CBS, PBS, National Geographic celebrate Christmas

December 20, 2010 by

Everyone in American media is jumping on the Christmas bandwagon this week. Perhaps that’s customary in late December, but this year the focus on Christmas comes with an anxious twist—as if somehow the U.S. is losing track of the faith claimed by 3 out of 4 Americans. We’re not worried that Christianity is in any real danger, but we are pleased to see a wide array of great Christmas-themed television!

’60 Minutes’ Online Salutes Christmas

Millions of Americans do seem anxious about the religious meaning of Christmas—perhaps an unfounded fear whipped up to energize consumers. On Monday, we published an OurValues commentary by guest writer Terry Gallagher about an angry-C-for-Christmas music video that has drawn 17 million viewers.

Even CBS’ “60 Minutes Overtime”—an online expansion of the popular CBS News series—sent out an email on Monday sharing the following 1968 Christmas video with Harry Reasoner celebrating Christmas.

Here’s how the CBS website explained this 8-minute video: Looking through the “60 Minutes” archive, this piece stood out as something you probably wouldn’t see on network TV today. The C-words—Christ and Christmas—have largely been replaced by religion-neutral terms like “season” and “holiday” to the dismay of many Christians who see it as “taking the Christ out of Christmas.” But, as you’ll see here, correspondent Harry Reasoner dives right in with the opening line: “Tomorrow is Christmas.” At the time, the “60 Minutes” broadcast was still in its embryonic stage, and you’ll notice that the story is different in tone and style from today’s broadcast. Reasoner muses on the question, what did Jesus Christ really look like? He searches for the answer in paintings, poems, and letters. “60 Minutes Overtime” presents this classic piece, just in time for—yes, we’re really going to say it—Christmas.

You should see a video screen below. Click to play the 8-minute clip. On slower Internet connections, it may take a moment for the video to load. If you don’t see a video screen, try clicking here to reload the original ReadTheSpirit story:

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National Geographic Channel Chimes in for Christmas, too

Our readers often complain that the best new media seems to gush out in a flood—too many new books to read or too much video to view. That’s the case with National Geographic offering three hours of documentaries, tonight, that many of our readers may enjoy. If you want to see Part 2 of PBS “The Calling,” tonight, you’ll have to use a recording device. (Note: Here is our overview story on “The Calling,” explaining why this 4-hour-long PBS documentary gives us an inspiring glimpse of our future.)

National Geographic is airing three, one-hour documentaries on the life of Jesus and his followers.

“Living in the Time of Jesus: Making a Living”—National Geographic has a special overview page about this special one-hour documentary on daily life in the 1st Century. This is part of National Geographic’s “Mysteries of the Bible” series and gives viewers a bit of history, some archaeology, fascinating footage of the “Holy Land” and some staged demonstrations of hands-on work in a 1st-Century community.

“Living in the Time of Jesus: Healing the Sick”—The second hour covers health and medical care in the era and the region of Jesus’ life. Again, National Geographic cameras connect us with the past through scenes from today. There’s an overview page for this episode as well.

“Living in the Time of Jesus: Crime and Punishment”—The third hour looks at 1st-Century Jewish and Roman systems of law, justice and punishment. Here’s the National Geographic page for that episode.

We want our international conversation to continue

Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

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(Originally published at readthespirit.com)

Celebrate the arts: Give a gift of global good will

December 7, 2010 by

That image above captures so many of us right now: Winter is darkening the Northern Hemisphere and there we stand—wondering whether we can find the warmth and light again. TODAY, we’re sharing reviews of two new DVDs you’re unlikely to find without our help. Walk into a Target or Best Buy video department this week and you’ll mainly see Shrek and Twilight displays. These films aren’t on the shelves.

A WAKE UP CALL FROM JAPAN! THE YAMAMURA ANIMATION COLLECTION

The image, above, comes from “Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor,” the animated short video that opens in this glorious collection from Japanese animator Koji Yamamura’s career. If you’ve enjoyed Japanese animated features over the years—or perhaps popular cartoon series like “Astro Boy”—you’ve probably missed Yamamura. Some of his recent works, like the Kafka story, will provoke long discussions with friends. Some of his earlier short films are very creative little fantasies anyone—of any age—will celebrate. One such example is “Imagination,” from the 1990s, which looks like an Eric Carle pre-school picturebook springing to life on the TV screen.

Yamamura developed his message, as well as his art, as he crossed into the new millennium. In recent years, he has been crafting short animated films that can best be described as calls to: Wake up!!!

One such film, “Mt. Head,” is the fanciful fable of a man so stingy that he eats not only fresh cherries, but the pits as well. He doesn’t want those pits to be wasted! Because he is so obsessive about eating these cherries—eventually a cherry tree begins to grow from the top of his bald head! Obviously, that’s where this crazy story of the stingy man explodes into what Americans would call a Tall Tale like Paul Bunyan. The rest of the stingy man’s neighbors love the beautiful cherry tree atop his head—and finally he’s the center of a happy community. But that just convinces the old grouch to get a “hair cut” and wipe out that miraculous tree. I won’t spoil the end of the movie, but it’s the kind of short film you can enjoy with any age group.

“Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor” is aimed at adults, although there’s nothing specific in this animation that would spark even a PG-13 rating in the U.S. The old doctor is supposed to be a leader in his community—he’s supposed to do many things, in fact! He’s supposed to act quickly. He’s supposed to act compassionately. He’s supposed to heal people. Instead, he’s lets himself sink into a funk of winter weather, his own lethargy—and, I don’t want to spoil the film by revealing any more. But, when this old doctor allows himself to stand out in the winter’s cold too long, he ends up opening a Pandora’s Box.

If you’re a parent, a teacher, a small-group leader or you simply love Japanese animation, this is a collection of more than a dozen animated films that will help you celebrate the arts—and share some global good will, along the way. You won’t find “Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor and other Fantastic Films by Koji Yamamura” in most stores, but Amazon released the new DVD this week.

SOAR ON THE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH OF THE ARTS WITH ‘ONLY WHEN I DANCE’

Want to throw open a brand-new window on the world?

Get a copy of “Only When I Dance,” an absolutely delightful documentary about two young dancers who emerge from the slums of Rio de Janeiro through ballet. What do Americans know about these human hives of poverty for thousands of poor families? Largely, we’ve seen these slums through the eyes of director Fernando Meirelles in his two-part series “City of God” (2002) and “City of Men” (2007). Both of those films were fairly popular with American audiences because they were spiced with the sex and violence that runs rampant in these vast ghettos. Those two movies basically were the “Godfather” or the “Goodfellas” of the Brazilian slums.

In “Only When I Dance,” we see these same slums in the opening scene—but then the young dancer named Irlan raises his foot heavenward in his morning exercise routine and the entire story transforms. There’s light and hope and art. And, no, this is not a fairy tale. We are warned immediately that life here is dangerous for everyone: “Here, if we don’t teach our children to live an honest life, they may become a drug dealer. That’s a short life that leads either to a coffin or to jail.”

BUT—not for Irlan and not for Isabela, two teens who dream of becoming professional dancers. They devote themselves wholeheartedly to these fond hopes. For most American viewers who’ve only seen the gun-slinging, drug-dealing side of poverty in Rio, these scenes are startling. Previewing the DVD, which is released this week with English subtitles for American viewers, I wished I could give Christmas gifts of this film to every young person in this country hoping for a career in the arts.

You can order “Only When I Dance” from Amazon now. The DVD is distributed by Film Movement, which also offers a monthly DVD series by subscription. Film Movement subscribers got “Only When I Dance” as their May selection in the monthly series. The DVD was only released for the rest of us this month via Amazon and other online retailers. Here’s the link if you’d like to explore the Film Movement subscription option.

We want our international conversation to continue

Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture recently. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

We welcome your Emails! . We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Huffington Post, YouTube and other social-networking sites. You also can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed. Plus, there’s a free Monday-morning “Planner” newsletter you may enjoy.

(Originally published at readthespirit.com)

St. Nicholas Day reminds us of true Santa conscience

December 5, 2010 by

1902 Santa Claus fundraising on the streets of Chicago. Courtesy of Chicago Daily News archives at Chicago Historical Society.

TODAY IS ST. NICHOLAS DAY and the top story in ReadTheSpirit’s Holidays and Festivals column will tell you all about the real St. Nick—plus background and recipes from St. Nicholas cultural customs around the world. THE COLUMN, below, was published in the Huffington Post.

What happened to the real Santa Claus?
St. Nicholas feast reminds us of Santa consciousness

By ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm

After 100 years, an old photo of Santa Claus on a busy Chicago street still packs the wallop of a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past! This Santa isn’t fat; he’s thin as a rail and he’s holding up a sign begging people to “Help … Send Santa Claus Down 10,000 Chimneys for Chicago’s Poor People.” He’s raising funds to feed hungry families.

That 1902 Chicago Daily News photo now has moved into the public domain through the Chicago Historical Society—just in time to see that powerful old image of Santa as a public advocate fading from American memory.

Why have we forgotten that kind of Santa who spent more time jingling our consciences than his own sleigh bells? It’s quite an irony in early December, when millions of Christians around the world will celebrate the Dec. 6 feast of the “real” St. Nicholas. You can’t read much about this major figure in Christmas tradition without thinking about the plight of the poor, the marginalized and all those who are at risk.

The night-and-day contrast slaps us like sleet. As we all rush toward Christmas 2010, full of hopes and fears about the future of the world—and our own households—the only Santas we see are the jolly Coca-Cola-style guys who sell toys on television and leap onto the stage at Radio City Music Hall to host the Rockettes’ holiday show. Those Santas’ eyes twinkle with the glee of gobbling up whatever disposable income is left in the land.

Charles Dickens got it right. Dickens was a passionate advocate for the poor and his Santa-like second ghost in the Christmas Carol nearly deafens us with his jovial laughter—until he reaches the punchline of his visit to Scrooge’s world. How many of us, as children, shivered in front of our TV screens when that jolly Father Christmas opens his furry robes and shows Scrooge two starving children huddled around his knees.

Who are these two children? Father Christmas thunders at Scrooge: “This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.”

Wow! That’s such a sock to the solar plexus that it helps to keep the Christmas Carol roller coaster rumbling along each year. New versions of Dickens’ stories (including new DVD versions of several different “Christmas Carol” productions) are among the precious few reminders of St. Nick’s earlier message.

That Santa consciousness made a whole lot of sense to Americans through the Progressive Era, when that 1902 long-tall Santa Claus drummed up donations on a Chicago street corner.

By the flush 1950s, though, it all began to seem a little silly. America was booming! In 1951, Bob Hope starred in a famous lampoon of fund-raising Santas, “The Lemon Drop Kid.” Hope played a scoundrel mixed up with dangerous mobsters, who prompt him to organize a huge holiday con game, sending fake Santas across New York City to steal thousands of dollars in Christmas donations. Of course, hard hearts soften by the end of that comedy, but in Bob Hope’s satire the old Santa as a social conscience seem as stodgy as an off-key Salvation Army band.

In the end, that’s what bothers me about the nostalgic strain of Santa that flows from the original “Miracle on 34th Street” through the thunder of the “Polar Express.” That warm-and-fuzzy version of Santa is all about trying to “believe” despite all evidence to the contrary about Christmas culture.

The real question is: Believe what? In Disney magic? In the hope that every kid will get a gift this Christmas? That someone will sprinkle pixie dust and maybe, even though we’re losing our jobs and maybe our homes, there’s a jolly old elf who’ll whisk us away for a few precious moments in a better place?

Well, I do still believe, despite all evidence of the world’s hard heart. And, for Christmas 2010, I’m hanging a photo of that 1902 Chicago Santa by the mantle with care—in hopes that a new conscience soon will be there.

We want our international conversation to continue

Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture recently. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

We welcome your Emails! . We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Huffington Post, YouTube and other social-networking sites. You also can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed. Plus, there’s a free Monday-morning “Planner” newsletter you may enjoy.

(Originally published at readthespirit.com)

Christmas surprise: Three Magi? How about 12!

December 2, 2010 by

It’s not often that something is added to the traditional Christmas story, but Bible scholar Brent Landau has managed to accomplish that feat this year! He’s adding at least 9 Magi, or Wise Men or Kings, to the traditional Nativity Scene. The news is all contained in Landau’s first-ever English translation of an ancient Christian story about the Magi—those world-famous figures popularized by a host of writers and producers from O. Henry (“Gift of the Magi”) to network television and Hollywood.

REMEMBERING AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS

Compooser GIAN CARLO MENOTTIHow important are the Magi in 20th-Century American culture? They’re huge, because the Christmas season itself—for all of its good and for all of its excessive ills—is a huge part of American life. Many Americans still recall that the Magi were part of a landmark in American television arts long before MTV. For Christmas 1951, the NBC network and Hallmark produced a new opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” It was the first “Hallmark Hall of Fame” production—and 60 years later Hallmark productions have expanded across cable TV. We just reviewed a Hallmark Christmas production. Many cultural historians credit “Amahl” with sparking a whole range of fresh approaches to music and theater arts on network television. AND NOTE: While researching the Magi this week, we found that there’s a DVD of a 1955 television production of Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” available via Amazon. If you recall “Ahmal” from your childhood, you may enjoy the nostalgia of watching it again on DVD.

THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI—SO MANY IMAGES, SO FEW VERSES!

All of this creativity through centuries of fine arts—and now in millions of mass-produced Nativity sets in Christian homes around the world—is the result of 12 verses in the second chapter of Matthew’s gospel. That’s how Brent Landau opens his new book … with the mystery …

Brent writes: Notice the enormous gaps in this story, gaps that a thoughtful reader must attempt to fill in. The wise men have no specific country of origin. No number or names are given for the wise men, though three were destined to become the most common number because of the three gifts. In fact, “wise men” itself is a rather poor translation of the Greek word magoi, which elsewhere in the New Testament means “magicians” in a clearly negative sense. Equally problematic … is the puzzling nature of this “star” that the Magi have followed to Judea. … The star itself behaves very strangely, reappearing to the Magi on their way to Bethlehem and then coming to rest directly over the place where the child Jesus was. All in all, the story of the Magi from Matthew’s Gospel is a very bizarre one, and many early Christians struggled to make sense of it.

There’s the mystery! But, in the early centuries of Christianity, writers did try to flesh out that mystery. For years, Landau’s professional talents as a biblical scholar and an expert in the ancient Syriac language led him toward a document that was popular in those early centuries of Christianity, but had never been translated into English. You can buy a copy of Brent’s “Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men’s Journey to Bethlehem,” which is on sale at Amazon now.

What are some of the revelations about the Magi?

Here are just a few of many you’ll find in Brent’s book:

  • CHINESE CONNECTION? The Magi may have been associated with the region we now call China. According to the newly translated story, there also may have been further Christian connections with this Far East land.
  • EXPAND THAT NATIVITY SET! The Magi most likely numbered far more than three. Twelve names are listed in the new book, but the group may have been much larger than that.
  • AMAZING STAR: The world-famous Star in the story had spiritual properties of a startling nature. You’ll have to read the book to learn all the revelations about the Star itself.
  • INTERFAITH IMPLICATIONS: The newly translated document also holds fascinating clues to an ancient awareness of the diverse nature of world religions. The ancient story may have at least opened a door to establishing relationships with other faiths.

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR INTERVIEW WITH BRENT LANDAU
ON “THE REVELATION OF THE MAGI”

SCHOLAR and AUTHOR BRENT LANDAUDAVID: In the opening pages of your book, you point out that the Bible story of the Magi is very sketchy. How did we reach the point, today, where we think we know so much about them?

BRENT: It’s like a snowball of perceptions that has rolled along and grown larger through the centuries—and keeps on rolling today. There’s no single moment when the Magi suddenly emerge as the three wise men we think about today. There are several stages. One of the earliest developments is the association of three figures with the three gifts they bring. It seems logical that, if there are three gifts, then three people were carrying them. But, in the ancient world, there were diverse stories. Some versions have two. Some have four. This “Revelation of the Magi” that I have now translated lists 12 names among the Magi.

DAVID: Who were those guys!?! Your book cannot answer all the questions, but it provides us a whole lot more information than we’ve known before. Tell us more about how their identities sprang to life over time.

BRENT: By the 5th century, we have a regular iconographic tradition of three Magi. The ancient Christian author Tertullian wrote about them earlier than that. Around the year 200, Tertullian writes that, in the East, the Magi were almost considered kings. By the time you get to Augustine, he says the Magi were actually kings. The history never seems to look backward and the Magi end up being cast as kings. There’s more to it, related to biblical passages referring to kings that were applied by early Christians to the Magi story. But, it was a case of the story changing over time and becoming fixed after a number of centuries.

DAVID: And their names? We’re going to reproduce the image, which is also included in your book, of a 6th-century mosaic in Italy that lists their names as Balthassar, Melchior and Caspar. Your book includes a number of historic Magi images like this one of the mosaic that readers probably will enjoy. (NOTE: That image is at the very top today. The images from Nativity scenes, shown below, are not in the book.)

BRENT: These three names show up for the first time in a 6th-century document and they become the dominant names used from then on. But, in other ancient Christian sources there are variations on those three names. By the 6th or 7th century, the major features we’ve come to associate with the Magi have all come into play. There’s one detail that comes later—the reference to them as “wise men.” That really happens in the Renaissance era with the birth of scholarship. In that era, scholars liked to think of them as their own prototypes in seeking wisdom.

WERE THE ANCIENT MAGI ACTUALLY KINGS?

DAVID: In this ancient document you’ve translated, they come across as kings, as wise men, as scholars. Their professions still aren’t entirely clear from the ancient story you’ve translated.

BRENT: That’s right. Part of the problem is that some details were inserted into this ancient story through the years. In the story, they don’t seem to act very much like kings. They don’t seem to have their own territory. There is a reference that they lay down their crowns when they arrive at the cave where Jesus was born. But mostly their story revolves around revelation. I think of them as sages, philosophers, mystics, some secret brotherhood. They all seem to be related to each other as part of a single lineage, but they don’t seem to have political power.

DAVID: Strangely enough, given the lingering mysteries that still remain in this new book you’ve translated, we do have a very specific list of names.

BRENT: Yes, there is a list of 12 names, but I don’t think that list of 12 names was part of the earliest version of the text. That appears in one place in the text, but if you read further in the text, their names never appear again. It’s as though someone just plugged in that list early in the story. There are other later passages that seem to envision the Magi as an even larger group than just the 12. The size of the group is unclear, but it could have been much larger than the 12.

THE RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE OF ANCIENT SYRIAC

DAVID: This document was never translated partly because it concerns the Nativity and Bible scholars today are much more interested in other sections of the Bible. And it wasn’t translated partly because it appears in ancient Syriac. In the modern world, Eastern Christians are more familiar with this language. It’s a very important language historically and a number of ancient texts in the Eastern church were preserved in Syriac. Tell us a bit about this language.

BRENT: Well, at one time, people were widely aware of this story about the Magi and it circulated in manuscript form, too. I worked from a text of the story in Syriac, which was a local dialect of Aramaic. And, Aramaic presumably is a language Jesus spoke. I would describe it to people as a language somewhere between biblical Hebrew on the one hand and Arabic on the other hand. It’s a Semitic language. It becomes a very important liturgical language and written language for Christians in the East. Essentially, Syriac in the East is what Latin becomes in the West.

THE “LOST” CHURCH OF THE EAST

DAVID: Most American Christians are unaware of the enormous centers of Christianity that existed across the East in these early centuries. We’ve featured two different interviews with Philip Jenkins on his books that involve the early history of the Eastern church. (Here’s one on “Jesus Wars;” and here’s one on “Lost Christianity.”) Brent, your book is sharing fresh insight from this part of the world, as well. I think it’s great to see that huge, vibrant area of Christianity lifted up for an American audience.

BRENT: Jenkins writes about the Syriac-speaking church that goes all the way from Syria into India and even into China, but by the 12th or 13th century it had more or less died out in most of those areas.

DAVID: Also, we should tell readers that St. Thomas shows up in your book as well. We’ve got readers who live in India—and many who have migrated to the U.S. from India. Those readers are well aware of Thomas’ long association with Christianity in India. I think Thomas’ cameo role at the end of “Revelation of the Magi” will be intriguing to many readers.

BRENT: Yes, there is a long Christian tradition of Thomas evangelizing India. So, it’s entirely possible that the tradition of this Magi story found its way into India, too. One thing that’s really interesting about Thomas’ role in this document I’ve translated is that there is no reference to his evangelizing India at all.

AN ANCIENT EXPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

DAVID: Well, Thomas’ role in this story is another one of the many mysteries readers can ponder. Finally, one last gem I want to mention in your book: I found the “Revelation of the Magi” opens up an ancient window into what interfaith relationships might have looked like close to 2,000 years ago.

BRENT: We have to remember that typical early Christian viewpoints toward “pagan” religions take one of two approaches: Either the pagans are worshipping gods that don’t really exist—or they’re worshipping things that actually are demons or evil powers. So, either their gods don’t exist at all, or they’re bad.

What we get in the “Revelation of the Magi” are statements that suggest Jesus is actually the source of many, if not all, of humanity’s religious traditions. There’s one particular verse in which Jesus describes himself as a ray of light, sent by the Father to fulfill everything that has been spoken about me in the entire world. As I am appearing to you in a way that’s fitting to you now, I have also appeared to others in ways that were appropriate to them. This kind of passage suggests that Christ’s revelatory activity is much broader than most ancient Christians would have thought was the case. This text raises all kinds of new questions.

DAVID: And, because of additions to the ancient text, it even contains some contradictions, as well.

BRENT: Yes, the additions at the end about Thomas seem to say something different about the revelation of Christ and the need to be baptized to truly become a part of the worldwide church.

DAVID: It’s hard to think of another ancient story with as much interest, year after year, in millions of households around the world. Of course, the Magi are only part of the annual Christmas holidays, but they’re certainly an enduring image.

BRENT: They are and I think part of this has to do with that frustrating, brief story in Matthew. It’s such an evocative story and it’s so mysterious. The figures who appear are mysterious—and this powerful star is mysterious, too. There is something very strange going on in this story. Then, the figures give their gifts and they disappear! Compare that with Luke’s version in which shepherds came to visit. There’s no mystery there. Luke is very interested in issues like poverty and humility and there’s no accident in the way he focuses on humble people who show up at Jesus’ birth. Shepherds are part of the story to this day, but the legacy of the shepherds’ story isn’t nearly as big as the legacy of the Magi.

Perhaps our fascination with the Magi relates to our strong emphasis on gift giving today. The Magi were our prototype gift givers. There are so many ways that these Magi are enormously important—to this day.

REMEMBER: You can buy a copy of Landau’s “Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men’s Journey to Bethlehem,” which is on sale at Amazon now.

We want our international conversation to continue

Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture recently. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

We welcome your Emails! . We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Huffington Post, YouTube and other social-networking sites. You also can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed. Plus, there’s a free Monday-morning “Planner” newsletter you may enjoy.

(Originally published at readthespirit.com)

 

Christmas story, Christmas gift—watch the story move

November 29, 2010 by

The Christmas/Advent season has started—and Hanukkah is right around the corner. All this month, we’re sharing some great Gift Ideas!

Today, we’ll tell you about a delightful interactive storybook for Christmas: “The First Christmas: A Changing-Picture Book,” which you can order from Amazon right now for less than $7

Our review of the book comes from the Divine Light Media filmmakers—high school students at the First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor who specialize in producing media about faith and cultural diversity. There’s a video screen below. Click to watch. (NOTE: If you’re reading this story in a format without a video screen, click here to visit our webpage so you can see this short film.)

Divine Light Media Reviews “The First Christmas”

We want our international conversation to continue

Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture recently. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

We welcome your Emails! . We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Huffington Post, YouTube and other social-networking sites. You also can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed. Plus, there’s a free Monday-morning “Planner” newsletter you may enjoy.

(Originally published at readthespirit.com)

Holiday Movies: Mrs. Miracle returns this weekend

November 25, 2010 by

Doris Roberts (center) stars in “Call Me Mrs. Miracle,” the second made-for-TV movie based on Debbie Macomber’s novels. Photo copyright Crown Media Holdings. Photographer Eike Schroter.Our mailbox at ReadTheSpirit is stuffed with preview copies of made-for-TV and direct-to-DVD holiday specials aimed at millions of families in the final weeks of 2010. SATURDAY evening, November 27, one of this season’s gems is unveiled as veteran character actor Doris Roberts returns in the Hallmark Channel’s “Call Me Mrs. Miracle.” That’s a brand new offering from Debbie Macomber’s novels about a Mary Poppins-like helper who miraculously sorts out dysfunctional families—with surprising twists and comic turns along the way.

Hallmark reports that last year’s debut “Mrs. Miracle” movie with Doris Roberts was the “highest-rated original movie” on the channel in 2009. Clearly, Hallmark is hoping that one more dose of the Debbie Macomber magic, brought to life by the beloved Doris Roberts, will do the same thing in 2010.

NOTE: Make sure to check local TV listings. Showtimes vary by time zone. The new film will air more than once during the holidays. And, you also can catch the original “Mrs. Miracle” in rerun!

REVIEW: SURPRISES IN DEBBIE MACOMBER’S “CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE”

“Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.” Mrs. Miracle

If you love lines like that one, the first thing you need to know about Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle series is this: The books are different than the movies. In fact, if you’re a Macomber fan, I can tell you that you’ll also enjoy reading the new novel, “Call Me Mrs. Miracle,” which is on sale at Amazon right now.

There is less of Macomber’s religious faith in the pages of the second Mrs. Miracle novel—but there are no references to religion at all (other than Christmas as a gift-giving occasion) in the Hallmark movie version. In the made-for-TV movie, Mrs. Miracle once again is portrayed as a magical cousin to Mary Poppins, carrying out her good deeds with a sprinkle of pixie dust rather than from any religious inspiration. Also, you’ll find that the novel’s plot is strikingly different than the movie script. I won’t spoil the experience of either, but Macomber fans will catch big differences between this new book and the debut movie. Finally, if you order a copy of the book from Amazon, above, you’ll also get Macomber’s Christmas cookie recipe, which she includes in the middle of the novel! The cookies also show up in the movie, but only for a fleeting taste.

Don’t misunderstand! This does not mean Hallmark’s Miracle-2 is a poor movie. On the contrary, Miracle-2 is even better than the first Hallmark Miracle film. Moving this second adventure to a family-owned department store in downtown New York City adds fresh fuel to the adventure. Sure, these characters all are “types” you’ve enjoyed before—including Doris Roberts returning as Mrs. Miracle herself. But the adventure is so good hearted—and the new plot twists are clever enough—that you’ll enjoy every minute.

Plus, in this case, you can experience the adventure twice—once in the Hallmark movie; once in Macomber’s novel. They’re really two different stories. Given the ratings of the Hallmark movie last year, Miracle-2 is sure to be a hit. Enjoy!

WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY FILMS

You can help us share the best tips for fun viewing! Email us at [email protected] with your suggestions of must-see movies or TV specials for the holiday season.

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Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture recently. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

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C.S. Lewis movie: Free Dawn Treader stuff for teachers

November 10, 2010 by

FREE TEACHERS’ GUIDE TO ‘DAWN TREADER’ … (and more news) …

Walden Media, producer along with Fox of the new “Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” is offering a free, colorful teacher’s guide for the movie that opens on December 10. The image, above, is one page of the PDF file that’s free to download via the link above.

All this week, we’re reporting C.S. Lewis news:

MORE DAWN TREADER MOVIE NEWS …
CARRIE UNDERWOOD SINGS HER HEART OUT

Fox Films convinced red-hot singer Carrie Underwood to create a special song for the conclusion of the movie. To seal the deal, Fox showed Underwood a rough cut of the movie. After seeing the movie, she co-wrote and performed the movie’s final song, called “There’s a Place for Us.” The song is likely to be a hit, according to media buzz, and almost guarantees a wider success for this movie. After all, Underwood has racked up five Grammies and gets favorable reviews even from the New York Times, these days.

In a statement about the song, Carrie said, “I’m a big fan of the ‘Narnia’ books and films, so I was really excited about seeing this new movie and writing and performing a song for it. I was blown away by the film, and I think people are going to be really excited when they see it. It’s the perfect holiday film. The land of Narnia represents a place where the young heroes truly belong.”

Carrie’s new song debuts via iTunes on November 16; the movie debuts on December 10.

SHOPPING ON ICE WITH THE DAWN TREADER

Taubman-owned shopping centers in 16 cities from California to Connecticut and Florida to Michigan will promote the film in special Narnia Ice Palace exhibitions in the centers of malls. On the afternoon of Friday, November 12, stars from the film will “light” these palaces to kick off the holiday shopping season. This lighting ceremony involves an appearance by cast members at Beverly Center in Los Angeles. At the same time, the lighting ceremony will be carried by a live connection to all the other Taubman malls.

A REAL QUEEN GOES TO NARNIA

“Dawn Treader” is directed by British filmmaker Michael Apted who also was responsible for one of the James Bond thrillers, 1999’s “The World Is Not Enough.” In the UK, Apted is well known for his humanitarian work, especially the creation of the “Up Series” of documentaries that have traced a group of British schoolchildren from age 7 through a half century of their lives, checking in every seven years. (Apted is scheduled to film the next installment in 2011 with the “kids” now in their 50s.) Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip will attend “Dawn Treader,” which is the 2010 selection for the annual charity event known as the Royal Film Performance. The royal couple will see the film on November 30, well before the December 10 public debut.

WATCH THE ‘DAWN TREADER’ MOVIE TRAILER

If you haven’t seen it already, you should see a video screen below, where you can click to view the official “Dawn Treader” preview. If you’re reading via RSS feed or Email and there’s no video screen visible, click here to visit the full-featured page and see the preview.

We want our international conversation to continue

Conversation is far better than the dangerous shouting matches we’ve been witnessing in our global culture recently. So, please, email us at [email protected] and tell us what you think of our stories—and, please tell a friend to start reading along with you!

We welcome your Emails! . We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Huffington Post, YouTube and other social-networking sites. You also can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed. Plus, there’s a free Monday-morning “Planner” newsletter you may enjoy.