Subscribe to Martinalia

The essays here are written from a specific location: the gap between what the Christian tradition says it believes about soldiers and violence, and what it actually does when it encounters them.

That gap is not abstract. It shows up in courtrooms, in church bulletins, in the way chaplains are trained and veterans are welcomed — or aren't. It shows up in the Hebrew and Greek behind the words in your Bible translates when a civilian wrote it and didn't think anyone with combat experience was checking.

I've been standing in that gap for twenty years. Martinalia is where I write from it.

What you get as a free subscriber:

Essays, word studies, and dispatches across three running series — biblical commentary, theological accountability journalism (NotMyGospel), and lectionary paraphrase (The Fightin' Word) — before they move to their permanent homes on the web. First access, no paywall, just your email address.

What paid subscribers get:

The unfiltered version. Full attention, complete archives, and the writing I'm not ready to make permanently public yet. No AI assist, no editorial compromise. If free Martinalia is the field report, paid Martinalia is the leadership huddle.

Who this is for:

Veterans and active-duty believers who are tired of being handed a domesticated Gospel. Civilian ministers, scholars, and family members who want to see alongside rather than just sympathize with. Readers who can tell the difference between theology that's been tested and theology that's been performed.

If that's you, your email address is enough. Welcome to the ending-war chapel.