When the Queen Marys saluted
Friday Roundup for February 20, 2026
In what was called a “heartfelt hello across generations,” the Queen Mary and the Queen Mary 2 recently reunited in Long Beach Harbor and blew their horns at each other in tribute.
Listening might make you think of the mating rituals of whales, but this was a matter of historical significance.
The Queen Mary 2 is the namesake of the Queen Mary, which operated on the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967. The original ship now functions as a hotel, museum and convention space in Long Beach, Calif. I’ve been aboard it a couple of times, and its old-school elegance still charms.
By the way, here’s a fun little bit of history on the naming of the Queen Mary.
The ship was named after Mary of Teck, wife of King George V, but that was not the original intention. The Cunard Line traditionally named its ships with female names ending in “ia,” and this ship was to be named for Queen Victoria.
However, when asked for permission to name the ship after Britain’s “greatest queen” (referring to Queen Victoria), King George V replied, “My wife (Mary) will be delighted.”
The Queen Mary 2 took the famous name of this ship upon its maiden voyage in January 2004 and still sails transatlantic crossings and an annual world voyage.
So it was that on Feb. 2, the Queen Mary 2 sailed into Long Beach Harbor, where its namesake is permanently moored. Publicity hailed this as a “royal rendezvous.”
At 7 a.m. that day, the grand ships sounded their horns in salute, honoring the Queen Mary’s 90th anniversary.
Both ships have horns designed to be heard up to 10 miles away, which means if you are onboard the ship and unprepared, you will be startled. One observer described witnessing a woman drop an entire bottle of champagne in her startlement at the sound.
The Queen Mary 2 moves near its historic namesake, the Queen Mary, docked at the Long Beach Harbor, in Long Beach, Calif. The QM2 and the Queen Mary blew their signal horns in a ceremony. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Here’s where the story gets interesting, though.
The original Queen Mary’s steam-powered Typhon whistles are tuned to a deep, low-frequency pitch of 55 Hz. This is an exceptionally low note, corresponding to the bass “A” found an octave above the lowest note on a piano.
The Queen Mary 2 features a 55 Hz whistle from the original ship alongside a louder 70 Hz replica to produce a two-tone effect that is loud and deep. Imagine hearing a low A and a low C# played together on the foot pedals of a pipe organ.
When the two ships recently met, the Queen Mary 2 initiated the salute and the original Queen Mary responded. To me, it sounded like two parts of a hearing test. As the two ships “talked” to each other, observers heard the bright C# sound followed by the bellowing A sound.
Musically, that’s a called a major third — a sound that is particularly appealing to the human ear, at least for those attuned to Western music. This bright-sounding interval may be descried as “happy,” “bright” or “uplifting.”
“The new ship takes the old tone and adds to it, making it more pleasant and bright.”
There’s a lesson here for us today, not just in the reuniting of old and new but in the harmony these ship horns produce. The new ship takes the old tone and adds to it, making it more pleasant and bright.
Modern-day liberals tend to think we need to toss out the past, and modern-day conservatives tend to think we need to treasure the past and not forsake it for new songs. In reality, there is a way to honor the good of the past while creating beautiful music in the present and future.
Conservatives can work too hard to “conserve” their romanticized past, and liberals can work too hard to replace the past with imagined progress. Even though I lean into the progressive side of the debate, I can see the value in preserving and honoring the best of the past while throwing overboard the ugly notes of the past.
For example, we can honor the founding of our country without being bound to the slaveholding and male-dominating ideals of the Founders. And we can believe the truth of the Bible without resurrecting 16th-century theology as a modern panacea.
The Psalmist urges us to “sing a new song unto the Lord,” meaning times change and the way we honor our faith changes as well.
If a Queen Mary 3 ever is built, I hope the builders pitch its horn to a low E — making a major triad alongside the first two ships. That would be good progress and a pleasant sound to the ear.
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Speaking of 16th-century theology, the greatest modern-day fans of rolling back the calendar are the TheoBros. This Neo-Calvinist-inspired bunch stands as firm against modernity as anyone I know.
Chief among the TheoBro influencers is John Piper. This week, our Rick Pidcock lays out the theological gymnastics Piper does to claim lament is a sin. First the TheoBros told us empathy is a sin, now they’re going after lament. As one correspondent wrote today, “What’s next? The Fruit of the Spirit as sin?”
Then in one of the most shocking turns of the week, we learned that a longtime Southern Baptist TheoBro has become a Roman Catholic. Jerry Johnson’s conversion to become what I’m sure he once would have called a “papist” was not on my Bingo card. If you don’t remember who Johnson is, read the article and catch up.
It’s important to note, however, that he has converted to Traditional Catholicism, the kind favored by JD Vance and Steve Bannon. That makes a little more sense.
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As if Turning Point USA weren’t already controversial enough, now the Charlie Kirk-birthed organization has caused a rift inside a Florida megachurch.
We’ve had our eyes on First Baptist Church of Orlando this week, which was scheduled to host the TPUSA “Make Heaven Crowded” tour next week. That stop has been canceled — by TPUSA, not by the church — after concerns erupted from an internal staff meeting into public view.
Our first article this week explained how when two staff members at the church’s Horizon West campus questioned the three senior pastors about the decision to host the controversial event, one resigned and one was forced to record an apology video while being placed on administrative leave.
Our second article reported TPUSA canceling the tour stop in Orlando.
Our third article today gives more detail about internal church communication on what clearly has become a crisis in the church.
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Few things stand out as symbolic of the cruelty of the Trump administration more than its immigration policies. That’s why we stay on top of this topic every week. This is the confluence of faith and politics.
Here’s some of what happened this week:
Yet another of the planned ICE mega-detention facilities has fallen through, with the property owner refusing to sell a Hutchins, Texas, warehouse for the Trump administration’s planned use.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement must grant attorneys access to detainees held in a Minnesota detention facility, a federal court ruled Feb. 12. The ruling responded to a class-action lawsuit filed against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.
A federal court in Massachusetts has blocked a Trump administration policy that allowed immigration enforcement raids in sensitive locations such as churches, schools and hospitals.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has authorized immigration agents to enter the homes of certain noncitizens and make arrests without the kind of warrant mandated by the Fourth Amendment.
Immigrants are essential to the U.S. economy because they pay more in taxes than they use in benefits, according to a new study by the Cato Institute. The report undermined Donald Trump’s claims.
More than 400 federal judges since October have issued at least 4,421 rulings that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is holding immigrants illegally. But the Trump administration keeps going anyway.
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In other news this week:
Nondenominational churches will continue to have an advantage over Southern Baptist churches because their members are younger and more ethnically diverse, predicts religion data analyst Ryan Burge.
Churches are finding new ways to live into historic callings through innovative facilities projects they hope will sustain their ministries and congregations into the future. We show you four examples.
The T.B. Maston Foundation will recognize a defender of democracy and a couple who have dedicated more than six decades to Baptist leadership Feb. 26.
Capping off a week of testimonials in multiple states regarding proposed legislative changes for civil sexual abuse cases, Kentucky became the latest state to file “Trey’s Law” last week.
U.S. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced S-3815, also known as “Virginia’s Law.” The bill would eliminate the statute of limitations restrictions in civil sexual abuse cases for American survivors.
Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in New Mexico has been bought by an ultra-conservative Texas businessman and politician who plans to convert it into a Christian retreat center.
The nation is not quite as divided as many Americans have come to believe, said Robert P. Jones, president of Public Religion Research Institute. Jones made the observation during the online release of PRRI’s latest survey on Christian nationalism.
A coalition of conservation, history and scientific organizations is suing the Trump administration to stop its ongoing efforts to censor displays and monuments in the federal park system.
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In other opinion this week:
Pope Leo XIV bestowed a blessing on a chipped and half-broken statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which changed the life of the man who found it. Stephen Shoemaker finds hope for us all in this event.
Phillip Thomas says we should practice “Samaritan Theology.”
Braxton Wade finds it odd that people like Franklin Graham want to evangelize people in other countries while denying them refuge in the United States.
Richard Conville explains what the word “justice” means in the context of social justice and racial justice.
Edmond Davis remembers Jesse Jackson as an American icon.
Basil Dannebohm tells an incredibly moving story about the time he was invited to an airport dinner with Jesse Jackson.
Missy Ward Angalla says of her friend, her name is not “immigrant.”
Ben Huelskamp says receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday should be a call to action.
Nicole Wiesen says nonprofit organizations exist to serve the public good. They depend on public trust, philanthropic investment and the labor of people who choose mission over profit. That trust, however, is not sustained by vision statements or moral rhetoric alone.
Black History Month often is framed as a time of celebration — a time to honor leaders, milestones and achievements that reshaped the American story. But at its deepest level, Black History Month is about moral memory, says Stuart Lord.
Adia Louden says our love for Black children must speak louder than headlines.
Basil Dannebohm predicts things are not going to end well for Nicki Minaj and her fealty to Donald Trump.
Protecting the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse should be a bipartisan priority, according to Valencia Walker.
Greg Garrett engages in dialogue with David Dault, who teaches at Loyola University Chicago’s Institute of Pastoral Studies and is executive producer and host of “Things Not Seen: Conversations About Culture and Faith.” He is the author of a new book called The Accessorized Bible.
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In other analysis this week:
Although violence occurring at the hands of ICE agents may seem overwhelming and shocking, historically speaking, it is an unsurprising tactic of empire, says Mallory Challis. Oppressors use violence, fear and illegal measures to account for their weaknesses.
Have you heard about KPop Demon Hunters? Whether you’re new to the conversation or well-versed in the genre, Brad Bull breaks it down and finds some theology to ponder.
That’s all the written news of the week, but don’t forget to check out our BNG podcasts. Rick Pidcock has two new episodes of “Highest Power: Church + State.” In one, Rick explores the racial and ethnic hierarchies of what he calls the “worship industry.” In the other, he talks with BNG Clemons Fellow Braxton Wade about Jesse Jackson’s legacy.
And Ben Cole and I have two new episodes of “Stuck in the Middle with You.” In one, we discuss the week’s events at First Baptist Orlando and explain the rise in “pastoral authority.” In the other, we visit with Brian Kaylor to seek a fair definition of “Chrisitan nationalism” and explore the long history of this belief.
Mark Wingfield
Executive Director and Publisher
Baptist News Global