Click the photo to read our story with Richard Rohr.
ENLARGING OUR VISION OF ‘CHRIST’—Here’s why men and women nationwide love reading Richard Rohr, the best-selling Franciscan author and teacher: He continually pushes us all to expand our spiritual vision! That’s why many avid followers even cross the country to learn from him—as Ken Whitt and his wife did recently. This week’s cover story features a new interview with Rohr about his 2019 book, The Universal Christ. As Rohr himself says in our interview: “I’m trying to show readers that Christ is much bigger than what they are envisioning.” This is story we know you’ll want to share with friends.
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Click the image to read Henry’s column.
Expanding Our Concepts of Weekly Worship
HEARD OF DINNER CHURCHES? Pastor, author and contributing columnist Henry Brinton reports this week on the nationwide movement of congregations who gather around meals as a form of worship. Included in his column is a great example from United Methodist churches in Florida—as well as news about We Will Feast, a spring 2019 book from Eerdmans that reports on these dinner churches nationwide. Please, consider sharing Henry’s newsy story with friends to spark a discussion—and, who knows? Maybe a great meal, as well!
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An Open Letter to the Royal Family
Click this AP photo to read Anni’s story.
ON BEHALF OF PARENTS OF BIRACIAL CHILDREN—Author Anni K. Reinking, whose memoir Neither Black nor White tells the story of her multiracial family, writes an open letter to the royal family, including: “We—parents of biracial children—are overjoyed to have the royal baby, a biracial baby, be in the spotlight, showing the world that children come in all colors. What matters most? Love.”
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Click the photo to read Ben’s story.
‘I Know Why Abraham and Sarah Laughed!’
A PAPA IN MY 70s? Beloved columnist Benjamin Pratt returns this week with a true story of how he became a father again in his 70s—that is, papa to a family of endangered Eastern Bluebirds. It’s quite a tale—complete with photos. Of course, given Ben’s love of scripture, he is reminded of the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah laughing when they were told they would become parents. You’ll definitely want to share this story with friends.
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Click to read Debra’s column.
From the American Southwest
DEBRA DARVICK responds to Martin Davis’s cover story last week about the need to remember our calling to be compassionate to our neighbors—as Martin put it, to those on our right and on our left. Author and educator Debra Darvick took Martin’s challenge to continue this national conversation with a true story from her travels in the American Southwest. Please, read Debra’s column and think about responding yourself to this challenge to spread a message of compassion.
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RAMADAN MUBARAK!
MILLIONS OF MUSLIM NEIGHBORS are fasting during Ramadan. First, you will want to read Stephanie Fenton’s fact-filled story in her Holidays & Festivals column. It’s also timely to remind you about our 2019 commitment to help combat bigotry by reaching out to our Muslim neighbors in a friendly way. You can say: “Ramadan Mubarak!”
Want to do even more? Buy a copy of the new book Our Muslim Neighbors and become a positive model of change in your community. That new book just got a glowing review in the Midwest Review of Books, which said: “An exceptionally well written and absorbingly personal story of an immigrant life in America today, Our Muslim Neighbors is an extraordinary, timely and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library collections.”
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Click on this chart to read the whole story.
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
A DANGEROUS PROFESSION—Hundreds of journalists around the world remain in prison, even after the two courageous journalists in Myanmar were freed recently, and every year journalists are killed while pursuing this profession. To mark World Press Freedom Day in early May, ReadTheSpirit’s David Crumm spoke with Welton Gaddy on the radio-and-internet broadcast State of Belief about these challenges. David also works closely with the International Association of Religion Journalists and posted, on the IARJ website, this fact-filled overview of current threats to journalism—as well as several good-news items about the expansion of religion reporting. Want to hear the entire interview with David Crumm about the many challenges religion writers face, today? Here’s the direct State of Belief link.
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Click Snoopy to read our story.
In the Beginning …
WHY FIRST WORDS MATTER—In our Front Edge Publishing column this week, David Crumm writes about the timeless wisdom of master storytellers: The opening lines are the gateway to any great story! Drawing on examples from the Bible, novelists, famous preachers, The Moth and TED Talks, David explains why writers and editors often spend as much time on the opening and closing of a book as they do on the rest of the chapters.
Want to know more about publishing? Sign up for the free weekly email reminders (via a form at the end of David’s column).
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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.
Click the movie still to read Ed’s review.
Among Ed’s free reviews and columns are:
- TOLKIEN—Ed writes, “Finnish director Dome Karukoski joins with screenwriters David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford to bring us the background story of the author beloved by millions of readers throughout the world. Although not as satisfying as I had hoped, the film is still a must-see for those who love Frodo and his faithful companion Samwise Gamgee and all of the rest of their faithful companions.” (4 out of 5 stars)
- SHAZAM—Ed writes, “There’s a lot of silliness to the pagan mythology-based plot, but also a lot of fun as young Billy Batson becomes a super hero and learns to become more caring for others.” (4 stars)
- LONG SHOT—Director Jonathan Levine’s light-hearted comedy might seem a bit difficult to accept, but it is a step or two above most films lamely attempting to make us laugh, Ed tells us. (4 stars)
- BEST OF ENEMIES—This new film has its flaws, Ed writes, giving it 4 out of 5 stars. However, it’s still a powerful drama, he concludes, based on the Osha Gray Davidson’s book, The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South.
- AVENGERS: ENDGAME—Headline news reports already are heralding a record box office for this three-hour Marvel epic. Ed reviews the movie and gives it 4 stars.
- GLORIA BELL—Ed describes this new film starring Julianne Moore to feeling like a female-focused version of the classic Zorba the Greek. (4 stars)
- APOLLO 11—Ed writes, “Documentarian Todd Douglas Miller’s film provides the viewer with a you-are-there feeling in this chronicle of the history making moon mission.” (5 stars)
- MARY MAGDALENE—Australian director Garth Davis gives us a fresh take on the life of the most famous woman among Jesus’s followers. Davis got some things right—and other plot twists are wrong, writes Ed. (4 stars)
- HOTEL MUMBAI—This film about a 2008 terrorist attach in Mumbai is definitely harrowing, but also fascinating, says Ed. (4.5 stars)
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