B. Edward Simmons
@edwardsimmons.bsky.social
high school humanities teacher | Taiwan 🇹🇼 | TEC deacon | amateur runner
📚✍️ maximus the confessor
📚✍️ maximus the confessor
Pinned
New goal in these trying times: cultivate deep obscurity. Like the nutrients in the soil, be the person who loves so deeply and so thoroughly that things around you grow. But nobody looks at the soil. Only the plants.
Putting this here for later 💪
Has a lot to say about Jesus and the woman at the well. 🕯
John 4 E.P. today
John 4 E.P. today
January 23, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Putting this here for later 💪
Amen.
In the light of my anger about Trump and Greenland, Ps 37 comes to the rescue, from the office of readings this morning:
“Calm your anger and forget your rage; do not fret, it only leads to evil.
For those who do evil shall perish; the patient shall inherit the land.”
⚓️
“Calm your anger and forget your rage; do not fret, it only leads to evil.
For those who do evil shall perish; the patient shall inherit the land.”
⚓️
January 20, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Amen.
#narthex peeps: I am being ordained to the diaconate this weekend (TEC). Please pray for me if you have the space to do so. I’m excited, but there is much fear and trembling. Been working towards this for a long time. 🙏 ⚓️
January 11, 2026 at 5:50 AM
#narthex peeps: I am being ordained to the diaconate this weekend (TEC). Please pray for me if you have the space to do so. I’m excited, but there is much fear and trembling. Been working towards this for a long time. 🙏 ⚓️
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
Went to Lessons & Carols with a non-Christian close friend as a guest. Her husband, also a friend, was laid off last week. Her job is being overtaken by AI. Despite not being Christian she really enjoyed the message of the wealthy oppressors being taken down & peace coming to earth. ⚓
December 15, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Went to Lessons & Carols with a non-Christian close friend as a guest. Her husband, also a friend, was laid off last week. Her job is being overtaken by AI. Despite not being Christian she really enjoyed the message of the wealthy oppressors being taken down & peace coming to earth. ⚓
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
My protestant love: the deep engagement with scripture and focus on experience of grace
My catholic love: the euchsrist and mystical tradition (especially ignatian stuff)
My catholic love: the euchsrist and mystical tradition (especially ignatian stuff)
More protestant leaning anglicans: what catholic perspective or theology do you appreciate most?
More catholic leaning anglocans: what protestant perspective or theology do you appreciate most?
⚓️
More catholic leaning anglocans: what protestant perspective or theology do you appreciate most?
⚓️
November 12, 2025 at 10:50 AM
My protestant love: the deep engagement with scripture and focus on experience of grace
My catholic love: the euchsrist and mystical tradition (especially ignatian stuff)
My catholic love: the euchsrist and mystical tradition (especially ignatian stuff)
Narthex clergy peeps - can anyone recommend a vestment garment travel bag that they have had success with? I am starting to have to preach more regularly in other cities, and I have to take the train with my robes. The one on Almy feels way too expensive though. I am poor. ⚓️
November 12, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Narthex clergy peeps - can anyone recommend a vestment garment travel bag that they have had success with? I am starting to have to preach more regularly in other cities, and I have to take the train with my robes. The one on Almy feels way too expensive though. I am poor. ⚓️
Not surprising. The sweet spot is right in the middle! :)
November 2, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Not surprising. The sweet spot is right in the middle! :)
Lord Jesus please let him raise some good trouble.
October 8, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Lord Jesus please let him raise some good trouble.
The kind of change we need 💪
Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read
Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said that the measure was aimed at fixing Denmark's 'reading crisis.' The Scandinavian country's 25% sales tax on books is currently the highest in Europe.
www.lemonde.fr
August 21, 2025 at 4:02 AM
The kind of change we need 💪
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
happy feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola!
July 31, 2025 at 12:07 PM
happy feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola!
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
starting to think we should give "strange women lying in ponds distributing swords" a chance as a basis for our system of government
August 1, 2025 at 12:07 AM
starting to think we should give "strange women lying in ponds distributing swords" a chance as a basis for our system of government
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
"Prior to the neatly formulated questions of systematizing intelligence, there is the deep-set wonder in which all questions have their source and ground. As an expression of the subject, art would show forth that wonder in its elemental sweep."
Bernard Lonergan, Insight, 208
Bernard Lonergan, Insight, 208
July 29, 2025 at 9:17 PM
"Prior to the neatly formulated questions of systematizing intelligence, there is the deep-set wonder in which all questions have their source and ground. As an expression of the subject, art would show forth that wonder in its elemental sweep."
Bernard Lonergan, Insight, 208
Bernard Lonergan, Insight, 208
Pilgrimage to Musee d’Orsay for a sabbath day
July 22, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Pilgrimage to Musee d’Orsay for a sabbath day
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
If Moo Deng were to move to the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, she could be Hippo of Augustine.
July 13, 2025 at 3:24 AM
If Moo Deng were to move to the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, she could be Hippo of Augustine.
When did First Things become such a parody of its former self?
June 27, 2025 at 3:19 PM
When did First Things become such a parody of its former self?
“The middle is not given to us as a mere means; it is the place of a way, a passage. Agapeic mind passes towards what is offered in the middle, not simply for some conceptual return to itself, but because the being of the other offers itself for a celebrating, affirming thought.”
June 23, 2025 at 7:21 AM
“The middle is not given to us as a mere means; it is the place of a way, a passage. Agapeic mind passes towards what is offered in the middle, not simply for some conceptual return to itself, but because the being of the other offers itself for a celebrating, affirming thought.”
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
A 🧵 for these strange times inspired by the late Walter Brueggemann. ⚓️
Pharaoh irritated on Juneteenth and tweeting throughout his kingdom:
June 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
A 🧵 for these strange times inspired by the late Walter Brueggemann. ⚓️
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
Enjoyed taking a walk around New Haven with 3,000+ friends this afternoon. ⚓️
So many people asked take a photo of my sign, many because they wanted to look up the verse. I think I got more people to look at a Bible today than I have in my whole ordained ministry so far. 🙃
So many people asked take a photo of my sign, many because they wanted to look up the verse. I think I got more people to look at a Bible today than I have in my whole ordained ministry so far. 🙃
June 15, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Enjoyed taking a walk around New Haven with 3,000+ friends this afternoon. ⚓️
So many people asked take a photo of my sign, many because they wanted to look up the verse. I think I got more people to look at a Bible today than I have in my whole ordained ministry so far. 🙃
So many people asked take a photo of my sign, many because they wanted to look up the verse. I think I got more people to look at a Bible today than I have in my whole ordained ministry so far. 🙃
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
“At its best, our church is capable of moral clarity and resolute commitment to justice. I believe we can bring those strengths to bear on this gathering storm.” - Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe in his latest letter to The Episcopal Church 🕯️
Acting faithfully in troubling times: A letter from Presiding Bishop Rowe
www.episcopalchurch.org
June 13, 2025 at 6:50 AM
“At its best, our church is capable of moral clarity and resolute commitment to justice. I believe we can bring those strengths to bear on this gathering storm.” - Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe in his latest letter to The Episcopal Church 🕯️
June 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
“Kierkegaard reserved his harshest criticism for the cultural elites who were content to admire Christianity for its psychological benefits, political vigor, moral guidance, or other cultural advantages. ‘What a dreadful falsehood it is to admire the truth, instead of following it.’” —Daniel Goodman
Kierkegaard’s Attack on Cultural Christianity
Those who champion Christianity for its moral values, aesthetic appeal, psychological benefits, and civilizing influence are nothing but swindlers.
www.plough.com
May 23, 2025 at 3:09 PM
“Kierkegaard reserved his harshest criticism for the cultural elites who were content to admire Christianity for its psychological benefits, political vigor, moral guidance, or other cultural advantages. ‘What a dreadful falsehood it is to admire the truth, instead of following it.’” —Daniel Goodman
Reposted by B. Edward Simmons
there is the possibility of congregational reaction ranging from confusion to anger
May 19, 2025 at 5:30 AM
there is the possibility of congregational reaction ranging from confusion to anger