Lanta Davis
@lantadavis.bsky.social
Author: #BecomingbyBeholding
Reader. Professor. Part-time van dweller.
Asking life's big questions at the John Wesley Honors College.
Reader. Professor. Part-time van dweller.
Asking life's big questions at the John Wesley Honors College.
I occasionally struggle with time as a teacher, so Saint Basil’s words to his restless listeners made me laugh:
"I hope my words will be profitable; at least by occupying you here, they have prevented you from sinning.
Thus the longer I keep you, the longer you are out of evil."
"I hope my words will be profitable; at least by occupying you here, they have prevented you from sinning.
Thus the longer I keep you, the longer you are out of evil."
September 28, 2026 at 3:06 PM
I occasionally struggle with time as a teacher, so Saint Basil’s words to his restless listeners made me laugh:
"I hope my words will be profitable; at least by occupying you here, they have prevented you from sinning.
Thus the longer I keep you, the longer you are out of evil."
"I hope my words will be profitable; at least by occupying you here, they have prevented you from sinning.
Thus the longer I keep you, the longer you are out of evil."
Can you ever resist a siren song?
I wrote about what we learn from Odysseus about temptation and how wax, binding, and playing our own song helps us resist it.
mereorthodoxy.com/what-the-ody...
I wrote about what we learn from Odysseus about temptation and how wax, binding, and playing our own song helps us resist it.
mereorthodoxy.com/what-the-ody...
What The Odyssey Teaches Us About Temptation
Odysseus and his men know they cannot just sail by the sirens and hope their willpower and common sense will hold out against the sirens’ song. They have to prepare.
mereorthodoxy.com
September 25, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Can you ever resist a siren song?
I wrote about what we learn from Odysseus about temptation and how wax, binding, and playing our own song helps us resist it.
mereorthodoxy.com/what-the-ody...
I wrote about what we learn from Odysseus about temptation and how wax, binding, and playing our own song helps us resist it.
mereorthodoxy.com/what-the-ody...
I married the type of guy who kept a scrapbook of our early dates.
And yes, we went to both Disney on Ice and WWE together.
And yes, we went to both Disney on Ice and WWE together.
September 21, 2026 at 7:55 PM
I married the type of guy who kept a scrapbook of our early dates.
And yes, we went to both Disney on Ice and WWE together.
And yes, we went to both Disney on Ice and WWE together.
Traveling soon to beautiful Vancouver to teach a one week class on the imagination and spiritual formation at Regent.
If you've ever wondered what dragons, unicorns, and snake-eating women have to do with faith, consider auditing to find out!
www.regent-college.edu/courses/cour...
If you've ever wondered what dragons, unicorns, and snake-eating women have to do with faith, consider auditing to find out!
www.regent-college.edu/courses/cour...
Imagination & Spiritual Formation
The imagination plays a central role in our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. By looking at how Christians have historically trained their imaginations, we’ll learn how stories...
www.regent-college.edu
June 12, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Traveling soon to beautiful Vancouver to teach a one week class on the imagination and spiritual formation at Regent.
If you've ever wondered what dragons, unicorns, and snake-eating women have to do with faith, consider auditing to find out!
www.regent-college.edu/courses/cour...
If you've ever wondered what dragons, unicorns, and snake-eating women have to do with faith, consider auditing to find out!
www.regent-college.edu/courses/cour...
This collection on thriving in Christian higher ed is out today!
I contributed a chapter on my efforts to battle acedia...which I imagine will be relatable to anyone who has had to grade papers semester after semester without losing their minds.
I contributed a chapter on my efforts to battle acedia...which I imagine will be relatable to anyone who has had to grade papers semester after semester without losing their minds.
June 2, 2026 at 5:45 PM
This collection on thriving in Christian higher ed is out today!
I contributed a chapter on my efforts to battle acedia...which I imagine will be relatable to anyone who has had to grade papers semester after semester without losing their minds.
I contributed a chapter on my efforts to battle acedia...which I imagine will be relatable to anyone who has had to grade papers semester after semester without losing their minds.
So thrilled to be part of the Festival of Faith and Writing this year!
I'll be talking about catacomb art, mosaics, sacred architecture, and paintings of the crucifixion. If you're in Grand Rapids, come say hello!
I'll be talking about catacomb art, mosaics, sacred architecture, and paintings of the crucifixion. If you're in Grand Rapids, come say hello!
April 14, 2026 at 1:06 PM
So thrilled to be part of the Festival of Faith and Writing this year!
I'll be talking about catacomb art, mosaics, sacred architecture, and paintings of the crucifixion. If you're in Grand Rapids, come say hello!
I'll be talking about catacomb art, mosaics, sacred architecture, and paintings of the crucifixion. If you're in Grand Rapids, come say hello!
The world is divided on so many issues, but we can all agree that the APA style guide is the absolute WORST, right?
January 31, 2026 at 5:53 PM
The world is divided on so many issues, but we can all agree that the APA style guide is the absolute WORST, right?
Reposted by Lanta Davis
My book on Ordinary Time is now available! www.ivpress.com/ordinary-tim...
January 27, 2026 at 11:45 PM
My book on Ordinary Time is now available! www.ivpress.com/ordinary-tim...
Prayer, according to Herbert:
"God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage"
"God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage"
January 24, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Prayer, according to Herbert:
"God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage"
"God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage"
What I get to read and discuss with my fellow John Wesley Honors College faculty this semester!
January 21, 2026 at 7:37 PM
What I get to read and discuss with my fellow John Wesley Honors College faculty this semester!
Does this cfp from Minerva McGonagall mean I've finally been recognized for my magical skills and invited to Hogwarts?
January 6, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Does this cfp from Minerva McGonagall mean I've finally been recognized for my magical skills and invited to Hogwarts?
Last year, I read over thirty Agatha Christie books and Dorothy Sayers' entire Peter Whimsey series.
I now feel very well-prepared to solve any murders that may come my way in 2026.
I now feel very well-prepared to solve any murders that may come my way in 2026.
January 1, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Last year, I read over thirty Agatha Christie books and Dorothy Sayers' entire Peter Whimsey series.
I now feel very well-prepared to solve any murders that may come my way in 2026.
I now feel very well-prepared to solve any murders that may come my way in 2026.
For those of you who have been waiting to buy my book until you could pair it with Snoop Dogg's cookbook, boy does Amazon have a deal for you.
December 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
For those of you who have been waiting to buy my book until you could pair it with Snoop Dogg's cookbook, boy does Amazon have a deal for you.
Anyone have audiobook recommendations for my upcoming Christmas road trip?
Fiction preferred, but I can be persuaded by compelling nonfiction, too.
Fiction preferred, but I can be persuaded by compelling nonfiction, too.
December 13, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Anyone have audiobook recommendations for my upcoming Christmas road trip?
Fiction preferred, but I can be persuaded by compelling nonfiction, too.
Fiction preferred, but I can be persuaded by compelling nonfiction, too.
My colleague @loganhoffman9.bsky.social helped me level up my Christmas star game from 2-D to 3-D.
December 13, 2025 at 5:53 PM
My colleague @loganhoffman9.bsky.social helped me level up my Christmas star game from 2-D to 3-D.
If you want to learn about the virtues from a virtuous person.
I know it's still more than four months away, but preorders help authors a *lot*. And I'm excited about this book. I wrote it with my own two hands. And I tried to make it good. So that should count for something.
December 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM
If you want to learn about the virtues from a virtuous person.
My basement swallowed up the bottom half of my Christmas tree and spit out this terrifying doll.
Seriously. I've never seen this thing in my life. How did it get into a box in my home?
Seriously. I've never seen this thing in my life. How did it get into a box in my home?
December 8, 2025 at 11:50 PM
My basement swallowed up the bottom half of my Christmas tree and spit out this terrifying doll.
Seriously. I've never seen this thing in my life. How did it get into a box in my home?
Seriously. I've never seen this thing in my life. How did it get into a box in my home?
When we first got married, we didn't have a star for our tree. So my husband improvised.
Now it's a tradition.
Now it's a tradition.
December 7, 2025 at 2:16 PM
When we first got married, we didn't have a star for our tree. So my husband improvised.
Now it's a tradition.
Now it's a tradition.
Apparently it is possible to lose the bottom half of your Christmas tree..
December 7, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Apparently it is possible to lose the bottom half of your Christmas tree..
I wrote about Harry Clarke's resplendent stained glass #MotherofSorrows window.
.
Why is this window unusual? Mary is sitting ON TOP of the cross with Jesus. What seems like a scandalous decision actually has a lot of theological rationale.
www.dappledthings.org/deep-down-th...
.
Why is this window unusual? Mary is sitting ON TOP of the cross with Jesus. What seems like a scandalous decision actually has a lot of theological rationale.
www.dappledthings.org/deep-down-th...
Harry Clarke’s window into Our Lady of Sorrows — Dappled Things
Lanta Davis offers a meditation on a highly unusual artwork
www.dappledthings.org
November 18, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I wrote about Harry Clarke's resplendent stained glass #MotherofSorrows window.
.
Why is this window unusual? Mary is sitting ON TOP of the cross with Jesus. What seems like a scandalous decision actually has a lot of theological rationale.
www.dappledthings.org/deep-down-th...
.
Why is this window unusual? Mary is sitting ON TOP of the cross with Jesus. What seems like a scandalous decision actually has a lot of theological rationale.
www.dappledthings.org/deep-down-th...
To train their attention and awaken a sense of wonder, I invite students to draw three flowers.
They might not always be artistically perfect, but they almost always make me smile.
They might not always be artistically perfect, but they almost always make me smile.
November 10, 2025 at 10:33 PM
To train their attention and awaken a sense of wonder, I invite students to draw three flowers.
They might not always be artistically perfect, but they almost always make me smile.
They might not always be artistically perfect, but they almost always make me smile.
My dad once dressed up as the Easter bunny to hand out Halloween candy.
Kids were very confused.
Kids were very confused.
October 31, 2025 at 11:15 PM
My dad once dressed up as the Easter bunny to hand out Halloween candy.
Kids were very confused.
Kids were very confused.
Reposted by Lanta Davis
Musicians Matthew Clark & Ordinary Time are performing in MD! Also: new books by Grace Hamman (on medieval virtues) & Ben Palpant (interviews w/ 17 poets); @lantadavis.bsky.social on a bone-decorated crypt in Rome; & a song by Mark Shiiba inspired by said crypt. artandtheology.org/2025/10/28/r...
Roundup: “Ask of Old Paths,” “An Axe for the Frozen Sea,” Crypt of the Three Skeletons, and more
Upcoming Maryland concerts: Matthew Clark and Ordinary Time | Review of “Ask of Old Paths” by Grace Hamman | Ben Palpant interviews 17 poets | Lanta Davis on bone chapels and their stra…
artandtheology.org
October 28, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Musicians Matthew Clark & Ordinary Time are performing in MD! Also: new books by Grace Hamman (on medieval virtues) & Ben Palpant (interviews w/ 17 poets); @lantadavis.bsky.social on a bone-decorated crypt in Rome; & a song by Mark Shiiba inspired by said crypt. artandtheology.org/2025/10/28/r...
This mandala is made completely from sand. Tibetan Buddhist monks painstakingly created it over several weeks.
Since part of the point of mandalas is their transience, it's rare to see one. Monks usually brush up the sand, put it in a jar, and disperse it.
Since part of the point of mandalas is their transience, it's rare to see one. Monks usually brush up the sand, put it in a jar, and disperse it.
October 21, 2025 at 8:38 PM
This mandala is made completely from sand. Tibetan Buddhist monks painstakingly created it over several weeks.
Since part of the point of mandalas is their transience, it's rare to see one. Monks usually brush up the sand, put it in a jar, and disperse it.
Since part of the point of mandalas is their transience, it's rare to see one. Monks usually brush up the sand, put it in a jar, and disperse it.
Just finished my weekend reading of Athanasius's Life of Antony and Jerome's Life of Paul the Hermit.
There were demons, centaurs, satyrs, a raven that delivers daily bread, and lions that help dig a grave.
Exactly the kind of wild, weird ride I love.
There were demons, centaurs, satyrs, a raven that delivers daily bread, and lions that help dig a grave.
Exactly the kind of wild, weird ride I love.
October 19, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Just finished my weekend reading of Athanasius's Life of Antony and Jerome's Life of Paul the Hermit.
There were demons, centaurs, satyrs, a raven that delivers daily bread, and lions that help dig a grave.
Exactly the kind of wild, weird ride I love.
There were demons, centaurs, satyrs, a raven that delivers daily bread, and lions that help dig a grave.
Exactly the kind of wild, weird ride I love.