Cover story: Get to know our millions of veterans

100 Questions & Answers about Veterans

COVER STORY—Students from the prestigious Michigan State University School of Journalism have just finished a major reporting project, talking with veterans nationwide and assembling a new guidebook that’s guaranteed to help you build better relationships with the veterans in your life. So many words and experiences can easily be misunderstood. This week, we tell the story behind this new guide, prepared by MSU students with help from veterans and from Detroit Public Television.

OUR VALUES

ARE AMERICAN CHRISTIANS DOOMED?—University of Michigan sociologist Wayne Baker reports on a new Pew study of religion that shows a drop in Americans calling themselves “Christian.” This is great material you can share with friends to spark a lively discussion, which is the goal of the OurValues project.

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

DON’T MISS A DATE! Tell friends about www.InterfaithHolidays.com

INTERFAITH PEACEMAKERS

THE HEROES—More than 100 inspiring stories at www.InterfaithPeacemakers.com

FILM, FAITH
AND POPULAR CULTURE

1,200 MOVIESwww.VisualParables.org is a treasure trove of faith-and-film reviews by Edward McNulty.

FAITH GOES POP—(Calling Star Wars fans …)—The creative mind of www.FaithGoesPop.com columnist Ken Chitwood has done it again under the headline “Special SPORTS Extra Edition.” Ken is both a religious-studies scholar and journalist and serves up news items including: Rubgy’s “Honey Badger,” How Jesus Is Saving Prime Time—and Star Wars icons. Yes, it’s true: If you’re blinking at the photo with this item—that is a Greek Orthodox-style icon depicting Admiral Ackbar as St. Gail Ackbar. Go on! Read the whole story.

STORIES THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES

“STORIES that shape your life” is a core theme at ReadTheSpirit. We’re inviting you to take part!

DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD

Good media builds healthy communities …

GO ON! GO OUTDOORS! Read our online magazine or any of our books outside, this week. Our writers are encouraging you to throw open your doors. Wayne Baker started it with his “Our Kids’ Earth” series. Then, Benjamin Pratt added his “bathed in purple.” This week, Rodney Curtis offers this delightful piece on … well, it’s all about appreciating the birds, the dogs and the people in our lives this spring.

BOB ALPER—The author of Life Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This continues to criss-cross the nation and will perform next in Johnson City, TN, for the Jewish Federation Tri-Cities Annual Campaign on May 29. Then, on May 31, he’ll be in Somerset, NJ, at Temple Beth El.

THIRD-WAY NEWSLETTER

‘END THE SUFFERING’—The new video by Ken Wilson and the Third Way Newsletter team drew more than 1,000 viewers in its first 48 hours online—just by online word of mouth. Today we’re recommending: If you care about LGBT inclusion in churches—please watch this video, too, and share it with friends. The www.ThirdWayNewsletter.com is part of the changing Christian landscape that is welcoming diverse men and women.

DR. DAVID GUSHEE—The author of Changing Our Mind continues writing, including this helpful column about “Civility and Tolerance” in the Baptist Global News website.

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