Thoughts and prayers for Sufjan Stevens

Modern Relics is a newsletter about religion on the screens you look at for hours a day! Internet, movies, TV… people do religion everywhere and I just think that’s neat. This week the vibe is letting your Jewish grandfather babysit your dog.

@madmax_fluffyroadGrandpa’s house is lit 🔥 #funnydog #jewish #newyear

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Excuse me for my absence last week. The Synod meeting I was attending was good and productive :) but generated no memes :(

Also, I have deleted the Twitter app from my phone. I know, so brave! I still have an account, but I may not respond to DMs as quickly. If you want to get hold of me, may I suggest the Modern Relics Discord? (It is quiet, but you’ll definitely get my attention).

Thank you so much for reading. Modern Relics is still free but about 50% of you reliably click on these emails every week and spend minutes of your life reading this regular collection of posts! I really appreciate your attention.

We love you Sufjan Stevens

Indie musician Sufjan Stevens just posted on his Tumblr that he is in hospital with Guillian-Barre Syndrome. I’m glad he caught it in time and is entering physical therapy!

Suf uses Christian imagery throughout his music and has recorded what is now the definitive version of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing for me. Thoughts, prayers and spaces of intention for our friend Sufjan!

P.S. Sufjan has been involved with The Welcome Wagon over the years, which is a band consisting of Presbyterian minister Vito Aiuto and Monique Aiuto, and their music is also very good. Also, Vito is the inspiration for ‘Vito’s Ordination Song’ from Sufjan’s 2003 album Michigan which is the most beautiful expression of Calvinist theology I’ve ever heard? A low bar! But it clears it by miles.

Gen Z priest

@frsamfrenchWhen Gen-Z become priests 😎 PART 1 #catholic #catholicism #christian #christianity #catholictiktok #catholictok #fyp #fy #foryou #rosary #prayer #jesus #mary #catholicfaith #catholiclife #saints #vocations #discernment #priest #genz #genzmemes #genzhumor

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This guy is Australian lmao let’s goooo. Thanks for sending me this Jono.

I have blocked the demon Rick Norris

Wave Turtle Jake is always good for a post. This time: I have blocked the demon Rick Norris.

Basically, while lurking in a King James Only Facebook group, Jake found the following interaction. His takeaway: “Okay Facebook is still good sometimes.”

Rick Norris is not as fanatical about the KJV as Jeremy BKill, so must be a demon. Blocked. Blocked! None of you are free from sin.

We love a pithy diatribe.

Rick Norris if you are reading this, take heart. We love you here.

Share if you have also blocked the demon Rick Norris.

Jesus flipping over tables

Thanks go to everyone who sent me this on multiple platforms.

And thanks to Liam for this one

Hildegard of Bingen’s Cookies of Joy

One of my favourite YouTube channels is Tasting History with Max Miller. Max recreates old recipes and explains the historical context of them. Why is there so much nutmeg in this dish? Why am I adding sugar to a roast chicken? Why do St Hildegard’s cookies not contain any leavening agent? They all have interesting stories behind them!

Hildegard is one of my favourite Christian saints because she was very good at a lot of things and we only know about it because she was a nun who got famous. Also she became a saint by popular acclaim rather than through the regular process. This Protestant loves to see it.

One more Rick Norris post

Silence of the Vultures

I know in the intro I said this was a newsletter about religion on various screens, but I would also like to mention a podcast.

My colleague Ann Jones is one of my favourite science communicators in the world, and a few weeks ago on her podcast What The Duck?! she covered the curious failure of the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence in India.

I first came across this story on TikTok, and it’s been at the back of my mind ever since. Normally it’s a bittersweet thing when someone covers a story you’ve had your eye on for some time, but it wasn’t a natural fit for any of the religion programs in my team. As it turns out, Ann’s science podcast was the perfect place to find out all about it.

Leopard print vestments

Thank you to my husband for sending this to me.

Why should your songs be too silly for my halls?

Lastly, follow me on Bluesky!!

If you want to follow me but you don’t have an account, I have invite codes!!!!!