There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abi′el, son of Zeror, son of Beco′rath, son of Aphi′ah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth; and he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Now the asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the asses.” And they passed through the hill country of E′phraim and passed through the land of Shal′ishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Sha′alim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the asses and become anxious about us.” But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he says comes true. Let us go there; perhaps he can tell us about the journey on which we have set out.” Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What have we?” The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me the fourth part of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God, to tell us our way.” (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.) And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

As they went up the hill to the city, they met young maidens coming out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?” They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Make haste; he has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. As soon as you enter the city, you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those eat who are invited. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

–1 Samuel 9:1-14

Guten Morgen 🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿 pic.twitter.com/yreba0WEE3

— Brigitta Neurauter (@BrigittaNeurau2) June 27, 2025

The legal legitimation of same-sex marriage in June 2015 was an important crossroads in American history and the Anglican Church’s witness in North America.

I saw this event coming twenty years ago. I felt led to write a tract for the 1997 Episcopal General Convention titled Two Sexes, One Flesh: Why the Church Cannot Bless Same-Sex Marriage (a condensed version appeared in Theology Matters). I chose the word cannot in the title advisedly, because I believe that in fundamental matters of reality, man may propose, but only God disposes. In the case of marriage, God has disposed once and for all from creation to the end of the age.

In 2015, I became Chairman of the ACNA Task Force on Marriage, the Family, and the Single Life. That very year, the U.S. Supreme Court was deliberating on a case (Obergefell v. Hodges) that was likely to legitimize same-sex marriage throughout the country. As advisor to the College of Bishops, I helped prepare a statement in response to this decision. In what seems a providential concurrence, the court decision came down on the final day of the College of Bishops meeting in Vancouver. The bishops were able to make a final edit of “‘From the Beginning’: God’s Design for Marriage” and announced it that very day.

The ACNA is, of course, a small fish in a large pond of American culture and religion. For this reason, I think the statement has been little noticed and long forgotten. Nevertheless, reading it over now on the tenth anniversary, I think it still speaks truth to power in a society where sexual disorder and marital decline have dishonored God and wreaked havoc on his children.

For this reason, I wish to commend a serious rereading of this statement….

Read it all.

“The primary signs of human rebellion, according to the apostle Paul, are idolatry and sexual sin…” The Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll #gafcon23 pic.twitter.com/oYGodZkJIu

— Matt Kennedy (@lambeth981) April 18, 2023

Attendance in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is up by double digits for the third consecutive year, according to congregational report data released June 19 during the denomination’s Provincial Council meeting at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.

“We’ve grown in every category that we track,” said Dan Hassler, director of administration and operations. “We are at highest attendance and membership of all time.”

The denomination in 2024 reported a net increase of 14 congregations to a total of 1,027, an increase in membership of 1,997 (+1.5 percent) to a total of 130,111 and an increase in attendance of 11,354 (+13.4 percent) to a total of 96,148.

Read it all.

“We’ve grown in every category that we track,” @The_ACNA staff report at the denomination's annual provincial council, finding 2024 increases in membership, attendance, baptisms, confirmations and weddings. https://t.co/ybtH8c84xP

— IRD (@TheIRD) June 23, 2025

When I jumped out of that window, I asked God to give me everything back. He kept his promise: He kept my daughters safe and returned them to me. When I was locked away, he was my friend and savior. When I was dying, he brought me back to life.

What’s more, he has transformed my suffering into an open door to minister to other people in dire situations living in Thailand, including prostitutes, abandoned children, and those who have been trafficked or are without homes.

I am living proof that God is working in the darkness. And all the ways he has loved me are glimpses of the everlasting life I now treasure in him.

Read it all.

Enslaved for over 20 years, I was on my deathbed in a Thai village, writes Rakthai Sophia Loibl.

Then Jesus brought me back to life and showed me true freedom.https://t.co/9JLjUU55mN

— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) May 10, 2025

For the first time in decades, the rich world is embarking on mass rearmament. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the threat of conflict over Taiwan and President Donald Trump’s impulsive approach to alliances have all made bolstering national defence an urgent priority. On June 25th members of NATO agreed to raise their target for military spending to 3.5% of gdp, and allocated an extra 1.5% to security-related items (Spain insisted on a loophole). If they achieve that target in 2035, they will be spending $800bn more every year, in real terms, than they did before Russia invaded Ukraine. The boom goes wider than NATO. By one estimate, embattled Israel splurged more than 8% of its gdp on defence last year. Even doveish Japan plans to stump up.

Such vast sums could reshape the global economy, by squeezing public finances and shifting activity within countries. As politicians sell the benefits of rearmament to voters, many will claim that military spending will bring economic gains as well as security. Sir Keir Starmer, Britain’s prime minister, promises defence will offer “the next generation of good, secure, well-paid jobs”. The European Commission says it will bring “benefits for all countries”. However tempting politically, such arguments are wrong. Using defence spending for economic objectives would be a costly mistake.

The most obvious economic consequence of bigger defence budgets will be to strain public finances. Debts are already high and the financial pressures on governments, caused by ageing populations and higher interest rates, are mounting. The average nato member, excluding America, will need to raise annual defence spending by 1.5% of gdp.

Read it all.

How the defence bonanza will reshape the global economy

As they spend big, politicians must resist using one pot of money to achieve many goalshttps://t.co/p7w5mjGcho

— Juhani Huopainen (@Huopainen) June 26, 2025

Loving God, we offer thanks for the work and witness of Isabel Florence Hapgood, who introduced the Divine Liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church to English-speaking Christians, and encouraged dialogue between Anglicans and Orthodox. Guide us as we build on the foundation that she gave us, that all may be one in Christ; who with thee and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, unto ages of ages. Amen.

On the Episcopal calendar of commemorations for today: Isabel Florence Hapgood (1851-1928), journalist, linguist, and lifelong Episcopalian, who translated the Divine Liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church into English. pic.twitter.com/ucMvSYtrZW

— Peter J. Thuesen (@peterjthuesen) June 26, 2020

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who hast taught us by love to serve one another: Give us eyes of compassion for human suffering and need wherever it is found, and especially for that which lies nearest to our own doors; save us from neglecting life’s opportunities; and grant that while we have time we may do good to all men, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Guten Morgen, auf geht's! pic.twitter.com/OmACrttexE

— Die Bergziege (@brauchtfreiheit) June 26, 2025

A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.

“You are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

–Luke 22:24-30

🌿Guten Morgen ☀️ pic.twitter.com/pwgRKOsYea

— 🕊️Harmonie (@stein5864) June 26, 2025

The

 old saying “A parish can be no better than its priest” is open to doubt. What is not open to doubt is that the Church of England is facing something of a crisis in clergy numbers.

In 2020, there were 591 ordinands, dropping to 370 in 2024; in the summer of that year, the General Synod was told that numbers had dropped by 38 per cent since 2020 (News, 12 July 2024). Parishes advertising a vacancy frequently get no replies, while the number of interregnums grows daily (Comment, 13 December 2024). Countless churches depend for regular ministry on non-stipendiary (NSM) or retired clergy. The ordination of women in 1994 was welcome for many reasons, but we must also not forget that it delivered the Church from an even greater clergy crisis.

Most serving priests will have been asked “What made you become a priest?” with the expectation there will have been a mysterious divine call delivered by private prayer and worship.

There is no reason, however, why such a call cannot also come through modern PR and planned human strategy.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

"A parish may receive only one applicant for a post, resulting in the choice of facing a further long interregnum or appointing this candidate. When the latter course is taken, disastrous results can follow."https://t.co/1Tbri6VHHL

— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) June 23, 2025

I was in Egypt at this time last year for an international gathering of Anglican ministers. Our group was given an audience with the head of the Coptic church, Pope Tawadros II. He leads one of the oldest branches of Christianity, understood to go back Saint Mark himself.

During our time with him he spoke about the culture of Egypt, which he described as being built over thousands of years upon something like seven or eight layers. There was pre-Egypt (before 3000BC); Ancient Egypt with its several kingdoms (ca 3000-332 BC); the Persian Period (525-332 BC); the Greek Period (332-30BC); the Roman and Christian period (30BC-641 AD); Islamic Egypt (641-1517 AD); Ottoman Egypt (1517-1798 AD); the French and British Period (1798-1952); and now, Modern Egypt (1952-present).

I cannot think of another place with such an ancient, varied, and unbroken witness to human civilization. You can see it in the buildings. In Cairo, in just hours you can find yourself before pyramids over four thousand years old, churches nearly two thousand years old, mosques over a thousand years old, all while driving past hotels and fast-food restaurants just a few years old.

Being in a place like Egypt is a reminder that human beings do more than just exist. We build.

Read it all.

What a blessing to be at @TheFallsChurch Anglican with Sam Ferguson and his flock. pic.twitter.com/nryb3jv7eC

— Ligon Duncan (@LigonDuncan) June 26, 2022

Katie Freer to Serve As Director of Women’s Ministries at St. Philip’s Church, Charleston

Katie Freer has accepted a call to serve as the Director of Women’s Ministries, a newly created position, at St. Philip’s Church in Charleston. In a note to the congregation the Rector, the Rev. Jeff Miller, wrote, “It has long been my desire to provide the women of St. Philip’s with the same level of leadership, encouragement, and spiritual guidance that has helped our men’s ministries thrive. To that end, and with the enthusiastic approval of our Vestry, I am thrilled to announce the creation of a new staff position: Director of Women’s Ministries. Beginning this September, Katie Freer will join the staff in this important role. Katie is no stranger to St. Philip’s. Raised in our parish, she is a graduate of Ashley Hall and Davidson College. She brings with her a wealth of experience in Christian education and children’s ministry, and her life is marked by deep faith and a joyful commitment to serving the Lord. She is the wife of Daniel and the mother of four wonderful children, and she embodies the grace, wisdom, and energy we had hoped to find in this role. 

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/FoBFqwiLhL #parishministry #lowcountrylife #religion #faith [Katie Freer, Saint Philip's new director of women's ministries] pic.twitter.com/DWxiiriQpt

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 25, 2025

Frustrated with dating apps, singles are shelling out for high-end matchmaking.

“We had our biggest month of sales in the history of the company last month, and we’ve been around for 15 years,” Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of the matchmaking service Three Day Rule says. “Our business is not shrinking.”

And he’s not alone. Demand for personalized dating services is growing, according to companies interviewed by Bloomberg, with clients citing “app fatigue” and a desire for meaningful connection as the motivation for ditching the swipes.

Read it all.

Elite dating services are thriving, stoked by app fatigue and "Materialists" the movie https://t.co/vHzSWU11pP

— Bloomberg (@business) June 24, 2025

Eternal God, we give thanks for the gifts that thou didst bestow upon thy servant James Weldon Johnson: a heart and voice to praise thy Name in verse. As he gave us powerful words to glorify you, may we also speak with joy and boldness to banish hatred from thy creation, in the Name of Jesus Christ; who with thee and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Born today in 1871: James Weldon Johnson, author of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing." This portrait is by the Scurlock Studio of D.C. pic.twitter.com/8SLoPCj81Q

— National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum) June 17, 2017

O God,
the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Sunrise in Aberdeen this morning at 4.35 🌅 Good morning 👋😁 pic.twitter.com/ROT9Bbm2n7

— Natalie Hood (@NatalieAHood) June 25, 2025

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch′orus, and Nica′nor, and Timon, and Par′menas, and Nicola′us, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyre′nians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cili′cia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

–Acts 6:1-15

Good Morning from Scarborough 👋 pic.twitter.com/YyTNmiAWby

— Visit North Yorkshire (@visitnorthyork) June 25, 2025

Nineteen Bishops are among more than 250 Church of England clergy who have signed a letter condemning a move to decriminalise women who induce their own abortion as “a dangerous change”.

On Tuesday, MPs voted by 379 to 137 in favour of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill brought by the Labour MP for Gower, Tonia Antoniazzi. This disapplies the existing criminal law relating to abortion from women “acting in relation to her own pregnancy”. The amendment does not change any law regarding the provision of abortion within a healthcare setting.

The letter, published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, says: “We are troubled by the amendment voted through by the House of Commons on Tuesday to decriminalise terminations in utero up to full term. As many elected politicians move further away from the Christian moral values that have hitherto shaped much that is good in our national life, our concern is that the vulnerable and voiceless are increasingly overlooked.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

Nineteen bishops sign letter; @bishopoffulham and the Bishop of Oswestry also express ‘profound disquiet’https://t.co/0GtctjduOt

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) June 24, 2025

“What does a wise life look like? What does a wise life look like? I want to be sure that we’re all on the same page as I begin.

That word wise is carefully chosen. In the Old Testament, the word for wisdom is coming from a very agrarian and earthy context. In Hebrew, you always start with the physical and the earthy and work your way forward to the more metaphorical or spiritual or less earthy.

So this word wisdom is used in the Old Testament for stonemasons and wood carvers. If you wanted to translate it in English, literally you would say skill. So the whole idea initially of this word is, you would look at something that a stonemason had made or someone who works with wood.”

“For those of you who know Granger McCoy in South Carolina, he comes to mind and you look at what they’ve done with the wood and you say, wow, that took a lot of effort, that took a lot of skill. How did you make that fantastic piece of art out of that piece of wood? It takes skill, that’s wisdom, in terms of its imprint on physical stuff.

And then it becomes metaphorical. And what it means is what you do not with wood or with metal or with stones, but what you do with life. You’ve been given the gift of life.

You actually didn’t have to be here. Do you know this about yourself? We didn’t need you.

God didn’t need you. He didn’t need the world. He didn’t have to make us.

He didn’t have to make this day. It’s all grace. It’s all gift.

But you’ve been given the gift of life. God gave it to each one of us. And the question is this, if you look at someone’s, not their stones or their painting or their woodwork, but if you look at their life, their whole life, all that they are, all that they do, can you then say, “wow-that is beautiful!?”

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

Psalm 1:3 "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." pic.twitter.com/8rnCE69uRQ

— Christian Law (@clalaw) June 4, 2025

“The Psalter should be precious to us if only because it most clearly promises the death and resurrection of Christ, and describes his kingdom, and the nature and standing of all Christian people. It could well be entitled a “Little Bible” since everything contained in the entire Bible is beautifully and briefly comprehended, and compacted into…a Manual. It seems to me as if the Holy Ghost had been please to take on himself the trouble of putting together a short Bible…touching the whole of Christianity…in order that they who are unable to read the whole Bible may nevertheless find almost the whole sum comprehended in one little book…the Psalter is the very paragon of books.

—

—Reading the Psalms with Luther: The Psalter for Individual and Family Devotions (St. Louis: Concordia, 2007), cited by yours truly in the Sunday sermon

"We do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds, but, having been made righteous, we do righteous deeds."

-Martin Luther pic.twitter.com/5BxJeMCoHL

— Reformed1563 (@Heidel_bro1563) June 24, 2025

At China Mall , a vast supermarket in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Rose Ahurra picks up a small turquoise squirrel. The toy flashes as she puts it in a trolley laden with towels, clothes, containers and an air fryer. The purchases indicate her place in the Ugandan middle class, which has flocked to China Mall since it opened earlier this year. “The prices are fair and I no longer have to go to lots of individual shops,” she explains.

But the floors of mostly Chinese goods also hint at an imbalance that worries African policymakers. Total trade between China and Africa was worth $296bn in 2024. Yet the value of what China exported west ($179bn) was much higher than what Africa sent east ($117bn). This year, partly as a result of the state support China is giving to its factories to boost the domestic economy, Chinese exports to the continent are on track to be 12% higher. African countries have long asked Beijing to make it easier to trade the other way, too. Many will have welcomed China’s announcement on June 12th that it will grant duty-free access to products from every African country except Eswatini, a tiny kingdom that recognises Taiwan.

The immediate impact may be minimal. But the policy could integrate African economies more deeply into Chinese-centred supply chains as the global economy is fragmenting. Geopolitically, China’s move is as subtle as a flashing turquoise squirrel. After 25 years America is set to end its own duty-free deal with Africa when the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expires on September 30th. It is imposing tariffs willy-nilly, slashing aid and banning African migrants. For its biggest competitor, that is an opportunity.

Read it all.

China is presenting itself to Africa as a benevolent trading partner, different from Donald Trump’s America. This is ironic, in a topsy-turvy way https://t.co/u5yd9rYewF

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) June 24, 2025

Almighty God, by whose providence thy servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth’s sake; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

'His name is John'

The infant St John the Baptist lies before his mother Elizabeth, while Zechariah confirms the child's name by writing on a slate. Early 16th Century German glass in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow.

Today's the feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/cSmPZWSbbk

— Simon Knott (@SimoninSuffolk) June 24, 2025

O God, the God of all goodness and of all grace, who art worthy of a greater love than we can either give or understand: Fill our hearts, we beseech thee, with such love toward thee that nothing may seem too hard for us to do or to suffer, in obedience to thy will; and grant that thus loving thee, we may become daily more like unto thee, and finally obtain the crown of life which thou hast promised to those that love thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I firmly believe that nature
brings solace in all troubles.

~ Anne Frank#ThickTrunkTuesday #Trees
Midleton Lodge Park 🌳 pic.twitter.com/yT0m3m0SSe

— Margaret O'Connell🌻 (@MargaretOC6) June 24, 2025

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gama′li-el, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you do with these men. For before these days Theu′das arose, giving himself out to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was slain and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

–Acts 5:27-42

“My office is not in a chapel. My office is where the soldiers are,” said Major William H. Allen, a US Army chaplain based in Arlington, Virginia. 

Allen works alongside service members and catches up with them during meetings and at meals. The day-to-day conversations turn into impromptu counseling sessions about marriage difficulties, financial uncertainty, and suicide. 

When the military faces attacks and escalation, Allen keeps an eye out for anxiety among the troops. Sometimes he’ll approach the commander of the unit to suggest clearer communication about their mission. 

“The beauty—the gift, frankly—of my job as a chaplain is that I’m dealing with people sometimes for whom the uncertainty actually draws them to God,” Allen said. 

Read it all.

The morning after President Trump announced attacks on Iran, churches on military bases offered prayers for those involved.

“For those that remain on standby on duty and in the region … protect them and watch over them.”

CT story from @HarvestPrude: https://t.co/2DYymYpJ7M

— kate shellnutt (@kateshellnutt) June 24, 2025

This period of 20 years is by no means the first time in U.S. history that military force, economic pressure, and diplomacy have been seen as alternatives to one another, as opposed to tools that must be applied simultaneously, to varying but carefully calibrated degrees, if a recalcitrant adversary is to be effectively constrained. The Trump administration must not repeat the mistake by now attaching too much significance to Saturday night’s stunning demonstration of American air supremacy.

For air power alone cannot suffice. One does not need to accept the cynical critique of Saturday night’s strikes by the former Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev. There are valid reasons to doubt that Iran’s nuclear program has been crippled, as Professor Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute has argued. It is not clear what has become of Iran’s roughly 400 kilograms of percent-enriched uranium-235 which, if further enriched, would be enough for up to 10 nuclear weapons. Iranian trucks were on the move around Fordow before the U.S. strikes. So Iran may still have the ability to manufacture centrifuges and to resume enrichment.

It would be pleasing to imagine the amputation of Fordow setting back Iran’s nuclear program so far that it effectively restores the half-century-old non-proliferation regime. And it would not be entirely fantastical. After all, the use of force ultimately consigned the nuclear ambitions of the Iraqi and Libyan dictators to the trash can of history. With the benefit of hindsight, we can speculate that military action might also have thwarted the North Korean nuclear arms program.

Read it all.

"As Kissinger often said, every success in foreign policy is just an admission ticket to the next crisis," writes Niall Ferguson. https://t.co/FhWGMLTnot

— The Free Press (@TheFP) June 23, 2025

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Monday released its first dazzling images of deep space in a preview of the cosmic movie the pioneering probe was built to create.

The U.S.-funded observatory, perched in an area of the Chilean Andes known for exceptionally dark skies, is equipped with the world’s largest digital camera and a 27.5-foot mirror that can capture light too faint for other telescopes to see. 

Together, the photos will create a dynamic time-lapse record of the southern sky—essentially a vast celestial flipbook that is expected to document 38 billion objects, from galaxies and stars to black holes and supernovae.

The project, dubbed the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, is slated to begin later this year. It will advance four science goals: inventorying the solar system, mapping the Milky Way, cataloging billions of transient space objects and unlocking the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. No previous telescope has peered this far and wide into space. 

Read it all.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Monday released its first dazzling images of deep space snapped with the world's largest digital camera. @GaripPatricia reports for #WSJScience https://t.co/KEjkYow62t via @WSJ

— Jo Craven McGinty (@mcjomcg) June 23, 2025

In a moment of political decisiveness and courage, Trump deployed those bombs, despite strenuous objections from the “restrainers” in his administration and parts of the MAGA coalition.

“There’s no military that could’ve done what we did,” Trump said during a brief speech to the nation Saturday night. He is correct. As Niall Ferguson and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant recently noted in these pages, Fordow was essentially impervious to assault. There was one bomb that could cut through its defenses: America’s GBU 57A/B Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP). And there was only one plane built to deliver that bomb: the American B-2 Spirit.

“With a single exertion of its unmatched military strength,” Ferguson and Gallant wrote, “the United States can shorten the war, prevent wider escalation, and end the principal threat to Middle Eastern stability. It can also send a signal to those other authoritarian powers who have been Iran’s enablers that American deterrence is back.”

Read it all.

"Trump Keeps His Promise on Iran. The World Is Safer for It." https://t.co/W4cJn812oU

— LuigiC (@Curini) June 23, 2025

There are three broad paths forward in the wake of the U.S. decision to join Israel’s war on Iran.

First, Iran could admit defeat, explicitly or implicitly. The relative geopolitical calm would ease pressure on oil prices and allow stocks to continue on their bullish path.

Second, Iran could escalate the conflict by retaliating against sensitive targets, including direct attacks on oil exports. The ensuing economic harm could range from modest to severe, depending on how the conflict spreads.

Third, Iran could go through some version of regime change, through a coup, a domestic uprising or some other unforeseen circumstances. How that plays out is difficult to forecast.

Read it all (subscription).

Where the Iran War Goes From Here. 3 Scenarios for Oil and Stocks. https://t.co/NzzGDtGIbg

— Barron's (@barronsonline) June 22, 2025

O God, we have known and believed the love that thou hast for us.  May we, by dwelling in love, dwell in thee, and thou in us.  Teach us, O heavenly Father, the love wherewith thou hast loved us; fashion us, O blessed Lord, after thine own example of love; shed abroad, O thou Holy Spirit of love, the love of God and man in our hearts.  For thy name’s sake.

For your Monday motivation we're sharing this view close to Garsdale Head. Have a great week!

📸 Lou Sadler | #YorkshireDales #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/rH3vbMQDwD

— Yorkshire Dales National Park (@yorkshire_dales) June 23, 2025

When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they carried it from Ebene′zer to Ashdod; then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off upon the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us; for his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god.” So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out upon them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to slay us and our people.” They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not slay us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there; the men who did not die were stricken with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

–1 Samuel 5:1-12

Week starts and it has to be Owlsome with these spotted Owlets the easiset owls to find along NCR in the woods or near apartments. #IndiAves #ThePhotoHour #bbcwild #birds #BirdsOfTwitter #Canon #dailypic pic.twitter.com/1FtfsOa3hO

— Arun Kamath🕊 (@incognito9) June 23, 2025

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Morning everyone I hope you are well. The 13th/14th century St Oswald's Church nestled in Grasmere. Have a great day.#LakeDistrict pic.twitter.com/apFXUt8Rbp

— Rod Hutchinson (@lakesrhino) June 22, 2025