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It’s ‘Dangerous’ to Open Our Hearts

Three Peacemakers Remind Us of This Transformative Power

OUR COVER STORY presentation begins with this story about the prophetic wisdom in Quaker writer J. Brent Bill’s new book, Hope and Witness in Dangerous Times—which is echoed by two other writers this week.

Then, to understand how these transformative principles can show up in everyday life, we take you to a family owned farm in mid-Michigan where children working at a late-summer sweetcorn stand wound up sharing their own wisdom about the challenges of peacemaking.

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Circling the Christian World

Dr. Gushee’s Book Reaches a Milestone 

IN OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING COLUMN, this week, David Crumm tells a remarkable spiritual story. A translation team in the nation of Georgia worked with Dr. David Gushee and our publishing house to release an edition of Dr. Gushee’s Changing Our Mind in the ancient Georgian language. In this column, we explain why this unusual publication is such a historic and spiritual milestone!

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Holidays & Festivals

 

Assumption, Dormition of Mary

MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS is trending these days across a surprisingly broad group of cultural influencers, writes Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton, citing an intriguing new story in the Canadian magazine Broadview. In mid-August, millions of Western and Eastern Christians will mark unique traditions about Mary’s death and her transition to Heaven.

 

 

Raksha Bandhan

Festival of Sibling Love Now Is Bigger than Bracelets

DESPITE COVID RESTRICTIONS, popular culture in India already is focused on the colorful festival of Raksha Bandhan, when brothers and sisters traditionally renew their bonds with bracelets. The celebration falls on August 22 this year and now is commonly marked in Indian communities around the world. Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton has the story.

 

WANT TO SEE ALL THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just visit  InterfaithHolidays.com

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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 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:

1. THE GOSPEL OF LUKE—Ed McNulty writes, “This Lumo Project film is the last of the four filmed gospels directed by the prolific director/producer David Batty. It is a wonderful addition to any pastor or educator’s video library, bringing to life the words either of the KJV or the NIV translations of the Bible—viewer’s choice. British actor Richard E. Grant reads the NIV text; Sir Derek Jacobi the KJV.”
2. VIVO—”Move over Pixar and make room for this toe-tapping musical from Sony Pictures Animation studio. The fact that Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the songs and voices the main character ought to attract a large audience.”
3. OPHELIA—”Australian director Claire McCarthy gives us love story based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. We need to add that the script by Semi Chellas is based on Lisa Klein’s 2006 young adult novel of the same title.”
4. MINARI—Ed also writes, this week, about the Oscar-winning drama about an immigrant family carving out a new life in rural America.
5. PRAY AWAY—Ed reviews Kristine Stolakis’ documentary film about evangelical “conversion therapy.”
6. LUPIN—”The French writer George Kay has created a truly thrilling escapist adventure series with more than a touch of social commentary. He has taken a classic series of French novels revolving around Arsène Lupin as a “Gentleman Thief” and transferred them to a modern day outsider.”
7. EROICA—Ed McNulty reaches back to 2003 for a wonderful film about the arts, Eroica. In short, it’s a carefully reconstructed drama about Beethoven debuting the piece that people at the time considered a milestone in music history—a unique delight in moviemaking.
8. AN AMERICAN RHAPSODY—“Written and directed by Eva Gardos, this film is based on the filmmaker’s own experience as a young immigrant Hungary.”
9. STREET FLOW—”Writer/co-director/star Kery James’ film is set in France, the story of three brothers of African descent who live in one of the huge projects just outside of Paris.”
10. JOE BELL—Ed recommends this film, “based on a true story,” written by the same team that contributed to the 2005 film, Brokeback Mountain, a writing partnership that included the late novelist Larry McMurtry.

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