For the past few years, I’ve taken a huge step back from writing and posting online.

No podcasting. Virtually no blogging. Hardly any social media that wasn’t family content or pictures of my Solo Stove burning in the background. (Incidentally, hit me up if wonder how close you need to sit to one of those to singe off part of your right eyebrow. As of last weekend, I know.)

The reasons for withdrawal seemed obvious. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are napalm for the human soul. Leading the Honors College at OKWU takes time. And one can only have so many unpaid side-hustles.

To be frank, I was noticing a deterioration of both my mental health and the (what is the word…?) non-stupidity of topics I was writing on.

After all, if your blog purports to be on “theology and culture,” it feels inevitable that you will eventually look back and find that you’ve been sucked in by the all-powerful tractor beam of the 24-hour political news cycle. Those topics are matter, and I enjoy reading a few thoughtful voices on them. Still, it began to feel like I had unwittingly entered a Faustian bargain governed by an algorithm and forces of polarization that can only be described—in biblical vernacular—as principalities and powers.

So I quit. As I assume Paul would have if he realized most of his letters on “theology and culture” had turned out to be about whatever some Roman prelate or Pharisaical influencer had scrawled yesterday on an ancient message board.

Unfortunately, withdrawal has costs too.

Especially if you feel your gifts and calling have to do with trying to say something interesting and important to an audience beyond your Solo Stove and the last eyebrow standing.

I think by writing. And despite the cesspool of social media, the fact remains that world is still pretty remarkable, vexing, funny, and shot through with mystery and joy.

So, why this post?

My commitment for this year, is to reclaim my voice without losing my soul.

Posts will be shorter but (hopefully) more frequent. There will be fewer references to what some government official or professional provocateur said five minutes ago. And ideally, I’d love to de-couple this blog entirely from the major social media platforms.

That may mean moving to Substack eventually. But for now, I’m going to try working with the WordPress interface—where we are now. (I’m also working on a new book that I’m very excited about.)

So if you’re interested, please subscribe to the list that allows you to receive these posts via email (on the homepage of this blog). And if you enjoy it, by all means, tell someone else.

With that said, I’m grateful for you. And I’m excited to reclaim a voice that hopefully still has something to say.

Grace+peace, Josh.