Thomas A. Tweed | Lightnews

Thomas Tweed

@tomtweed.bsky.social

310 followers 260 following 51 posts

Historian of religion. Author of Crossing and Dwelling (Harvard); Religion: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford); and Religion in the Lands That Became America (Yale). https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300221480/religion-in-the-lands-that-became-ame .. more

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Political science 35%

Sociology 26%

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Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 5d

The standard story was that 1950s religious revivals were about contrasting America with the godless commies of the USSR, but I found material that hinted at an older well funded campaign that reframed the revival as a corporate pushback against the New Deal.

So I followed that unexpected thread!

Reposted by Robert C. Richards, Thomas A. Tweed

Sari Altschuler @sarialtschuler.bsky.social · 7d

It’s feeling very real!!!

Publication date: June 16, 2026.

@pennpress.bsky.social

This is a white book cover with an older American flag in the top half. The stars are replaced by the ASL alphabet. Below, the text reads: “BEFORE DISABILITY: A History of American Citizenship. Sari Altschuler”

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · 9d

Can’t wait to see this forthcoming book!
@tisawenger.bsky.social
@uncpress.bsky.social

Tisa Wenger @tisawenger.bsky.social · 10d

My new book is now available for pre-order from UNC Press @uncpress.bsky.social! Use code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout to save 30%. uncpress.org/978146969362...

Spirits of Empire

The Declaration of Independence depicted Native Americans as bloodthirsty savages, and from its founding the United States aimed to expand westward by seizin...

uncpress.org

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Lesley A. Hall, Thomas A. Tweed , and 3 more Anna O. Law, Lesley A. Hall, Thomas A. Tweed, Talia Schaffer, Aviel Roshwald, Annette Yoshiko Reed

Dr. Natalie Mendoza @drmendozan.bsky.social · 9d

🗃️ My History Department is hiring for a tenure track position in Native American history. See link for details!

jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDeta...

Assistant or Associate Professor of History

jobs.colorado.edu

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed, James A. Benn

Tisa Wenger @tisawenger.bsky.social · 10d

My new book is now available for pre-order from UNC Press @uncpress.bsky.social! Use code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout to save 30%. uncpress.org/978146969362...

Spirits of Empire

The Declaration of Independence depicted Native Americans as bloodthirsty savages, and from its founding the United States aimed to expand westward by seizin...

uncpress.org

Reposted by Caroline T. Schroeder, Thomas A. Tweed

Judith Weisenfeld @judithweisenfeld.com · 12d

Applications for the postdoc at the @ctrrelpol-washu.bsky.social are due by January 5, 2026.

Danforth Center on Religion and Politics Announces New Postdoctoral Fellowship Search - John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics

rap.wustl.edu

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · 14d

It’s difficult to imagine targeting Sister Norma, who won Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal in 2018 for her extraordinary work with migrants at the border.

open.substack.com/pub/lettersf...

Trump-Vance White House Targets Beloved Nun in Texas, Retaliates Against Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley — praised by Pope Leo as an “agent of hope” — now faces a six-year federal funding ban. Church leaders say it’s a vendetta by the Trump-Vance White House.

open.substack.com

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

Peter J. Thuesen @peterjthuesen.bsky.social · 14d

A victory for sanity and democracy.

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · 19d

The discernment continues…
@commonweal.bsky.social
@ncronline.bsky.social
@discerningdeacons.org

discerningdeacons.org/dd-statement...

Discerning Deacons Statement on the Petrocchi Commission Report

With the publication today of the Petrocchi Commission report on women being called to serve as deacons, Discerning Deacons reaffirms its commitment to the ongoing discernment around women’s access...

discerningdeacons.org

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · 20d

Thanks so much for including Religion in the Lands That Became America!
@yalepress.bsky.social
@yalebooks.bsky.social
@patheos.com

www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiou...

Best Books Of 2025

In keeping with past tradition since joining the illustrious team of historian at the Anxious Bench, I am once again sharing my best books...

www.patheos.com

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 24d

Texas cities have some of the highest preterm birth rates in the US, highlighting maternal health crisis nationwide

Rates of preterm births, maternal deaths and other adverse birth outcomes are abysmal across the US, but there are clear strategies that could help the nation reverse course.

buff.ly

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · 25d

Historical reminder, a good news-bad news thing: the 1979 near disaster at TMI briefly united politically & spiritually divided locals in their shared worry about the health effects for pregnant women & children
@unep.org
@yalee360.bsky.social
@ncph.bsky.social
@religionnews.com.web.brid.gy

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 25d

A generational rift hangs over the reboot of a Three Mile Island reactor to power Microsoft data centers, with some seeing a step backward and others seeing the key to economic revival.

Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Revival Pits Those Who Fled Against Job Seekers

A generational rift hangs over the reboot of the plant to power Microsoft data centers. For some, it is a step backward; for others, it is the key to economic revival.

on.wsj.com

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 25d

A generational rift hangs over the reboot of a Three Mile Island reactor to power Microsoft data centers, with some seeing a step backward and others seeing the key to economic revival.

Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Revival Pits Those Who Fled Against Job Seekers

A generational rift hangs over the reboot of the plant to power Microsoft data centers. For some, it is a step backward; for others, it is the key to economic revival.

on.wsj.com

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

Philadelphia Inquirer @inquirer.com · 25d

Project HOME is one of the city’s largest nonprofit housing agencies, serving 15,000 people a year.

Donna Bullock, the group’s head, said that recent cutbacks have been “terrifying.”

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

RNS @rns.org · 26d

OPINION: The usual Thanksgiving depiction overlooks Indigenous rituals that give thanks, including harvest festivals.
religionnews.com/2025/11/17/h...

How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind

(The Conversation) — In some ways, Thanksgiving is a tradition that unites Americans. But the classic image of the Pilgrims obscures important parts of the country’s story.

religionnews.com

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · Nov 26

Grateful to see the French translation of my piece on Thanksgiving.

@us.theconversation.com
@france.theconversation.com

theconversation.com/thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving : derrière l’histoire populaire des pèlerins et des « Indiens », de nombreux oubliés…

Thanksgiving est la tradition qui rassemble le plus d’États-Uniens. Mais l’image classique des pèlerins occulte des pans importants de l’histoire du pays.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Patrick Walsh, Thomas A. Tweed

Joel Herman @joelherman.bsky.social · Nov 25

Highlighting these one last time:
A keynote from Prof. Eliga Gould, 'Lord Carlisle’s Union: Making Peace in America, Ireland, and Britain, 1778-1783’.

Brings up an interesting counterfactual: What if America had gone the way of Ireland and remained within empire?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv4F...

Ireland and the American Revolution Keynote Address | Prof Eliga Gould

YouTube video by Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities

www.youtube.com

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · Nov 24

Another forthcoming book on my reading list:
@pennpress.bsky.social

www.pennpress.org/978151282885...

Sacred Economies – Penn Press

How Uganda’s vibrant religious infrastructure supports local and interfaith community care efforts For millions living on the African continent, the experi...

www.pennpress.org

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

Yale University Press @yalepress.bsky.social · Nov 24

'Tis the season for gifts 🎁 and deals! Our ❄️ Winter sale ❄️ starts today. Save 30% off thousands of titles with discount code GIFT30 through December 5th. See full terms: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/gift30/

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · Nov 23

Surprised but grateful for the warm response to this short piece on Thanksgiving.

@religionnews.com.web.brid.gy
@convocation.bsky.social
@aarweb.bsky.social

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · Nov 17

religionnews.com/2025/11/17/h...

How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind

(The Conversation) — In some ways, Thanksgiving is a tradition that unites Americans. But the classic image of the Pilgrims obscures important parts of the country’s story.

religionnews.com

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · Nov 21

Another forthcoming book I can’t wait to read:

@uncpress.bsky.social
@emaisner.bsky.social

uncpress.org/978146969459...

One True Church

In the summer of 1872, a white doctor and a formerly enslaved African American farmer walked through a field near Newton Grove, North Carolina, and mapped ou...

uncpress.org

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

Penn Press @pennpress.bsky.social · Nov 20

So awesome to see coverage of GREATER PHILADELPHIA from The Daily Pennsylvanian! Read their article to learn more about the origins of the project, what kinds of information you'll find in the book, and how you can join us on campus on Dec. 4th for the book launch!

Penn Press releases three-volume book project on Philadelphia history

The three volumes — titled “The Greater Philadelphia Region,” “Greater Philadelphia and the Nation,” and “Greater Philadelphia and the World" — cover subjects from the American Revolution and…

bit.ly

Thomas Tweed @tomtweed.bsky.social · Nov 19

Great Indigenous art exhibit opening today in Waterville, Maine!

@colbycollege.bsky.social
Museum.colby.edu
Watervillecreates.org

museum.colby.edu/exhibitions/...

Mαwte: Bound Together | Colby College Museum of Art

Initiated by guest curator and Penobscot basketmaker Sarah Sockbeson, this exhibition of contemporary Wabanaki art centers Indigenized methodologies and artistic expression.

museum.colby.edu

Reposted by Thomas A. Tweed

Ulrich Schmiedel @ulrich-schmiedel.bsky.social · Nov 19

Open postdoc position (2 years) in religion and migration in my ERC project ”Faith-Based Refugee Relief in Europe: Connecting the Empirical and the Ethical”. Deadline 15 Jan 2026 - come work in a fabulous team!