@peterjthuesen
Historian of American religion. Writing a book on Boston's Richard Cardinal Cushing (1895-1970), who was loved more for his humanity than his consistency. Previous books: Tornado God (OUP), Predestination (OUP), In Discordance with the Scriptures (OUP).
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.
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.
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!
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.
Joy of All Who Sorrow Orthodox Church, Indianapolis (which occupies the space that was once First Congregational Church). The attached St. Seraphim Bookstore is the only place I know in downtown Indianapolis where one can buy books on Orthodox theology.
Heard a wonderful lecture yesterday by my emerita
@iuindianapolis.bsky.social colleague Susan Hyatt about her community engaged work, including on Black and Jewish residents of the Old Southside neighborhood.
Her work was profiled in the @nytimes.com 13 years ago:
www.nytimes.com/2012/04/07/u...
(2/2) ...I'm presenting "Cardinal Cushing and the Jews: An American Context for Nostra Aetate" (drawing on my current book project). If you're going to be in Boston for AAR, please join us!
Today's the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Vatican II declaration on non-Christian religions. Here's a great list of resources (see especially the op-ed listed at the bottom). There's also a special joint session upcoming at the @aarweb.bsky.social annual meeting in which... (1/2)
There's no better place on the @iuindianapolis.bsky.social campus on a Friday morning than the University Library.
Happy 279th birthday to @princeton.edu, my graduate alma mater, founded as the College of New Jersey in 1746. I've always been grateful to that institution for making my grad studies possible. Here's the Graduate College (photo taken on a visit a decade ago).
UPS just delivered Jonathan Stapley's Holiness to the Lord: Latter-day Saint Temple Worship, hot off the press from @oxfordacademic.bsky.social. A welcome addition to OUP's extensive list in Mormon studies.
Every Democrat who hopes to win in 2026 and 2028 needs to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest (to quote the BCP) this @nytopinion.nytimes.com editorial.
America Still Has a Political Center, and It’s the Key to Winning www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/o...