All Lent Madness fans should be grateful for one of the true unsung heroes of Lent Madness, Bracket Czar Adam Thomas. Adam created the now iconic fancy bracket we use for our little saintly competition. A former Celebrity Blogger, Adam now enjoys a title that clearly impressed the search committee at St. Mark's Church in Mystic, Connecticut, where he now serves as rector.
Adam Thomas, Lent Madness Bracket Czar, was a 2012 Celebrity Blogger (most closely identified with upstart Philander Chase) who has morphed into our keeper of the bracket. This Lent is his first as rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Mystic, Connecticut. Adam is the author of Digital Disciple: Real Christianity in the Virtual World (Abingdon 2011), which you should read since you are using the Internet right now and you are more than likely a Christian. His first novel Letters from Ruby, which is about an Episcopal priest (imagine that!) arrived in August 2013. Adam lives in Groton, Connecticut with his wife Leah, who is wonderful and lovely and every other good adjective you might think of. Check out his website WheretheWind.com, for six years of content. You can fan Adam on Facebook or follow him on Twitter@RevAdamThomas.
How has Lent Madness transformed your life?
Somehow Tim and Scott got me to convince myself it was a good idea to get up early every morning during Lent to make new graphics. Very Tom Sawyer of them. And all they had to do was throw me a nice title like Bracket Czar.
Obviously being a Celebrity Blogger is your greatest lifetime achievement. What perks have you enjoyed as a result of your status?
As the Bracket Czar I get all the fame of the Celebrity Bloggers without having to do research. I'll call that a win.
What do you hope the Lent Madness public will learn from the lives of the saints?
When it comes to brackets, Adam is as efficient as a droid.
In all seriousness, I hope that Lent Madness instills in people a sense of hope that their lives can be reflections of God's love and glory as the lives of the saints are. I guarantee you that the people we write about this Lent didn't consider themselves saintly during their own lifetimes. They just were. They resonated with the movement of God in this world and their lives demonstrated the powerful results of such resonance. And so can ours.
Someday, when you become the answer on Jeopardy, what will the question be?
Pretty sure you guys wrote this question backwards: if Alex Trebec desires the contestants to say "Who is Adam Thomas?" then the words that will appear on the question board will say, "He singlehandedly upped the production values of the Lent Madness bracket; I mean, seriously, look at the 2010 one."
[Editor's note. It's true. The 2010 Bracket created by Tim was perhaps utilitarian but no work of art.]
26 comments on “Celebrity Blogger Week: Adam Thomas”
Please tell me Adam's book is available as an e-form somewhere ... Kindle, EPUB or the like ... Please, please don't press the irony of it being just the paperback ...
To my eyes, Adam Thomas bears a suspicious resemblance to David Sibley.
What is the SEC trying to pull here?! One Celebrity Blogger for the price of two???
It is and here is a link to his bio on Abingdon Press along with a list of his books and their item numbers.
http://www.abingdonpress.com/rev_adam_thomas
Another good and candid Bio. Thanks.
Love the improved bracket, and also thoroughly enjoyed "Letters from Ruby". I recommend it to all!
Dr. Who lives in Mystic, Connecticut! Who knew?
Amazing, The Doctor doesn't let himself get caught on film too often! Perhaps he used his psychic paper to convince the SEC of his bracket czar qualifications. My guess is that once he has finished averting/causing a crisis, he'll keep travelling....with twins!
Anyone pictured with a TARDIS and Sonic Screwdriver is OK in my book. (And I really hope this one is bigger on the inside!)
A Whovian Episcopal priest Lent Madness Bracket Czar?!?!?! My life is complete!!
Yes, the TARDIS is a welcome sight. And may I say, the idea of a zombie return for Lady Sybil and Matthew is entirely brilliant. Even Mr. Pamook could return (and perhaps explain his demise). Meanwhile, Mrs. Hughes could take a field trip to the swamps and give the gut-spattered denizens a redding out that would put an end to this messy apocalypse once and for all.
I think it's obvious what Pamook died of. Terminal Sleaziness.
Matthew and Sybil as zombies? A great idea!.....But who will be their partners at dinner? Or will their partners BE dinner?
I had the honor of being in the same room as the Bracket Czar last fall at diocesan convention, oops, I mean the convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. Unfortunately I did not think to bring my completed bracket for him to sign. However I was quite impressed with his celebrity entourage. But I am easily impressed.
But why is the TARDIS so small? Or is Adam just really tall? An existential mystery? Or a mystic conundrum?
Adam could use the TARDIS to travel back in time and meet each of the saints on the bracket. He could not, however, do anything to adjust their deaths, martyrdoms or otherwise, since such things are fixed points in time.
You guys crack me up! lent madness is so much fun that I forget that I am learning!
Awwww. What a wonderful picture!
Thank you for your work for Lent Madness. And also, love the pic!
Hi Adam
I think you're right when you theorize that Biblical saints get voted down early because we know more about modern saints. But then you say the Biblical saint's bios are "more legendary than historical". What is your definition of "legendary" and "historical"? As for direct quotations, there are several saints in the Bible that are very talkative (especially Paul).
I bought a copy of "Letters From Ruby". I haven't finished it yet, but I'm enjoying it very much.
"Letters from Ruby" is a wonderful book!
I think it would be nice to know what each blogger is responsible for, before hand. I will look for
Puns this year. Sometimes it is so hard to make up my mind, I allow myself to be seduced by the
Art, Music, a Blog I read sometime during the last six years, or a Tchotchke. Or best of all Oliver's
Logic
Yeah, Oliver!
Love the Celebrity Blogger! Nice to see a fellow D&D player! I am currently DMing for 4 girls, of which are mine. Looking forward to Lent Madness!
"Come, thou fount..." is one of my favorites, especially the verse beginning with "Unto grace..."
Did you know that the name Polycarp is from the Greek for "many fruits"? There aren't any carp of the aquatic persuasion involved, so there's nothing fishy about that saint. I hope he's enjoying the fruits of his labors in heaven.
Thank you for the wonderful saintly brackets.
I just visited your wonderful website and am looking forward to read your books, "The Lord's Prayer" and "Letters from Ruby"! Everyone should visit WheretheWind.com