THANKS TO AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST MARTIN DAVIS, who recently attended a global conference of religion writers in Cordoba, Spain, we have this week’s inspiring cover story that includes some gorgeous photographs as well. Martin reminds us in this exploration of Cordoba that creative change lies at the core of what we think of as our world religious traditions. This is a column you’ll want to share with friends via social media and email. Please do!

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Howard Brown and Jennifer Bass—

‘Shining Brightly’ one cookie at a time.

IN 15 YEARS of publishing, we’ve never seen a book turned into a cookie! But Howard Brown had his cookie artist friend Jennifer Bass do just that with his memoir Shining Brightly. As it turns out, there’s a whole lot more to this inspiring story than just cookie dough and icing! Both Howard and Jennifer are nationally known experts in resiliency, even in the face of deadly cancer. Both of them find ways, each day, to spread joy and hope.

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Bill Tammeus—

From the glory of fall colors to questions about monarchs …

JOURNALIST BILL TAMMEUS, author of Love, Loss and Endurance, continues each week as one of America’s leading analysts of the importance of religion in contemporary life. Given his decades of experience as a journalist, he is able to draw inspiring and provocative connections that are wonderful for individual reflection and small-group discussion. This week, we are recommending four recent columns by Bill:

• Autumn’s soothing colors can prepare us for our own death. As the colors change around us, we all reflect on the inevitable cycles of life and death.
• What does religious history teach us about monarchies? All of us have been thinking about kings and queens recently with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. This is a column about monarchs in which Bill includes several fascinating historical digressions.
• Religious reasons to be against state-sponsored gambling. With the expansion of gambling nationwide, apparently Americans have forgotten that many of our religious traditions teach that gambling is not good for our communities. In this column, Bill reminds us.
• What’s religion have to do with marrying and having kids? This column that looks at the influences of our faith traditions on how many children couples wind up having.

Thanks so much, Bill, for these opportunities for us to expand our hearts, minds and spirits! If you do take a moment to “click” on the links above and read these columns, you’re sure to find something that you will ponder all day—and may want to share with friends via social media or email. Are you part of a small group? Think about using one of Bill’s columns to spark discussion.

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Holidays & Festivals

Sukkot—

Jewish families move outdoors for this harvest festival

HOLIDAYS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FESTIVAL reports on Sukkot, which calls on Jews to construct and dwell in temporary structures, called sukkahs, in memory of the ancient Israelites’ living quarters during their 40 years in the wilderness.

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October Book Birthdays—

James Bond is as hot as ever!

PUBLISHERS and AUTHORS celebrate “Book Birthdays” each year, recalling some of the big hits that they have launched in any given month. In this “October Book Birthdays” column, we look at three enduringly popular books we have published in earlier Octobers with two authors: Benjamin Pratt and Dr. David Gushee. All three books are as timely today as they were when we originally released them—especially the book we sometimes call our “James Bond Bible study.”

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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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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.

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

• CRUSHED WINGS—This is a difficult film to watch, Ed McNulty warns us in his review of this new film that he reports is the first major feature film to examine the widespread practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). He recommends it to help spread awareness of this continuing problem that affects more than 200 million women today. (To learn about screenings, visit the film’s website.)
• THE WOMAN KING—”Set in 1823, the story is fictional, but the facts surrounding the women warriors are accurate. Nanisca (Viola Davis) is the general in charge of them and thus a major advisor to young King Ghezo (John Boyega).”
• A JAZZMAN’S BLUES—”Beginning with an old woman in Hopewell, Georgia, in 1987, the film chronicles the stunted lives of several African Americans in a series of flashbacks to the 1930s and 40s. It is a dark, serious tale by Tyler Perry, all the more remarkable because its creator is definitely not known for producing such solemn material.”
• CATHERINE CALLED BIRDIE—(Streaming on Amazon) “Director-writer-producer Lena Dunham  adroitly captures the spirit of the Newberry-winning children’s novel by Karen Cushman.”
• FANNIE LOU HAMER’S AMERICA—(Streaming on Amazon) “There have been numerous films on Fannie Lou Hamer, but what makes director Joy Elaine Davenport’s film different is that a major part of it is the civil rights icon telling her own story.”
• THE GOOD HOUSE—“This is that rare Hollywood film centering on the interior life of a grandmother dealing with alcoholism.” The film stars Sigourney Weaver.
• TREES OF PEACE—(Streaming on Netflix) “Director-writer Alanna Brown’s harrowing film centers on four women who hide from the rampaging Hutus during the Rwandan genocide.”
• HALLELUJAH—LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG—”Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s documentary approaches the life of the Canadian poet/songwriter through one song, a mystical one that has captured the hearts of millions of people, some of whom believe in some form of God, as well as many who do not.”

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