Five Best Books for Reaching Out in our Grief
COVER STORY: We listen to our readers. We listen to our writers. We listen to friends and family, too. And, over the past week, here is what I heard loud and clear: People are grieving. One reason is the horrific tragedy of the Buffalo supermarket shootings and the virulent hatred that attack once again unveiled in our midst.
Whatever is causing this season of grief—our Cover Story is not about sadness. It is about resilience. I am sharing the stories behind five inspiring books that can help you—and your co-workers, congregation and loved ones—find resilience in the midst of our grief. Please read this story and share it with others via social media and email.
And if you care to learn more: One of the authors featured in our Cover Story this week is Bill Wylie-Kellermann, whose family memoir Dying Well ranks among our five “best book” recommendations. Bill’s newest book is a tribute to the life and legacy of his friend—peace activist and theologian Daniel Berrigan. Among the latest praise for Bill’s new book is this review from The Christian Century headlined: An ode to Daniel Berrigan
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And Now For Something Completely Different …
WE ALSO heard about humor, this week, starting with this week’s Leading with Spirit video from author and leadership coach Larry Buxton. In this short video, Larry asks us: Should Leaders Be Funny?
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And, a Trip to the Islands
GOD SIGNS COLUMNIST SUZY FARBMAN is back this week with the first part of a two-part column about a remarkable family whose adventures span the U.S., the Atlantic and Caribbean.
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Holidays & Festivals
An ancient Christian celebration
TOWARD THE END OF MAY, Christians around the world will celebrate one of their faith’s ancient holidays: the Feast of the Ascension, known also as Ascension Day. Though no documents give testament to the feast’s existence prior to the 5th century, St. Augustine referred to it as a universal observance of Apostolic origin.
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And, 2 Baha’i holidays
HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton reports on two important Baha’i observances that fall in the second half of May this year: The Declaration of the Bab marks the anniversary of the Bab’s announcement of his mission, in 1844; the Ascension of Baha’u’llah recalls the passing of Baha’u’llah, in 1892.
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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com
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Click this movie still to read Ed McNulty’s review of the new Downton Abbey film.
Faith & Film
Click on this cover image to learn more about the May 2022 issue of Ed McNulty’s Visual Parables Journal. This issue contains complete discussion guides for films, including: Eleni, Father Stu, The Northman and Firebird.
ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with discussion guides to films. This resource is used coast-to-coast by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.
Among Ed’s free reviews and columns:
- DOWNTON ABBEY—Ed writes, “Let me say right up front that this addition to the Julian Fellowes’ franchise ought to please fans of this beloved series. In fact, thanks to the story line unfolding at the magnificent estate itself, it is better than the previous enjoyable 2019 film.”
- HAPPENING—”Pro-choice advocates fearful of the consequences of a nation-wide ban on abortion would do well to promote Audrey Diwan’s adaptation of Annie Ernaux’s semi-autobiographical 2000 novel of the same name L’événement.”
- PETIT MAMAN—”Céline Sciamma has written and directed a memorable—whether parable, ghost story, or fairy tale I cannot say—that depends entirely on two child actors for its effect.”
- EMERGENCY—”At first glance, this film might look like Animal House Meets Get Out, but it is far more serious than the former, and a bit more realistic than the latter, even though it also is somewhat of a farce, a very delightful one at that.”
- THE SURVIVOR—”Just when you think you have seen every variation of a Holocaust story, along comes another that adds a new bit of knowledge and horror at how cruel a human can be and how strong is the will to survive—such is this film, based on the book Harry Haft, written by his oldest son Alan Scott Haft.”
- THE LAST DAYS OF PTOLEMY GREY—Ed writes, “In the twilight of his years Samuel Jackson again proves what a consummate actor he is in this adaptation of Walter Mosley’s novel, one that focuses more on character development than on crime.”
- FIREBIRD—”This British-Estonian LGBTQ+ love story is adapted by director and co-writer Peeter Rebane from The Story of Roman, a memoir by Russian actor Sergey Fetisov. It has been suggested that it is a Broke Back Mountain meets Top Gun.”
- THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL SOCIETY—”I was delighted to find on Netflix this production directed by one of my favorite English directors, Mike Newell. We learn of the book club with the unwieldly name through a series of flashbacks to World War II.”
- SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE—Netflix now is streaming two dozen episodes of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 2015-19 TV series, Servant of the People. Ed McNulty writes about the “life-imitates-art” experience of watching this series in the midst of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. There are two parts: Here is Part 1: Ed’s commentary on the opening episodes. Then, here is Part 2: Ed’s follow up, focusing on later episodes.
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