Cover Story: In ‘The Sandbox Revolution,’ Lydia Wylie-Kellermann helps us to raise kids for a just world

Care about children? Meet these ‘friends on the journey’—

KEN WHITT: ‘You Can’t Afford to Miss this Wisdom.’

THIS WEEK’s cover story was written by author Ken Whitt, whose global work as an author and educator focuses on multi-generational approaches to saving our planet. Ken’s multi-faceted work includes virtual collaboration with colleagues around the world on coping with climate change—and encouraging families to organize local, faith-based opportunities for children to learn about peace, justice and care for our planet. In this cover story, Ken writes about an inspiring new book on this theme, edited by journalist and peace activist Lydia Wylie-Kellermann and published by Broadleaf BooksPlease, read our cover story, get a copy of Lydia’s book and help support these important and prophetic projects. When you take the time to spread this news among friends and on social media, you really can help our world—one person and one relationship at a time.

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From Our Authors

Mindy Corporon: ‘God is love in all the faiths.’

THE INTERFAITH CENTER AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY hosted a conversation with Mindy Corporon, author of Healing a Shattered Soul, this week—and we’ve got the YouTube video. As Mindy continues to crisscross the country, participating in diverse events, these videos become a helpful way to spark discussion in your community, too. There’s not a more timely book, this year, than Mindy’s memoir about overcoming tragedy—the murders of her son and father in an anti-Semitic attack—by working to build stronger community relationships. Hearing from Mindy herself via these videos has been deeply reassuring to many viewers that, as she professes: Peace is possible.

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Suzy Farbman: from concerts to compassion for children

THIS WEEK IN HER GodSigns column, Suzy Farbman returns to a story she first reported several years ago—about a visionary new center for the care of at-risk children in Florida. Now, the center is up and running and a concert pianist, Steve Fancher, has found his way to the team behind this remarkable center.

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David Gushee: Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Students

OUR MAGAZINE has been following the furor at Baylor University over steps the Texas-based Baptist school has taken both to protect LGBTQ students—and to continue rebuking them—all at the same time. Last month, we recommended a very thoughtful analysis of the Baylor dilemma by a member of the Baylor faculty, author Greg Garrett. Now, author David Gushee weighs in on the damage Baylor’s leaders are doing to some of the school’s most vulnerable students. Gushee urges trustees at Baylor—and all universities—to “focus on student well-being.” Thanks to our journalistic colleagues at the Baptist Global News service for publishing both of these important columns!

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Holidays & Festivals

It’s Already Midsummer!

STEPHANIE FENTON WRITES, “Picnics on the beach, wreaths of wildflowers, bonfires and Midsummer parties—Scandinavian-style—abound: Across the Northern Hemisphere, June 20 brings the summer solstice; on June 24, countries across the globe celebrate Midsummer.” Her column even includes a link to a tutorial for making flower crowns!

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Learn about LGBTQ diversity in Pride Month 

For Pride Month, Susan Stitt tells the story of Front Edge Publishing’s long-standing commitment to LGBTQ inclusivity—highlighting some of the best books on LGBTQ inclusion that are used today in small groups nationwide.

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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

CLICK ON THIS COVER IMAGE to learn more about the June 2021 issue of Visual Parables Journal.

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. LUPIN—Ed McNulty writes, “The French writer George Kay has created a truly thrilling escapist adventure series with more than a touch of social commentary.”
  2. RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT—”Miriem Pérez Riera’s sparkling documentary not only chronicles the rise of Puerto Rico’s most popular emigrant to the US but also espouses her fight against racism that limited her movie roles and the rights of survivors of sexual abuse, the latter also something she had experienced.”
  3. IMPERIAL DREAMS—”Director/co-writer Malik Vitthal’s father-son film unfolds largely in the streets of the Los Angeles Watts neighborhood and illustrates what advocates for ex-prisoners have long been telling us: The odds for rehabilitated criminals are stacked against them.”
  4. WHERE HANDS TOUCH—”Writer/director Amma Asante hooked me for good by beginning her film about the Holocaust era in Germany with a quote from James Baldwin: ‘There are days when you wonder what your role is in this country and what your future is in it.’ “
  5. SPIRIT UNTAMED—DreamWorks Animation’s directors Elaine Bogan and Ennio Torresan have given families an enjoyable new film that should please the young and old with life messages conveyed in a non-preachy way. Our daughters will especially take to this film with its affirmation of sisterhood.”
  6. BURNING CANE—”Writer-director Phillip Youmans’ feature film debut will test the patience of those who like action films because his film is more character-driven than plot propelled. Set in rural Louisiana, the film explores alcoholism, spouse abuse, child neglect, faith and the African American church, and the failure of even love to save a lost soul.”
  7. THE REUNITED STATES OF AMERICA—”Director Ben Rekhi’s irenic documentary, based on on Mark Gerzon’s nonfiction book The Reunited States of America: How We Can Bridge the Partisan Divide, is in itself a hopeful sign at a time of so much strife and despair.”
  8. BLUE MIRACLE—”Director Julio Quintana and his co-screenwriter Chris Dowling have just the tonic for movie lovers who might be a bit down in the dumps. Their Big Fish story, based on real people and a 2014 Mexican fishing competition is a formulaic sports story sure to raise your spirits—and with several of the characters children, a film the whole family can enjoy.”
  9. THE ONE I LOVE—The old question ‘Can this marriage be saved?’ runs throughout director Charlie McDowell’s 2014 film about a couple trying to regain the flame of the love that had brought them together.
  10. THE BLACKCOAT’S DAUGHTER—”Writer/director Osgood Perkins (son of Psycho’s Anthony Perkins) makes a worthy addition to the horror sub-genre of the exorcism film in this chilling tale of the supernatural.
  11. UNDERGROUND RAILROADEd McNulty gives us a comprehensive review of the new Amazon-streaming series, The Underground Railroad. He writes, “Barry Jenkins, who brilliantly captured the essence of James Baldwin’s polemical novel exposing the racism of our justice system, If Beale Street Could Talk, soars to even greater heights in this adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning The Underground Railroad.”
  12. 2 WINDOWS/2 REVIEWS—If you read both of these reviews, you will discover the dramatic possibilities of a simple idea that has been explored by filmmakers for more than a century: What happens when we look out a window—and see what our neighbors are doing? First, Ed reviews The Woman in the Window, starring Amy Adams, a thriller that has been compared to Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Then, Ed reaches back to 2019 and reviews a short film, The Neighbor’s Window, which takes a very different approach to a similar dramatic situation.

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