Associate Professor of History and Theology @ Covenant College | Ph.D. Durham University | Early Christian Theology | History of Christian Spirituality | Biography | Quaerite faciem eius semperhttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3mg6rmdqv722gFriends... The CFP for the #AARSBL meetings in Denver will close tomorrow evening at midnight. Not too late to submit your proposal for the Development in Early Christian Theology section... We'd love to see your interactions with early Christian use of subtle scriptural figures!03 Mar 2026 22:04 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg6rmdqv722ghttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3m7tagnjcks2fPrayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger. —Abba Nilus (2) (*Sayings of the Desert Fathers*, trans. B. Ward)12 Dec 2025 23:27 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7tagnjcks2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3m6mpc7temk2qHappy Bird on the Egg day to all who celebrate! #Thanksgiving #BigGreenEgg27 Nov 2025 15:39 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6mpc7temk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3m5tkcgfubs2i“He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands.” —St. Bernard of Clairvaux17 Nov 2025 15:33 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tkcgfubs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lsydvqyjh22rShow us how to walk this day in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Lord, come to our aid. #Lauds02 Jul 2025 13:44 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsydvqyjh22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lqt2h6gkhs27"Seek after peace, and pursue it." —St. Benedict of Nursia, RB prol. 1705 Jun 2025 00:22 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqt2h6gkhs27https://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lqt2h6gkhs27"Seek after peace, and pursue it." —St. Benedict of Nursia, RB prol. 1705 Jun 2025 00:22 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqt2h6gkhs27https://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lp2ydttv4k2k"Becoming God's friend is the only thing worthy of honor and desire. This, as I have said, is the perfection of life." —Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses, II.320)13 May 2025 17:15 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lp2ydttv4k2khttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lnan64dhkc2dSurrexit Christus!20 Apr 2025 12:20 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnan64dhkc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lkg67johns2gThe true measure of loving God is to love Him without measure. —St. Bernard of Clairvaux15 Mar 2025 12:53 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkg67johns2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lgkx25e5ok2k“The most important thing of all to [Paul] was that he knew himself to be loved by Christ. Enjoying this love, he considered himself happier than anyone else; were he without it, it would be no satisfaction to be the friend of principalities and powers. (1/2)25 Jan 2025 12:47 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgkx25e5ok2khttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3ldy5ksxdk22eOn #Christmas, we see Christ as an infant. Let us grow up with him. —Augustine, Sermon 196.323 Dec 2024 14:33 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldy5ksxdk22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lbzg6mxqn227Daughters dancing to the parade. Bird cooking beautifully. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! #Thanksgiving28 Nov 2024 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbzg6mxqn227https://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lbtbmleibs23And that’s a wrap for #sblaar24. Great to see old friends and make new ones. See you in Boston for #aarsbl25. You stay classy, San Diego.26 Nov 2024 05:12 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbtbmleibs23https://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lblac4op622tI’m sure there may be good reasons not to do so, but I would not mind this view for #sblaar every single year.23 Nov 2024 00:27 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lblac4op622thttps://bsky.app/profile/hcliftonward.bsky.social/post/3lbifv63jjc2aWorst part of #sblaar24: gate changes, flight delays, and “airline systems issues.” Still will get to San Diego eventually (I think)21 Nov 2024 21:29 +0000at://did:plc:epf7esumy4uphpdl6uh3x2rk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbifv63jjc2a