When I started A Lover’s Quarrel on Substack back in late summer of 2022, I had a few goals. I wanted to integrate writing more fully into my work life. I wanted to l practice writing for the general public (rather than just small academic audiences), and make my work widely available. Inspired by a workshop I attended with the Collegeville Institute and the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, I wanted to experiment with form and genre in my writing. And I wanted to return to blogging the lectionary, something that I had done for a large blogging platform in the past and really enjoyed.
So far, this Substack has helped me do all of those things. I find myself looking forward to posting once or twice a week, and having to talk myself out of posting more frequently, for fear of overwhelming my readers. I am loving having a place to work out ideas, engage in debates, and stake claims to interpretations of texts. I have posted things here that wouldn’t have found a home anywhere else, and it’s really gratifying to hear how some of what I have written here has connected with so many of you.
As time has gone on, some of my wonderful readers—prompted, I think, by Substack—have started asking for a way to support this work, and offering pledges to do so. I’m incredibly grateful and flattered by this, and I’m really pleased that you’re finding something here that’s worth supporting. At the same time, I have resisted turning on paid subscriptions, because I don’t want to put up a barrier to folks who want to read. We all know the feeling of wanting to read something that’s hidden behind a paywall, and it’s a frustrating experience. So I have been thinking about a way to do both at the same time—to offer ways for folks to support my writing, and also preserve access for those who can’t afford to do that, or don’t want to.
Beginning with this post, I am turning on subscriptions, while leaving A Lover’s Quarrel open to anyone who wants to read it for free. It’s sort of like public radio, without all the quirky personalities, or like church, without all the committees: a larger group of people enjoy it, but a smaller group of people might choose to make a commitment to sustain it. If it fits your values to support my work and it’s within your means, I welcome your support, and if you aren’t in a position to contribute, that’s perfectly ok too.
Membership does have its benefits, though! As a way of recognizing and thanking those who financially support this Substack, subscribers will get two big benefits:
Once a year (twice for Founding Subscribers), you will get to suggest a topic for a post! You can ask me to write about whatever you want, as long as it’s something I can say something reasonably intelligent about in a public forum! Have me write 1500 words on some verse in Revelation, offer my reflections on some hot-button issue, or compose my thoughts about the weather!
Once a year (maybe more, if I have time), a live Zoom or phone consultation about a difficult sermon or lesson plan related to the interpretation of a biblical text!
These benefits are tokens of my appreciation. I know they don’t match what you are contributing to this work, but I hope that the work itself is valuable enough to you to earn your support!
Whether you become a subscriber or not, thank you for your support and for reading. It’s a privilege to have people engage with your thoughts, and I don’t take it lightly!