), the Bible nonetheless sometimes associates them with chariots -- for reasons that, perhaps, have nothing to do with accommodating their traveling needs. At any rate, the demon hypothesis is often motivated by other assumptions, many of which are not at all persuasive, e.g., "The Bible says nothing about aliens or flying saucers; therefore, all such things are demons." UFOs are strange, indeed -- but some hermeneutic approaches to the Bible are far stranger.

I agree with Joe: There's every reason to be skeptical about this whole thing. Was evidence presented at this mysterious meeting? Did they ask questions about the things they were told, or did they believe everything they were told without any critical assessment?

Agreed - this is the right sort of question to be asking...

On Tuesday (May 5), rumors were circulating that officials within the U.S. government organized a meeting with a group of pastors/ministers to talk about UFOs and aliens. Allegedly, these pastors were warned that they need to prepare their congregations for new revelations that are coming—revelations, they say, that may shake a Christian’s faith if they aren’t adequately prepared. Some of the rumors, it seems, center around the idea that UFOs are actually the work of demons intent on deceiving people. I have a lot of questions, several of which I've posted on substack ⬇️ matthewhalsted.substack.com/p/pastors-were…

I was recently invited to chat about all things Revelation on the Ask a Scholar podcast. Check it out here: youtu.be/TIQJ1BxnIn4?si…

This reminds me of something I wrote in my book, The End of the World as You Know It: "Throughout history, beastly leaders and institutions have emerged... we need to ask how we can bear the seal of the Lamb in a land filled with the iconography of the Beast. We need to commit ourselves to rethink our own role in society as we, too, confront the propaganda of empire" (p. 87).

New article: "The Politics of Easter: On faith, conduct, and heresy" matthewhalsted.substack.com/p/the-politics…

Here's part 2 of my conversation with Ellie Paley (PhD, Cambridge University) about the book of Job. matthewhalsted.substack.com/p/interview-wi…

Here’s the trailer for the new book! Link 👇 youtu.be/kuAhQZwCqhM?si…

Happy Easter, friends! “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3-4)

HOLY SATURDAY "O God of the living, on this day your Son our Savior descended to the place of the dead: Look with kindness on all of us who wait in hope for liberation from the corruption of sin and death, and give us a share in the glory of the children of God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen." (BCP 2019) Image: Fresco of Christ's descent into Hades by Fra Angelico (15th century)

“The Good Friday liturgy is the second part of the Triduum (the sacred three days). This most somber of all days is appropriately marked by fasting, abstinence, and penitence, leading us to focus on Jesus and the meaning of his Cross. Some churches do not use musical instruments or bells on this day. The church is often darkened. The bare, stark appearance of the church serves as a reminder of the solemnity and the sorrow of the day. The Lord of Life was rejected, mocked, scourged, and then put to death on the Cross. The faithful are reminded of the role which their own sin played in this suffering and agony, as Christ took all sin upon himself, in obedience to his Father’s will. By the Cross we are redeemed, set free from bondage to sin and death. The Cross is a sign of God’s never-ending love for us. It is a sign of life, in the midst of death. In addition to the liturgies for the Triduum, there are many other edifying devotions appropriate for this day, including The Way of the Cross, Tenebrae, and The Seven Last Words.” (BCP 2019)