Peter Wallace: Rediscovering the Emotions of Jesus in ‘Heart and Soul’

Talking about Jesus’s emotions makes some Christians uncomfortable—and with good reason. Studying the realm of Jesus’s emotions opens the door to actually modeling his behavior in the world. It’s an idea that has empowered saints, ministers and huge institutions from schools to hospitals.

The key question: Is Jesus a divine character in a sacred book, reduced to words on a page—or is Jesus alive today and urging us to interact with the world as Jesus once did? That’s the central theme in Day1 radio broadcaster Peter Wallace’s unusual new book, Heart and Soul—The Emotions of Jesus.

Please, enjoy this week’s two-part cover story—and share it with friends. Both Peter Wallace and Duncan Newcomer have new books that are ideal for individual reflection and small-group discussions with friends.

Duncan Newcomer: Reclaiming the humanity of Jesus with Peter Wallace

We say that a book is a community between two covers—inviting readers to join the author in a national conversation. Occasionally that conversation also unfolds between two authors and two books, which is happening this autumn with Day1 radio producer Peter Wallace and Lincoln scholar Duncan Newcomer. Please, enjoy Duncan’s reflections on Peter’s new book. If you do discuss Peter’s book in a class or small group, Duncan’s column may help to spark your conversations.

Extending this conversation is Mark Sappenfield, Editor of The Christian Science Monitor, who devoted a recent Sunday column to Duncan’s new book on Lincoln.

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Compassionate Tools for Suicide Prevention

SUZY FARBMAN’s column this week is a true story about suicide prevention—and the need for all of us to learn more about the early warning signs. In this story, Suzy writes about her lifelong friend Rabbi Daniel Syme, who served Michigan’s oldest Jewish congregation for many years—and also is nationally known as a Jewish educator, writer and producer.

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CHRISTMAS IS COMING!

GREAT GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR HOLIDAY LIST … Americans love books, which is why book sales are rising each year. Our publishing house has a wide array of books—something for everyone on your shopping list. Please, check out this Front Edge Publishing column, which begins with a recommendation of The Flavors of Faith—and offers lots of other ideas, as well.

ST. NICHOLAS DAY—Stephanie writes: “Santa Claus may be seen in malls across America, but the real St. Nick—the historical bishop of Myra, that is—makes his grand appearance around the world on December 6—St. Nicholas Day. From the Netherlands to France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Bulgaria, St. Nicholas Day is greeted with beloved customs, special baked goods, processions and reenactments. In many countries, St. Nicholas Day is an opportunity to move away from the commercialization of the holiday season and toward the ‘true meaning’ of Christmas—as a time of giving, reflection and gratitude.” Read her column and you will find lots of resources and helpful links.
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Care to see all the holidays? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances—just remember the 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.

Among Ed’s free reviews and columns are:

• LAST CHRISTMAS—Director Paul Feig’s new holiday film is a bit better than the average TV-Christmas-movie fare, says Ed. (4 out of 5 stars)
• A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD—The new film is touching and terrific—even better than Ed had expected, he writes. (5 stars)
• TERMINATOR: DARK FATE—Ed writes, “Terminator: Dark Fate is the sixth film in the Terminator franchise. Unfortunately, the Terminator movies seem to have gotten more and more forgettable over the years.” (3 stars)
• JO JO RABBIT—Our readers have been waiting for Ed McNulty’s review of this controversial and eagerly anticipated movie. Here’s what he has to say …
• MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN—Ed writes, “Edward Norton is a triple threat in his new movie. He is director, writer, and star in this adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s acclaimed 1999 novel. However, he made a lot of changes, beginning by moving the action back 40 years—from the 1990s to 1957, and thus into film noir territory.” Then, Ed gives the film 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommends it.
• PAIN AND GLORY—Of this new film by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, Ed writes that the director “draws on aspects of his own life in this story of a faded film director almost despairing of renewing his career. It will come as no surprise that there is a strong woman central to his story, his mother Jacinta, played by Penelope Cruz when he was a boy. Both she and Antonio Banderas, who plays film director Salvador Mallo, are long-time associates of Almodóvar.” (4 stars)
• WESTERN STARS—Ed writes: “This stirring semi-public concert documentary, directed by Bruce Springsteen and his frequent collaborator Thom Zimny, includes 13 songs and commentary by the singer on life and the American Dream, love and loss, and the values he cherishes of the Old West, or as he himself states, ‘a meditation on the struggle between individual freedom and communal life’.” (5 stars)
• MIDWAY—Ed disagrees with other critics who have called this World War II epic dull. He gives the film 4.5 stars.

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