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Ian Fleming’s Seven Deadlier Sins & 007’s Moral Compass

A BIBLE STUDY WITH JAMES BOND?

THE WORLD IS BUZZING ABOUT BOND after the latest 007 movie broke opening-weekend box-office records in the UK and the film now appears to be headed into the record books in the U.S. as well. What’s the enduring appeal? Why has this media franchise drawn such a durable—and growing—fan base? Is it the hit music in the soundtracks? The high-tech gizmos and special effects? Bond girls? Author Benjamin Pratt has studied Ian Fleming’s work for many years and argues that our fascination runs much deeper: These tales explore epic struggles with good and evil in our world, showing us what can happen when unchecked sins are allowed to run rampant. The more turbulent our time—the more we want to see Bond slay these deadly dragons. Please, read this cover story and share it with friends this week.

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From Our Authors—

Duncan Newcomer

Connecting Lives and Stories through an ‘Emotional Value Auction’

WHAT A TERRIFIC, INNOVATIVE IDEA! Duncan Newcomer writes this week about how powerfully he got caught up in an “Emotional Value Auction,” which artist Adriane Herman recently coordinated in Maine. You’ll definitely want to share this story with friends.

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Larry Buxton

Who’s a Caretaker, Cop, Coach, Consultant and Companion? 

IN HIS LEADING WITH SPIRIT VIDEO, this week, Larry Buxton explains “5 Stages of Parenting” —then applies those lessons to leadership in our congregations and communities.

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Bill Tammeus

The Importance of Sharing Good News

THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK magazine reviewed (and recommended) Bill Tammeus’ book Love Loss and Endurance. Then, Bill shared that “media mention” with our staff so we can bring all of you that good news today. In our Front Edge Publishing column, this week, Susan Stitt explains why such coverage—and such sharing of links—is so important to the discoverability of our books.

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Lucille Sider

‘Light Shines in the Darkness’

WE WERE PLEASED, this week, to see that the editors of Mentor Pro online magazine chose to highlight Lucille Sider’s Light Shines in the Darkness: My Healing Journey Through Sexual Abuse and Depression in a roundup of recommended books on mental health. You also can learn more about Lucille’s book by going directly to its Amazon page.

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General James Dozier

A Video, Photo Gallery and eBook, too

RECENTLY WE ANNOUNCED the publication in hardcover and paperback of retired Major General James Dozier’s memoir, Finding My Pole Star—which tells about his lifelong pursuit of guiding principles. That quest was sorely tested when Dozier became the highest-ranking U.S. officer to be held captive by terrorists. NOW, Dozier’s book also has been released in an eBook version for Kindle. We also have launched a resource page for the book, which you can find at www.GeneralDozier.com. That resource page includes a video about the book, a photo gallery—and much more.

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Holidays & Festivals

Navratri, Dussehra

OCTOBER 7 and 15—Stephanie Fenton reports on this nine-night festival in which Hindus emphasize the motherhood of the divine and femininity. Each night during Navaratri, Hindus worship a different form or characteristic of Mother Goddess Durga, who is regarded as being manifested in cosmic energy and power.

Timely Causes—

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH and Front Edge Publishing’s Susan Stitt writes about the many books we have launched to help individuals, families and the entire community.

THIS ALSO IS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH—So, please enjoy this holiday story that celebrates the more than 60 million Americans who share Hispanic heritage. Our story includes a short video and links to online resources—plus recommendations of helpful reading to learn more about our nation’s deep Hispanic roots.

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 GUILTY—Ed writes, “Director Antoine Fuqua  and writer Nic Pizzolatto have done a fine job of adapting a 2018 Danish film to the American scene. The film is a thriller, a very intense one, but one with a social conscience that deserves to be seen and discussed widely.”
2. MASS—”This is one of the best films I have seen this year. It includes one of the most powerful scenes of grief and reconciliation that I have seen in a film.”
3. FLAG DAY—Ed praises this film in which three members of the Penn family portray the family of a con man.
4. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)—”This is the 70th anniversary of the release of this classic science fiction film. It stood out at the time as the most intelligent film of the genre, carrying a message of peace and tolerance during the onslaught of the Cold War. Unlike other sci-fi films, the menace to Earth came not from alien monsters but from humans themselves.”
5. SON OF THE SOUTH—”Writer-director Barry Alexander Brown’s film is based on Bob Zellner’s well-received 2008 autobiography The Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement.”
6. THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE—Ed praises the new film about the lives of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and says it’s likely to surprise many viewers.
7. REMINISCE—Ed McNulty writes, “Writer-director Lisa Joy blends film noir with science fiction in this tale set in a near future Miami whose streets are being flooded as climate change causes the ocean to rise. Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman) is the jaded detective whose specialty is the past.”
8. COME FROM AWAY—”The horrific events that occurred 20 years ago on 9/11 reveal the evil depths that humanity can sink to, but this filmed version of David Hein and Irene Sankoff’s Broadway play celebrates the heights to which humanity can rise.”
9. DAYS OF GLORY—”Co-writer/director Rachid Bouchareb provides a very different perspective on World War II in this tale centering on four North African Muslims who enlist to free what they regard as their fatherland, France.”
10. RESPECT—”Director Liesl Tommy and writer Tracey Scott Wilson’s film biography of Aretha Franklin certainly deserves our respect—and gratitude.

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