‘The Work of Joining Fragments’

“A cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer.” Those words from President Biden in the middle of his inaugural address were an electrifying call to action. So, this week in ReadTheSpirit magazine, we are recommending two resources to help us meet that challenge.

THE GLOBAL VISION OF DR. WILLIE JAMES JENNINGS 

START WITH THIS STORY that features the prophetic voice of Yale University’s Dr. Willie James Jennings. His latest book is a manifesto to religious leaders calling for a global rethinking of the way we all approach the American history of racism. We talk with Dr. Jennings, recommend his book and share some of his wisdom in this first story.

A REGIONAL EXPERIMENT IN CONNECTING ACROSS RACE AND CULTURE

THE SECOND PART OF OUR COVER STORY, this week, showcases how a group of religious leaders in the Virginia area have begun to experiment with pilot public conversations about race, culture and justice. This story is a valuable resource for our readers everywhere, because it shares three useful elements: a short description of how the experiment started, then links to the resulting series of YouTube videos, and finally a personal column by Benjamin Pratt as a sample of the ways we all can begin to honestly grapple with these issues.

Please, read this week’s two-part Cover Story and share it with friends. We publish under Creative Commons, so you are free to share our columns via social media, email, reposting and even by printing them on paper, if you wish. All of our columns end with a convenient print button.

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Remembering a ‘Marvelous Moment’ 

EVEN AS WE MOURN HANK AARON, Rodney Curtis writes, “I’ll always remember that April in 1974.” And to think—Hank did it after a tidal wave of racist ranting and death threats. Please, enjoy Rodney’s homage to a courageous hero.

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Virtual Book Launch Connects Despite COVID

‘Love, Loss & Endurance’

VETERAN JOURNALIST BILL TAMMEUS worked with his friend at the Kansas City Library to show us all a model for a virtual book launch in the midst of the pandemic.

In our Front Edge Publishing column this week, you can enjoy both some tips about organizing such an event—and a video of the event itself.

Among the questions Bill answers are: During the pandemic, are people finding it harder to grieve because we can’t do the things we normally do to grieve a loss? And: Why is it important to share personal stories like you have in this book to connect us to events on a national or global scale?

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Happy New Year Times 2

Tu B’Shvat, the ‘new year of the trees’

ONE OF THE JEWISH NEW YEARS—Stephanie Fenton writes, “Winter is still in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, but today in Israel, a vital component of nature is honored: It is Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for Trees. Known also as Jewish Arbor Day, it’s customary (in places where the ground isn’t frozen) for Jews to plant a tree today—and this tradition has done wonders for the Holy Land.”

Mahayana Buddhists mark a fresh start, too

JANUARY 28—Stephanie writes, “A Gregorian New Year was observed by most of the world just a few weeks ago, but for Mahayana Buddhists, the New Year comes today: on the first full moon day of January. Though customs and moon sightings vary by region, devotees in Mahayana countries—such as Tibet, Korea, Mongolia, China, Japan, Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia—mark the New Year as a time of both meditation and gatherings.”

PLAN AHEAD FOR THIS NEW YEAR—We have reformatted our master calendar, which makes it easier for readers to make connections between great books—and the holidays, milestones and special seasons of the year. 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. 9 to 5—Ed writes, “Director/co-writer Colin Higgins’ film might have been a comedy, but it dealt with a serious and widespread problem, the oppressive conditions under which millions of women worked at the beck and call of chauvinist men.”
2. FRIDA—Ed also has brought back a review of the 2002 film, Frida, about the life of Frida Kahlo—because there’s a remarkable web portal in cooperation with Google Arts & Culture to let visitors “tour” hundreds of Kahlo’s works. Click here to read Ed’s review of Frida—and, at the top of his review, you’ll find a link to learn more about the web portal.
3. SOUL—Ed urges everyone to see this delightful and surprising film. He writes, “For a family film Pixar’s Soul about a jazz pianist takes on hefty, metaphysical, themes—life and death, the appreciation of the former and one’s purpose in living.“
4. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI—Ed also urges us to see this remarkable film, writing, “Actress Regina King’s first feature film is based on scriptwriter Kemp Powers’ 2013 play about the night when Cassius Clay won the World Heavy Weight Boxing title over Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964. I want to say up front that it is a “must see” film, bringing together a number of strands of the systemic racism that I have been urging readers to examine through various films.”
5. A THOUSAND CUTS—Ed writes, “The fate of Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa is chronicled in Ramona S. Diaz’s engrossing PBS documentary. One of the four “Guardians” (Jamal Khashoggi being another) to be named TIME’s Person of the Year for 2018, she proves to be a fearless and calm advocate for democracy in a land sliding toward dictatorial rule.”
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   Click this image from the film to read Ed McNulty’s review, which ends with a link to watch this haunting, 7-minute documentary online now.

   A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN—”This short documentary is as chilling as you are likely to see, chronicling a public event taking place in 1939 at NYC’s Madison Square Gardens, and yet strikingly contemporary, because it reminds us that the spirit of fascism lives on. It was nominated for a Short Documentary at the 2019 Oscars.”

7. GUN AND A HOTEL BIBLE—Ed writes, “This is a delightful blend of fantasy and religion of which I think the author of The Screwtape Letters would approve. How often have you noticed or paid attention, during your stay overs at a hotel or motel, to one of those black-bound books on a table or in the drawer with stationery and tourist information? Imagine if one of those Bibles could talk about its effect on one of the occupants of the room—and you have this film, based on the play by Bradley Gosnell and Daniel Floren.”
8. MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM—Ed writes, “In this adaptation of an August Wilson play, Denzel Washington (who in 2016 directed and starred in Fences), remains behind the camera this time as executive producer. But, his Fences co-star Viola Davis is very much front and center as the title character, a real life Blues singer, one of the first Black women to cut a record in the early 20th Century. The film is also outstanding because not only does her co-star Chadwick Boseman rise to her superb level of performance, it will forever be known as his last screen appearance. Even setting aside the film’s social significance, this is a film not to be missed!”
9. THE LAST CHAMPION—Ed writes, “The Last Champion is truly a family film at both ends, from inception to viewing. Families will enjoy its coming of age aspect, sports thrills, and redemptive arc.“
10. NEWS OF THE WORLD—Ed writes, “Like Unforgiven, Paul Greengrass’ News of the World is an unconventional Western. Oh, there is are sections of violent gun play, but these are secondary to other themes, such as human relationships, the need for belonging, and the importance of “news” for connection to a world larger than our own narrow existence. Adapted by director and Luke Davies from the 2016 novel by Paulette Jiles, the film provides Tom Hanks with a great opportunity to display his acting ability, an opportunity of which he takes full advantage! It also introduces many of us to a delightful young German actress Helena Zengel.”

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