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Greg Johnson

@pteranodo.bsky.social

"The Church of the present day has as yet much to learn in the carrying out of the principles underlying this verse." - Revere Franklin Weidner

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Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · last wk.

Presbyterian abolitionist John Rankin (1793-1886): Sabbath schools for the enslaved were broken up by men with whips, clubs and guns. Revisionists now cite those Sunday schools as proof of slavery's gentler side. Somehow the clubs never make the brochure. How can you protect kids today? #christian

Black square graphic. Left: a photograph of a white sculpted bust of an older man, captioned "Rev. John Rankin (From a bust by Ellen Rankin Copp, of Chicago, Illinois)." Beneath it in bold white type: "JOHN RANKIN," a date line, and in italics, "Letters on American Slavery." Right, in white text, the quotation: "It often happens that the benevolent teachers of Sabbath Schools find themselves and their poor, unoffending scholars, on the sacred morning, surrounded by men armed with whips, clubs, and guns, for the violent dispersion of the unhappy and innocent victims of their rage!"
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 2w ago

Puritan vicar William Whately: search any town and most households are stuck fast in the mire of want. Say that now and people sniff for an agenda. His: pity for families caught in the usurer's wax, by others' scheming or their own folly. How can you show mercy in the market? #puritan #presbyterian

Black square graphic. Left: an engraved oval portrait of William Whately, an older bearded man in a skullcap and ruff, framed by a Latin inscription with Latin verses beneath. Below it in bold white type: "WILLIAM WHATELY (1583–1639)," then in italics, "A care-cloth: or a treatise of the cumbers and troubles of marriage." Right, in white text, the quotation: "Run throughout an whole Town and Country, inquire into all the households, and search into all the estates of the greater number, and you shall find them broken, encumbered, low, dejected, and even sticking fast in the mud and mire of want and penurie."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 2w ago

Anglican cleric A.N. Bethune, later Bishop of Toronto, on Corinth: the rich feasted at communion while the poor went hungry. Paul: shall I praise you? Certainly not. Today's rebuke goes, efficiently, to whoever mentions the hungry. But who’s at margins of *your* feasts? #anglican

Black square graphic. Left: a scanned, yellowed title page reading "The Clergy Reserve Question in Canada, by A. N. Bethune, D.D." Beneath it in bold white type: "ALEXANDER NEIL BETHUNE (1800–1879)," then in italics, "Sermons on the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper." Right, in white text, the quotation: "...those who were abundantly provided, in utter thoughtlessness of the solemn time, came to revel on their own supplies of meat and drink; banqueted there, as St. Paul charges them, even to excess; while, at the same time, the poor were overlooked, and, during the rioting and feasting of the rest, went empty and hungry away."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 3w ago

Free Church of Scotland minister James Stalker: Jesus commanded love of enemies and forgiveness of injuries, on pain of going unforgiven yourself. Utterly new, he said. Still is, apparently. Civic life runs on the grudge as a renewable resource. Whom are you holding out on? #christan #lordsprayer

Black square graphic. Left: an engraved portrait of a man with dark wavy hair and a moustache, in a dark coat and high white collar. Beneath it in bold white type: "JAMES STALKER (1848–1927)," then in italics, "Ethic of Jesus According to the Synoptic Gospels." Right, in white text, the quotation: "Jesus applied the law of love to an extreme case when He said: 'Love your enemies.' To the same effect He commanded to forgive injuries, putting into the Lord's Prayer the petition: 'Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,' and frequently affirming with solemnity that, unless we forgive men their trespasses, our heavenly Father will not forgive us. Nothing of the kind had been conceived in the world before..."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 3w ago

William Jay, English Congregationalist minister, on enjoying and improving one's life: eluding misery means hiding from our own flesh — pure religion visits the afflicted. Some Christian circles today lament being surrounded by misery and conclude the fix is keeping family away from it. #christian

ALT text: Black background graphic. Left: engraved portrait of William Jay, English Congregationalist minister, in clerical robes, with signature below. Text reads "WILLIAM JAY (1769–1853), 'Life Enjoyed and Improved.'" Right: quotation reading "We are surrounded with the defenceless, the hungry, the naked, and the sick. We live in a world full of misery, and whatever be our situation, it is impossible to elude cases of distress. But are we to elude them? Are we to hide ourselves from our own flesh? 'Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.'"
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 4w ago

Charles Simeon, Anglican co-founder of the Church Missionary Society, thought interest fine but exploiting a neighbour's need worthy of "utmost abhorrence." Now that abhorrence lands not on the exploiting, but on whoever mentions it. How can you be kind in the market today? #missions #anglican

Black-and-white engraved portrait of Charles Simeon (1759–1836) beside a quotation from his "An Inquiry of the Character of Those That Shall Be Saved": "There is a legal interest of money which may fitly and properly be made: but every kind of extortion is worthy of the utmost abhorrence."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 4w ago

Robert Horne, 17th-century Oxford chaplain: hoarding surplus while others starve is theft, even murder — "such thieves eat the poor at their tables of excess." Today's version of that disdain mostly targets anyone who says the poor's suffering is our problem. WhocanUfeed? #christian #compassion

ALT text: Black background graphic. Text reads: "...it is a waste of the good creature, abusing that to sin which might have comforted many, perhaps, have saved the lives of some. And what are such but thieves to their brethren, Prov. 3.27, and murderers of their brethren, and themselves? He that robs a man of that which is his, is a thief: And such thieves are they that eat the poor, that is, that which is theirs, at their tables of excess." Attributed to "ROBERT HORNE (1565–1640), Of the Rich Man and Lazarus."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · last mo.

Martin Luther on Psalm 1:2: "Thou shalt not kill" means positive kindness to neighbour, not just restrained anger. Today's "biblical manhood" limits duty to one's household, while counseling rehearses grievances against whole classes so we watch their demise comfortably. Who can you help? #lutheran

ALT text: Black background graphic. Left: painted portrait of Martin Luther, 16th-century German monk turned reformer, wearing a black cap and robe. Text below reads "MARTIN LUTHER (1483–1546), Complete Commentary on 22 Psalms; Psalm 1:2." Right: quotation reading "...we are to love, to bless, to do good. What then is the purport of this scripture, Thou shalt not kill? Why this — that thou art not to be bitter and angry with, but kind and gentle to, thy neighbour. Therefore, look into what the scriptures teach concerning love, kindness, suavity, benevolence, goodness, and tenderness; and when thou hast collected and compared them all, hast thou not then well chattered and meditated in the law of the Lord?"
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · last mo.

Howard Crosby on Nehemiah scolding elites for enslaving their own countrymen over debt: love needs mildness, leaders going first, God rejecting the unloving. We can't say slavery was bad, won't discuss market exploitation, and call it "unloving" to mention it to shareholders. #presbyterian #bible

Black background graphic. Left: sepia photograph portrait of Howard Crosby, 19th-century Presbyterian minister with white beard, in clerical robes. Text below reads "HOWARD CROSBY (1842–1923), The book of Nehemiah." Right: quotation reading "What renders the admonition to exercise love effective? 1) Mildness in example. 2) Readiness of the preacher and his friends to take precedence in the example of love (ver. 5:10). 3) The assurance that God rejects the unloving from His communion, and robs him of His blessing (ver. 5:13)."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · last mo.

William Beveridge, 17th-century Anglican bishop, catalogued almsgiving’s duties: feed, clothe, visit, comfort, admonish, relieve — actual help. A popular evangelical sermon I saw mentioned only one’s own family. Cornelius was commended for prayer AND almsgiving. Streamlined scripture. #anglican

ALT text: Black background graphic. Left: sepia engraved portrait of William Beveridge, 17th-century Anglican bishop, seated in clerical robes beside an open book. Text below reads “WILLIAM BEVERIDGE (1637–1708), ‘Of Almsgiving.’” Right: quotation reading “…this duty…compriseth under it our feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, redeeming the captive, visiting the sick, entertaining the stranger, relieving the oppressed, easing the afflicted, comforting the sorrowful, instructing the ignorant, informing the erroneous, assisting the weak, admonishing the wicked, supplying the indigent, resolving the doubtful, rescuing such as are falling into danger, being good and kind, helpful and liberal to all unto the utmost of our power…”
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · last mo.

Augustus Strong, Baptist theologian, insisted the ‘true Church’ was the one burned by the Inquisition, not the one lighting fires — 30,000 punished, 8,000 burned. Apparently news to anyone who hears ‘religious conviction’ and reaches for ‘Inquisition apologist.’ Truly inspired literacy. #baptist

Black-and-white portrait of Augustus Strong (1836–1921), Baptist theologian, alongside a quotation from his writing on “Christ in Creation and Ethical Monism” describing the persecution of the true Church during the Inquisition era, including the Albigenses, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, and Savonarola.
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · last mo.

Boardman: Providence put Bunyan in jail to produce Pilgrim’s Progress, and Howard in prison to produce the reformer of hospitals and prisons. Suffering as preparation for changing society. Today’s political prisoners are locked incommunicado. No Birmingham letters emerging from those conditions.

Black graphic with a photograph of Henry Augustus Boardman (1808–1880) beside a quote from *Moral Courage*: "The Providence which allowed John Bunyan to be shut up in Bedford jail, that the world might not miss of the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' permitted John Howard, when a young man, to be thrown into a French prison, that a pioneer might not be wanting to marshal and direct the sympathies of Christendom in renovating the prisons and hospitals of the world."
Greg Johnson@pteranodo.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Martin Luther: faith, divine trust, neighbor-love invite persecution. The least of these in modern times is “virtue signaling” accusations. Brilliantly efficient—dismiss compassion without argument. Rather diabolical, that.

Portrait of Martin Luther, 16th-century Protestant Reformer, with quote from “The First Sermon, On Sunday Invocavit” on faith, trust in God, and love toward neighbor inevitably inviting persecution because the devil neither sleeps nor rests.