Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
@drdominee.bsky.social
Reformation historian. Translator of John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Pinned
This image pretty much sums up my entire personality. History, Latin, Star Wars, and humor.
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
At this point, any Democrat who votes to keep this government open without extracting very serious concessions — RFK’s resignation, ICE rollback, Epstein Files release, etc — will absolutely face a primary challenger who will set fundraising records.
Republicans run the White House, Congress and Supreme Court on the principle that the only role Dems can play is bailing the GOP out from facing the consequences of their own actions.
They expect Dems to clean up after them and save them from voters’ blame, and sadly some Dems want to do just that.
They expect Dems to clean up after them and save them from voters’ blame, and sadly some Dems want to do just that.
Actual White House quote: “go fuck yourself.”
Its not being some pearl clutching prude to ask whether this is really how most Americans want their kids to see the seat of our government behave. www.politico.com/news/2025/09...
Its not being some pearl clutching prude to ask whether this is really how most Americans want their kids to see the seat of our government behave. www.politico.com/news/2025/09...
September 28, 2025 at 3:26 PM
At this point, any Democrat who votes to keep this government open without extracting very serious concessions — RFK’s resignation, ICE rollback, Epstein Files release, etc — will absolutely face a primary challenger who will set fundraising records.
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
For those deleting our Academia dot edu accounts (due to their new exploitative TOC) make sure to follow the instructions quoted below or they'll force you to accept the TOC before you can get to the "delete my account" button.
See you all on the open-source alternative hcommons Humanities Commons!
See you all on the open-source alternative hcommons Humanities Commons!
Click on the link to the ToC text, go to your Account - top right (as In sure you know), scroll down and delete away
September 19, 2025 at 7:15 AM
For those deleting our Academia dot edu accounts (due to their new exploitative TOC) make sure to follow the instructions quoted below or they'll force you to accept the TOC before you can get to the "delete my account" button.
See you all on the open-source alternative hcommons Humanities Commons!
See you all on the open-source alternative hcommons Humanities Commons!
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
Important article from @andrew-whitehead.bsky.social integrating research on how Christian nationalism threatens democracy. Check it out.
The NY Times says this administration considers diversity "taboo."
A healthy democracy includes a robust appreciation f/ diversity & widespread civic participation.
Research from the last 10+ years shows Christian nationalism threatens democracy in at least 3 ways:
kettering.org/how-christia...
A healthy democracy includes a robust appreciation f/ diversity & widespread civic participation.
Research from the last 10+ years shows Christian nationalism threatens democracy in at least 3 ways:
kettering.org/how-christia...
How Christian Nationalism Weakens Democracy and What Can Be Done about It
Social scientific research provides evidence of how Christian nationalism and, by extension, initiatives like Project 2025 pose a threat to any pluralistic, democratic society.
kettering.org
August 21, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Important article from @andrew-whitehead.bsky.social integrating research on how Christian nationalism threatens democracy. Check it out.
Historical methodology reflections by @ggangl.bsky.social
gtw.hypotheses.org/9274 #presentism #historicism #anachronism #history #historiography
gtw.hypotheses.org/9274 #presentism #historicism #anachronism #history #historiography
History Now! On Presentism and a Strange Online Debate in American Historiography (Part 1)
Georg Gangl - James H. Sweet is the current president of the American Historical Association (AHA), the largest scholarly organization of historians worldwide, and he recently found himself in quite a situation. As part of his function as president of AHA, Sweet writes the monthly column From the President in the organization’s news magazine Perspectives on History. While I imagine the column is usually read with some interest by AHA members and other readers, the text in the September issue of this year entitled “IS HISTORY HISTORY? Identity Politics and Teleologies of the Present” garnered rather special and outsized attention.
gtw.hypotheses.org
August 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Historical methodology reflections by @ggangl.bsky.social
gtw.hypotheses.org/9274 #presentism #historicism #anachronism #history #historiography
gtw.hypotheses.org/9274 #presentism #historicism #anachronism #history #historiography
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
"It is still a free country. You can still say what you want. So why are so many powerful institutions behaving like it isn’t and they can’t? If a few bratty cartoon kids can peel off the emperor’s clothes, what are the grown-ups so afraid of?" [giftie] www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/a...
Eric Cartman, Welcome (for Now) to the Resistance
www.nytimes.com
August 16, 2025 at 11:39 AM
"It is still a free country. You can still say what you want. So why are so many powerful institutions behaving like it isn’t and they can’t? If a few bratty cartoon kids can peel off the emperor’s clothes, what are the grown-ups so afraid of?" [giftie] www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/a...
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
Trump’s Treason Summit Backfires Spectacularly
His week of madness ends in rejection and resistance
His week of madness ends in rejection and resistance
Trump’s Treason Summit Backfires Spectacularly
His week of madness ends in rejection and resistance
www.dworkinsubstack.com
August 16, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Trump’s Treason Summit Backfires Spectacularly
His week of madness ends in rejection and resistance
His week of madness ends in rejection and resistance
Dictionnaire du Moyen Français has been down for a few days. 😒
I use this resource daily. I hope they get the site back up and running soon.
I use this resource daily. I hope they get the site back up and running soon.
August 5, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Dictionnaire du Moyen Français has been down for a few days. 😒
I use this resource daily. I hope they get the site back up and running soon.
I use this resource daily. I hope they get the site back up and running soon.
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
And importantly, he won the case in a landmark SCOTUS ruling that marked the start of the long erosion of affirmative action programs.
One mediocre white guy's self-delusion has brought generations of lasting damage.
One mediocre white guy's self-delusion has brought generations of lasting damage.
July 31, 2025 at 7:16 PM
And importantly, he won the case in a landmark SCOTUS ruling that marked the start of the long erosion of affirmative action programs.
One mediocre white guy's self-delusion has brought generations of lasting damage.
One mediocre white guy's self-delusion has brought generations of lasting damage.
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
Florida’s Republican administration blocks Catholic priests from ministering to immigrants jailed at Everglades detention camp: migrantinsider.com/p/catholic-p...
Catholic Priests Barred From Ministering to Detained Migrants in Florida
Miami Archbishop slams lack of access at so-called 'Alligator Alcatraz', calling it a denial of dignity and faith.
migrantinsider.com
July 29, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Florida’s Republican administration blocks Catholic priests from ministering to immigrants jailed at Everglades detention camp: migrantinsider.com/p/catholic-p...
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
We are six months into the second Trump administration and the scale and severity of its assault on our nation's science and democracy has been unrelenting.
Today, @ucs.org releases a detailed assessment of the damage so far and where we go from here: www.ucs.org/resources/sc... #ProtectScience
Today, @ucs.org releases a detailed assessment of the damage so far and where we go from here: www.ucs.org/resources/sc... #ProtectScience
Science and Democracy Under Siege
Documenting Six Months of the Trump Administration’s Destructive Actions
www.ucs.org
July 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
We are six months into the second Trump administration and the scale and severity of its assault on our nation's science and democracy has been unrelenting.
Today, @ucs.org releases a detailed assessment of the damage so far and where we go from here: www.ucs.org/resources/sc... #ProtectScience
Today, @ucs.org releases a detailed assessment of the damage so far and where we go from here: www.ucs.org/resources/sc... #ProtectScience
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
Today they have crossed a deep red line.
We, the people, must hold the president and his appointees accountable for this outrageous abuse against American liberty.
We, the people, must hold the president and his appointees accountable for this outrageous abuse against American liberty.
June 12, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Today they have crossed a deep red line.
We, the people, must hold the president and his appointees accountable for this outrageous abuse against American liberty.
We, the people, must hold the president and his appointees accountable for this outrageous abuse against American liberty.
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
I’m not sure if you can overdose on schadenfreude but we’re about to find out
June 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
I’m not sure if you can overdose on schadenfreude but we’re about to find out
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
Riding the frog in 1545.
The Zurich-based printer Christoph Froschauer used this trademark frog on the title page of Conrad Gessner’s 'Bibliotheca Universalis'. #earlymodern #bookhistory
The trademark frog derives from a translation of the printer’s last name: frog is in German “Frosch”.
The Zurich-based printer Christoph Froschauer used this trademark frog on the title page of Conrad Gessner’s 'Bibliotheca Universalis'. #earlymodern #bookhistory
The trademark frog derives from a translation of the printer’s last name: frog is in German “Frosch”.
December 5, 2024 at 7:47 AM
Riding the frog in 1545.
The Zurich-based printer Christoph Froschauer used this trademark frog on the title page of Conrad Gessner’s 'Bibliotheca Universalis'. #earlymodern #bookhistory
The trademark frog derives from a translation of the printer’s last name: frog is in German “Frosch”.
The Zurich-based printer Christoph Froschauer used this trademark frog on the title page of Conrad Gessner’s 'Bibliotheca Universalis'. #earlymodern #bookhistory
The trademark frog derives from a translation of the printer’s last name: frog is in German “Frosch”.
@microsoft.com Who thought that new Outlook was a good idea? 🤮
Seems like breaking what works is your MO. I’ve been using MS software since DOS, and you never fail to disappoint.
Do better.
Seems like breaking what works is your MO. I’ve been using MS software since DOS, and you never fail to disappoint.
Do better.
May 27, 2025 at 8:43 PM
@microsoft.com Who thought that new Outlook was a good idea? 🤮
Seems like breaking what works is your MO. I’ve been using MS software since DOS, and you never fail to disappoint.
Do better.
Seems like breaking what works is your MO. I’ve been using MS software since DOS, and you never fail to disappoint.
Do better.
For #Calvin, the corruption of the medieval and early modern papacy was all about the lust for power. 4.7.24 #AmTranslating
"Nor is there any other reason why the Pontiffs vent so much rage against the renascent doctrine of the gospel and exert every muscle to oppress it
1/
"Nor is there any other reason why the Pontiffs vent so much rage against the renascent doctrine of the gospel and exert every muscle to oppress it
1/
April 11, 2025 at 5:47 PM
For #Calvin, the corruption of the medieval and early modern papacy was all about the lust for power. 4.7.24 #AmTranslating
"Nor is there any other reason why the Pontiffs vent so much rage against the renascent doctrine of the gospel and exert every muscle to oppress it
1/
"Nor is there any other reason why the Pontiffs vent so much rage against the renascent doctrine of the gospel and exert every muscle to oppress it
1/
One example of #Calvin’s many allusions to classical literature in the Institutes, here 4.7.22 #AmTranslating
“What complaints does Bernard [of Clairvaux] pour out, what laments does he utter, when he sees the corruptions of his age?
1/
“What complaints does Bernard [of Clairvaux] pour out, what laments does he utter, when he sees the corruptions of his age?
1/
April 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
One example of #Calvin’s many allusions to classical literature in the Institutes, here 4.7.22 #AmTranslating
“What complaints does Bernard [of Clairvaux] pour out, what laments does he utter, when he sees the corruptions of his age?
1/
“What complaints does Bernard [of Clairvaux] pour out, what laments does he utter, when he sees the corruptions of his age?
1/
#Calvin diagnoses the problem with the medieval and early modern papacy as a lust for power, #Institutes 4.7.5 #AmTranslating
"I come now to the uncontestable jurisdiction that the Roman Pontiff claims he possesses over all churches.
1/
"I come now to the uncontestable jurisdiction that the Roman Pontiff claims he possesses over all churches.
1/
April 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
#Calvin diagnoses the problem with the medieval and early modern papacy as a lust for power, #Institutes 4.7.5 #AmTranslating
"I come now to the uncontestable jurisdiction that the Roman Pontiff claims he possesses over all churches.
1/
"I come now to the uncontestable jurisdiction that the Roman Pontiff claims he possesses over all churches.
1/
Calvin Institutes 4.8.7 #AmTranslating
Calvin is discussing Christ as God's final source of revelation.
“And so it was for a good purpose that the Father appointed the Son by a unique privilege to be our teacher, commanding us to listen to him and not just any person...
1/
Calvin is discussing Christ as God's final source of revelation.
“And so it was for a good purpose that the Father appointed the Son by a unique privilege to be our teacher, commanding us to listen to him and not just any person...
1/
April 9, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Calvin Institutes 4.8.7 #AmTranslating
Calvin is discussing Christ as God's final source of revelation.
“And so it was for a good purpose that the Father appointed the Son by a unique privilege to be our teacher, commanding us to listen to him and not just any person...
1/
Calvin is discussing Christ as God's final source of revelation.
“And so it was for a good purpose that the Father appointed the Son by a unique privilege to be our teacher, commanding us to listen to him and not just any person...
1/
Bluesky needs a notification setting for when your favorite people post. I need to hear from my people. Like @bethmoorelpm.bsky.social
April 9, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Bluesky needs a notification setting for when your favorite people post. I need to hear from my people. Like @bethmoorelpm.bsky.social
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
“This is a moral moment. It’s not left or right. It’s right or wrong. Let’s get in good trouble.”
Sen. Cory Booker, 4/1/2025
Sen. Cory Booker, 4/1/2025
April 2, 2025 at 1:44 AM
“This is a moral moment. It’s not left or right. It’s right or wrong. Let’s get in good trouble.”
Sen. Cory Booker, 4/1/2025
Sen. Cory Booker, 4/1/2025
Reposted by Raymond A. (Randy) Blacketer
"When you're only taught a history where only a certain type of people are always in charge, then it's much easier to convince people that only a certain type of people should be in charge." - @bethallisonbarr.bsky.social ⬇️
For today's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I talk with historian @bethallisonbarr.bsky.social regarding Trump's new executive order about ideology at the Smithsonian and about how we rewrite our history.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
Ep9: Trump's Executive Order & Rewriting History, with Beth Allison Barr
Podcast Episode · Highest Power: Church + State · 03/31/2025 · 24m
podcasts.apple.com
April 2, 2025 at 6:18 PM
"When you're only taught a history where only a certain type of people are always in charge, then it's much easier to convince people that only a certain type of people should be in charge." - @bethallisonbarr.bsky.social ⬇️
#Calvin Institutes 4.8.1 #AmTranslating
"After all, if we simply grant people the power that they see fit to assume, it is obvious to all how prone this power would be to a fall into tyranny, which should be far removed from Christ’s church."
"After all, if we simply grant people the power that they see fit to assume, it is obvious to all how prone this power would be to a fall into tyranny, which should be far removed from Christ’s church."
April 1, 2025 at 6:47 PM
#Calvin Institutes 4.8.1 #AmTranslating
"After all, if we simply grant people the power that they see fit to assume, it is obvious to all how prone this power would be to a fall into tyranny, which should be far removed from Christ’s church."
"After all, if we simply grant people the power that they see fit to assume, it is obvious to all how prone this power would be to a fall into tyranny, which should be far removed from Christ’s church."
Fellow scholars: Avoid Nitro PDF. I've used it for around 17 years, and it has numerous problems with functionality. For example, it can't properly read many books from Google books, among other things. E.g., Nitro deletes my books from One Drive. As of today, I'm done.
March 11, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Fellow scholars: Avoid Nitro PDF. I've used it for around 17 years, and it has numerous problems with functionality. For example, it can't properly read many books from Google books, among other things. E.g., Nitro deletes my books from One Drive. As of today, I'm done.