Cover Story: A special Christmas wish, this year, is a New Year’s Resolution to enjoy films with the prophetic Edward McNulty

 

Please consider supporting the work of our authors—and inspiring friends in 2024

THIS WEEK, as Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine, David Crumm has written a special personal tribute to the long and prophetic career of our Faith & Film critic Edward McNulty. And, we are inviting our readers to subscribe for a new year of Ed’s monthly Visual Parables Journal, which expands on his movie reviews with inspiring discussion guides to current (and occasionally classic) films. Please, take just a moment to read this reflection on Ed’s remarkable career—and consider subscribing to his Journal.

THROUGHOUT DECEMBER, we have been encouraging our readers to “double up” on their gift giving: First, by giving family and friends (or yourself) some inspiring reading for the New Year—and, second, by supporting the men and women from many different faith traditions who have been a part of our publishing community over the past two decades.

Here are more of our recommendations this holiday season:

Last week, our Front Edge Publishing column focused on the reasons readers love to connect with cozy mystery series—especially when a new author is emerging with a brand new series. In this case, we’re hoping you will connect with Laura Elizabeth and her new island cozy, All Is Now Lost.

During Hanukkah, earlier this month, we highlighted books by some of our Jewish authors—and shared 10 reflections from authors on why Hanukkah was so important this year.

We started our 2023 holiday gift guide even earlier, this year, with a story headlined: Two good deeds in one: Please, give the gift of reading this holiday season.

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From Our Authors—

Thinking about New Year’s Resolutions?

MAKE ‘EM GOALS YOU CAN GO GET—That’s the advice Debra Eckerling shares with Shining Brightly’s Howard Brown in this week’s episode (No. 57) of his podcast that now reaches thousands of readers around the world every week. (When you visit Howard’s page, scroll down to the podcast list and you may wind up enjoying a number of them this week!) Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your GoalGuide and founder of something she calls the D*E*B METHOD® system of goal-setting simplified. She’s a speaker, consultant, and workshop leader for corporations and nonprofits.

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And Speaking of the Brown family—

READERS CONTINUE TO ASK ABOUT EMILY BROWN, Howard Brown’s daughter and now a TV reporter in Montana. Emily plays a major role in Howard’s memoir Shining Brightly and, for a while, Emily was a contributing columnist for ReadTheSpirit. So, as a year-end family update, we can report that Emily is doing very well as a TV journalist. Currently, she’s reporting on the ski industry in her part of the country. If you watch that TV clip, Emily filmed as well as reported the story, including interviewing one man while both were riding a ski lift high above the slopes.

 

 

 


Holidays & Festivals

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Yule Enjoy This Column, too

OUR HOLIDAYS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON writes about how the solstices have been marked as auspicious turning points in the calendar since ancient times. For our Northern readers, this is the winter solstice! Often termed Yuletide or Yulefest, the days surrounding winter solstice have long been marked with cold-weather festivals and warm feasts, celebrating the reversal from increasing darkness to increasing light and giving thanks for the “rebirth of the sun.” And, yes, of course Stephanie has some delicious links in her column as well.

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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 on this poster for the 2003 movie Love Actually to read film critic Edward McNulty’s review.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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Cover Story: Wrapping up your holiday shopping? Don’t forget Laura Elizabeth’s cozy mystery—and more great ideas!

There’s still time to give this wonderful ‘Cozy’ Mystery! And more …

THIS WEEK’S COVER STORY is a reminder that it’s still the perfect time to order some great reading for Christmas, this year. Our new story this week is a Front Edge Publishing column about the warm circle of friends who readers will meet if they dive into Laura Elizabeth’s new island cozy mystery, All Is Now Lost.

Last week, we highlighted books by Jewish authors for the start of Hanukkah—and especially if you wound up with a little gift of Hanukkah gelt in your pocket—consider buying some of their inspiring books as a way to signal support for our Jewish community nationwide. We wrote about why this is so important in our story, along with links to 10 authors’ books under the headline Consider the Courage of Celebrating Hanukkah with Jewish Families This Year.

ALSO—FROM OUR HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton, we have this overview of customs surrounding Hannukah, which began on Thursday, December 7, this year. Stephanie adds to our Hanukkah coverage, especially with links to latke recipes and family activities.

We started our 2023 holiday gift guide even earlier, this year, with a story headlined: Two good deeds in one: Please, give the gift of reading this holiday season.

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Holidays & Festivals

Posadas Navidenas—

COMING DECEMBER 16 is the Hispanic community-wide tradition of “Las Posadas,” a centuries-old reenactment of Jesus’ family coming to Bethlehem in search of a place to stay.

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And Yule Enjoy This Column, too

OUR HOLIDAYS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON writes about how the solstices have been marked as auspicious turning points in the calendar since ancient times. For our Northern readers, this is the winter solstice! Often termed Yuletide or Yulefest, the days surrounding winter solstice have long been marked with cold-weather festivals and warm feasts, celebrating the reversal from increasing darkness to increasing light and giving thanks for the “rebirth of the sun.” And, yes, of course Stephanie has some delicious links in her column as well.

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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 on this movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s film review of the new Netflix production, Rustin.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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Cover Story: Consider the Courage of Celebrating Hanukkah in Jewish Families This Year

With a worldwide rise in antisemitism,
the Hanukkah lights can become community affirmations

COVER STORY—Jewish families know that Hanukkah is a relatively minor festival each year, heightened across the U.S. because of its proximity with Christmas. “It’s not the Jewish Christmas,” Jews tell non-Jewish friends each December. “Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom.”

And that’s also why, many of our writers—Jewish and non-Jewish alike—are adding a special message this year: With a horrifying rise in hate crimes—community affirmations of our Jewish neighbors are so important. Since our founding in 2007, our publishing house has been proud to produce books with men and women from many different faith traditions, including two dozen Jewish writers.

Over the past week, 10 of those Jewish writers sent us personal notes about the deep resonance of Hanukkah this year. Please, read this cover story and share it with friends as a way to spread a little peace and hope and awareness of our religious diversity, this week. If you want to take a further step, we have added links to these authors’ books. Consider expressing your own affirmation of our religious diversity by giving a friend or loved one a book by one of these authors—or by enjoying one of their books yourself.

ALSO—FROM OUR HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton, we have this overview of customs surrounding Hannukah, which begins on Thursday, December 7, this year. Stephanie adds to our Hanukkah coverage, especially with links to latke recipes and family activities.

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And Even More Holidays & Festivals

A St. Nicholas Update

AS WE REPORTED EARLIER, this year’s December 6 Feast of St. Nicholas represents a historic milestone for fans of the “St. Nicholas Center”—the vast database of St. Nicholas fun that Michigan-based Carol Myers has been offering to families around the world for many years. This year marks the moving of Carol Myers’ St. Nicholas resources to its permanent home at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. Check out our earlier story, describing the big move and a new exhibition on St. Nicholas the seminary will be dedicating on December 17.

THE UPDATE: Many readers asked us, last week, if the seminary will be streaming the dedication events on December 17 so fans of St. Nicholas everywhere can watch this milestone. The answer is: Yes! The seminary staff suggests that anyone interested in streaming the event should visit the VTS homepage that day, where they will find a link.

And—the meaning of “Advent”—

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 was the official start of the Western Christian Christmas season. As usual, Stephanie Fenton’s column about Advent also includes links to other helpful online resources. Want to create an Advent Wreath or an Advent Calendar yourself? She’s got us covered.

And—Posadas Navidenas—

COMING IN MID-DECEMBER is the Hispanic community-wide tradition of “Las Posadas,” a centuries-old reenactment of Jesus’ family coming to Bethlehem in search of a place to stay.

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Buddhists celebrate with lights as well

ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, THIS YEARBuddhists celebrate light with a holiday known as Bodhi Day (or, in Zen Buddhism, Rohatsu). Stephanie Fenton has that story for us, as well.

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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 on this movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of Disney’s newest animated film.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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COVER STORY: Two good deeds in one—Please, give the gift of reading this holiday season

Support Our Community of Authors while Shining Your Light in Our World

WHETHER YOU CELEBRATE HANUKKAH or CHRISTMASwe know you’re looking for gifts for family and friends. This year, please consider a “double gift.” By that we mean: Giving “our books” not only will light up the lives of your loved ones, as they read, but your purchases also will help support our community of writers, whose creative energies flow through these books.

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Holidays & Festivals

A St. Nicholas Update

AS WE REPORTED LAST WEEK, this year’s December 6 Feast of St. Nicholas represents a historic milestone for fans of the “St. Nicholas Center”—the vast database of St. Nicholas fun that Michigan-based Carol Myers has been offering to families around the world for many years. This year marks the moving of Carol Myers’ St. Nicholas resources to its permanent home at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. Check out our story, last week, describing the big move and a new exhibition on St. Nicholas the seminary will be dedicating on December 17.

THE UPDATE: Many readers asked us, last week, if the seminary will be streaming the dedication events on December 17 so fans of St. Nicholas everywhere can watch this milestone. The answer is: Yes! The seminary staff suggests that anyone interested in streaming the event should visit the VTS homepage that day, where they will find a link.

And—the meaning of “Advent”—

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 is the official start of the Western Christian Christmas season. As usual, Stephanie Fenton’s column about Advent also includes links to other helpful online resources. Want to create an Advent Wreath or an Advent Calendar yourself? She’s got us covered.

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Hanukkah takes on a solemn resolve this year

WITH A RISE IN ANTISEMITISM WORLDWIDE, Jewish families will be lighting their Hanukkah candles with a solemn resolve to protect religious freedom, this year. Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton has the story—as well as links to creative resources for everything from latkes to creating a crafts with kids.

 

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A Check Up May Save Your Life

HOWARD BROWN, author of Shining Brightlyis widely sought after as a motivational speaker on finding the resiliency to fight cancer—hard-earned wisdom after having survived State IV cancer twice! From December 4 through 8, this year, Howard also is serving as an ambassador spreading the news of “Cancer Screen Week.” This program, co-sponsored by such major organizations as the American Cancer Society and Stand Up to Cancer, provides free resources, educational materials and online graphics to help promote screening.

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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 on this Netflix poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of the new film, Rustin.

Click on this image to explore the November 2023 issue of Visual Parables Journal, packed with film reviews and discussion guides of movies including Killers of the Flower Moon, My Sailor My Love, Nowhere and The Life of Bayard Rustin.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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Where can we find St. Nicholas this December? Try the Virginia Theological Seminary

World’s Largest St. Nicholas Database Is Moving

Virginia Theological Seminary’s exhibit is ready for the December 6 Feast of St. Nicholas

THIS WEEK, WE ARE CELEBRATING WITH ALL THE WORLD’S ST. NICHOLAS FANS—and in particular we are celebrating with our long-time friend, educator and writer Carol Myers in Holland, Michigan, the creator of the world’s largest database of online St. Nicholas resources.

Please, read our cover story this week and share it with friends who may enjoy marking St. Nicholas Day on December 6 as a way to remember some of the heroic lessons of this saint beloved by millions around the world. If you enjoy this story, please share it on social media or via email. Spreading a little good news like this is especially appreciated in our troubled world, these days.

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Holidays & Festivals

Happy Thanksgiving!

OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH, IN CANADA, already have celebrated their Thanksgiving. Now, it’s time for Americans to dig into the traditional feast—while expressing our gratitude for all we have received. Our Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton has the story, plus—as always—Stephanie has added some delicious links to online recipes and links to DIY family activities, as well.

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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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And More Good News From Our Authors—


Laura Elizabeth invites readers to decorate their Christmas trees with a bit of island magic.

WE’RE ALWAYS INSPIRED BY OUR AUTHORS’ CREATIVITY and, just in time for Christmas, we are impressed that cozy mystery author Laura Elizabeth is offering an array of Christmas tree ornaments as well as beautiful color photographs—all suitable as holiday gifts for the cozy mystery lover on your shopping list.

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Howard Brown

You might see this man smiling from your airline seat

Howard Brown’s story featured in two European magazines for travelers

HOWARD BROWN, author of the popular, inspirational memoir Shining Brightly, is a great example of the way our community of authors reaches out around the world. In this news story, we explain why Howard’s smiling face may turn up in an airline seat pocket, facing you this holiday season if you’re flying into Europe.

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Click on this movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of The Holdovers.

Click on this image to explore the November 2023 issue of Visual Parables Journal, packed with film reviews and discussion guides of movies including Killers of the Flower Moon, My Sailor My Love, Nowhere and The Life of Bayard Rustin.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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COVER STORY: Ready for Christmas? Kara Eidson’s ‘Stay Awhile’ reminds us that hospitality is a divine pursuit

How will your family celebrate this season?

OUR COVER STORY THIS WEEK IS SO TIMELY! Why is it so timely? Not only does the Christmas season begin for the world’s 2.4 billion Christians with the start of the Eastern Orthodox Nativity Fast on November 15—but our tragically divided world needs the message Kara Eidson is sharing: Hospitality.

Hospitality is one of the oldest sacred values shared by the world’s great religious traditions and it’s the central theme of this new pre-Christmas guidebook to individual daily reflections, group discussion—and fun congregational activities. Please read this cover story in which Editor David Crumm is joined by the Rev. Megan Walther in talking with Kara Eidson about how the creative ideas in this book just might help heal divided communities. And, when you’re done reading, don’t miss the short video by Kara—and, please, share this whole message of hope with friends this week via social media and email.

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Why a cozy mystery, like ‘All Is Now Lost,’ is a perfect holiday gift!

WE’VE GOT A GREAT HOLIDAY IDEA FOR YOU: Did you know that cozy mysteries are a red-hot gift-giving idea in 2023? It’s true. And, in this week’s Front Edge Publishing column, we share several good reasons that Laura Elizabeth’s brand-new Book 1 in The Island Mysteries series is perfect for someone on your shopping list.

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Planning for the Holidays?

Our authors want to help—

HOWARD BROWN, author of the popular, inspirational memoir Shining Brightly, is a great example of the way our community of authors want to help you make the holidays special. As our regular readers know, Howard is one of our many Jewish writers—but for Christmas as well as Hanukkah this year Howard is offering to create custom-written bookplates for gift giving. All you have to do is order a copy of Shining Brightly from Amazon.

Then, visit Howard’s website and write him a note on his Contact page (there’s a “contact” link in the upper-right corner). Tell Howard what. you would like your author-autographed bookplate to say for your holiday gift giving. He will mail it to you well before Hanukkah or Christmas—or whatever holiday gift-giving occasion you’ve got on your horizon. Need a “host gift” for a New Year’s party? Act right now and you’ll have a uniquely memorable gift to share.

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Holidays & Festivals

From the East: The ancient tradition of the Nativity Fast begins

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15—The American Thanksgiving is still be around the corner, but millions of Orthodox Christians across the globe are turning toward the season of Jesus’s birth—which they refer to as the Nativity—with the start of the Nativity Fast. Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton has our story.

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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 on the movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of the Netflix film ‘All the Light We Cannot See’

Click on this image to explore the new November 2023 issue of Visual Parables Journal, packed with film reviews and discussion guides of movies including Killers of the Flower Moon, My Sailor My Love, Nowhere and The Life of Bayard Rustin.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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Cover Story: Our partnership with Reformed Journal to debut with the inspiring ‘Telling Stories in the Dark’

Our publishing house welcomes these compassionate Christian voices of resilience and hope

COVER STORY—Today, Front Edge Publishing is joining with the new Reformed Journal Books in unveiling the cover of our first joint venture in what both teams of media professionals hope will become an ongoing series bringing readers thoughtful, helpful books for individual reflection, group discussions and educational programs.

Please read this story and share this good news with friends via social media and email. That small act—sharing our stories—spread a bit of hope and healing in our troubled world. Please, help us spread this good news.

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From our authors—

Howard Brown, George A. Mason and Suzy Farbman

Encouraging Spiritual Resilience in a Time of Darkness

THE THEME OF SPIRITUAL RESILIENCE is central to the ongoing work of many of our writers. We are especially proud of the interfaith range of responses to the troubles in our world right now.

So first, we want to thank many of our friends for sending us messages of encouragement about our ReadTheSpirit cover story last week by Howard Brown, titled: Our Hearts Are Heavy, but We Must Keep Sharing Our Light with Others. Addressing the overwhelming violence globally and the rise in hate crimes across the U.S. is a challenging mission and Howard Brown walks a careful line in that cover story, pointing out practical ways we all can continue to do good work in our world. Of course, Howard has been involved in international peacemaking and interfaith work for many years as a representative of various Jewish organizations. Thank you, Howard, for your ongoing work!

SECOND, George A. Mason, author of the new Word Made Freshthis week added a unique online meditation and prayer from his Christian perspective. George was in Israel when the attack from Gaza was launched, so feels especially close to that conflict. If you click on this link, you will jump to the first page of George’s multi-page reflection. Thank you, George!

And a final “thanks” as well to more than a dozen of our writers who have personally emailed our home office this week, asking how they can help to share some kind of positive message.

THIRD: Our longtime GodSigns author and columnist, Suzy Farbman, writes this week about an important truth about this journey through grief: It is long. We need to remember and honor that truth as we reach out to our neighbors. Please read and share Suzy’s column with friends, as well.

 

Dr. David Gushee

‘The Kingdom Ethics Podcast is Back!’

WITH THOSE WORDS, Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee announced this week to his readers around the world that he is rejoining “my indefatigable protégé and friend Jeremy Hall … for an informal discussion about the various topics in my new book, Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies. If you listen in, maybe it’s almost like joining a book club discussion about the book. The first episode is here—or is available wherever you listen to podcasts.”

On October 1, our ReadTheSpirit interview with Dr. Gushee focused on this important new book. For a deeper dive into Dr. Gushee’s global approach to Christian ethics, you’ll want a copy of Introducing Christian Ethics, a unique book that also includes audio and video from Dr. Gushee.

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Holidays & Festivals

 

Light up the darkness! It’s Diwali.

MORE THAN A BILLION PEOPLE celebrate the Indian festival of lights, including observances in the United States. Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Feton has the story for us.

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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 on this image to explore the new November 2023 issue of Visual Parables Journal, packed with film reviews and discussion guides of movies including Killers of the Flower Moon, My Sailor My Love, Nowhere and The Life of Bayard Rustin.

Faith & Film

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

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