Elul reveals not what we want but what we need: spiritual grounding.

RABBI LENORE BOHM wrote our Cover Story this week, reflecting on an annual milestone that most of our readers overlook—Elul, the final month of the Jewish year. Rabbi Bohm’s thoughtful column reaches out across religious boundaries. All of us can learn lessons from Elul, which “is about widening our horizons and releasing our dis-eases and our mis-takes.” As summer draws toward its close and a busy autumn looms on the horizon, please enjoy this column and share it with friends via social media or email.

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Dr. David Gushee—

Four opportunities to join Dr. Gushee online

THIS WEEK, Dr. David Gushee is inviting all of our readers to join him at upcoming events. The author of the best-selling call for the inclusion of LGBTQ Christians, Changing Our Mind, writes: “The following are events where you might enjoy finding a new network of people, organizations you want to support, and insights and information that will bring light to your life.”

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Suzy Farbman—

A love born in sharing spiritual adventures

IN HER GOD SIGNS COLUMN, this week, Suzy Farbman introduces us to Ross Quigley, a former monk, and the love of his life, Suzanne Duca, whose relationship now includes bringing the best of Americana music to intimate crowds.

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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.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• HALLELUJAH—LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG—”Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s documentary approaches the life of the Canadian poet/songwriter through one song, a mystical one that has captured the hearts of millions of people, some of whom believe in some form of God, as well as many who do not.”
• EMILY THE CRIMINAL—”Writer/director John Patton Ford’s debut film combines the crime thriller genre with a scathing social commentary on the exploitive nature of our corporate dominated society. He presents us with a protagonist whom we come to root for despite the immoral choices she makes.”
• MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS—”The story of a lowly British cleaning woman fulfilling her dream of owning a Christian Dior dress is a wonderful Cinderella story that will leave you feeling very good about the world and (most) of its inhabitants, even if a cynic might write it off as PR for the House of Dior.”
• WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING—”For those who have not read the novel, this highly romanticized Southern gothic tale is part murder mystery, part courtroom drama, and part coming of age.”
• APPLES—”Christos Nikou’s film about a man suffering from loss of memory left me puzzled but intrigued. Thus I can’t join in the universal praise it has elicited.”
• RESURRECTION—”Writer/director Andrew Semans surely knows that one doesn’t have to bring in the supernatural or outer space monsters to create suspense and horror.”
• BULLET TRAIN—”There should be enough action with blood and gore, laced with considerable humor, to keep the attention of the almost ardent action fan.
• BENEDICTION—”Five years after his film about Emily Dickson, A Quiet Passion, writer-director Terence Davies focuses upon another poet, one from his native England, Siegfried Sassoon.”

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