Larry Buxton reminds us of the values we all share

Astonishing but true: We do share a wide range of timeless values

IN A NEW SERIES OF FREE WEEKLY VIDEOS, veteran pastor, teacher, leadership coach, Bible scholar and author Larry Buxton will greet us with a few wise words—reminding us that the core values we need to heal our communities are already within our shared traditions. There is not a more timely message. Don’t take our word for it. Just take a moment and read the Foreword to this book by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a prominent Democrat. Then, read the Preface to this book by Andrew Card, a prominent Republican.

HERE’S HOW TO GET LARRY’S FREE VIDEOS—They arrive in a free weekly email. (Don’t worry, you can cancel anytime.) Simply go to https://www.LarryBuxton.com/, then enter your email address in the box that says “Weekly Updates.” Want to learn more? You also could click on the “Leading with Spirit” link in the upper-right corner of Larry’s front page. That takes you to an ever-growing index of Larry’s videos and columns.

This is an important new voice in the national conversation about unity—and all of us at the publishing house have worked closely with Larry to develop this free resource. Please, will you take a moment and sign up? And, then, please tell a friend about this, as well? That way you’ll know someone who is eager to discuss the latest video each week.

.

.

Holidays & Milestones

Mourning Milestones

RODNEY CURTIS, photographer and author, marked our national milestone this week with a graphic you may want to share with others.

Responding to Evil

REAL GRIEF—REAL HEALING is a podcast hosted by Mindy Corporon, whose online motto is: “Gathering people to shine the light on peace.” Her latest podcast features veteran journalist Bill Tammeus, whose memoir is coming in January 2021, titled Love Loss and Endurance—A 9/11 Story of Resilience and Hope in an Age of Anxiety. In this podcast, you’ll hear Bill talk with Mindy about his own experience of 9/11/2001 and the powerful legacy of that day for our nation, and the world.

Choosing Humility over Humiliation

ABRAHAM LINCOLN‘s instinct was always to greet people—even those with deeply challenging viewpoints—with humility. How should we respond to troubling news? All too often, these days, we see examples of leaders trying to humiliate those with whom they may disagree. Lincoln scholar Duncan Newcomer reminds us that Lincoln embodied a powerful alternative. Please, share this inspiring column—and others on our ReadTheSpirit front page—with friends this week.

Yom Kippur

THIS YEAR, YOM KIPPUR begins at sunset on Sunday September 27. We are marking the Jewish High Holy Days this year with inspiring true stories from Howard Brown. For Yom Kippur, Howard reminds us of the ultimate questions we all share: Who shall live? And, who shall die?

Best Wishes to All of Our Jewish Authors …

IN OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING COLUMN, this week, we highlight the many Jewish authors who have joined our community of writers and teachers since our publishing house was founded in 2007.

.

And, now a big smile …

Can you tell why Najah Bazzy is smiling?

IN RECENT YEARS, we have been honored to publish the writings of Zaman International founder Najah Bazzy—who also has been honored as a CNN network and People magazine hero. In addition to her Beauty of Ramadan, Najah also has contributed to our upcoming book: What Now? A Guide to the Gifts and Challenges of Aging, due to be published in early 2021. In this fun photo—Najah is smiling from a package of … Well, you can read the story either from The Detroit Free Press or from Click on Detroit.

.

.

.

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. RUBY BRIDGES—Ed writes, “Ruby Bridges tells the story of how a six-year old Black girl integrated a New Orleans segregated school in 1960. Of course, Ruby didn’t achieve this feat alone– there was the NAACP that chose her; four US Marshalls that kept back the angry mob of haters bent on lynching her; a kind-hearted White teacher who pushed back against her racist superiors; a famous psychiatrist to help her with the stress; and, most of all, her courageous mother who shared the deep faith that gave the girl the strength to persist. Not expecting a whole lot of it because it was a Disney film, it turned out to soar way beyond my expectations.”
2. ALL IN—THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY—Ed writes, “Directors Lisa Cortes’ and Liz Garbus’s well-produced documentary could not be more timely, coming out just a month or so before the 2020 national elections.“
3. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, originally Grâce à Dieu—”Francois Ozon’s rivetting drama joins two other excellent films—Our Fathers and Spotlight—that personalize the issue of the abuse of boys by priests and its cover-up. The script, written by the director, is based on the real lives of three men abused as boys by Father Bernard Preynat (Bernard Verley).”
4. A CASE OF DEADLY FORCE—Ed reaches back to 1986 to recommend this powerful drama about the shooting of a Black man by police. The film could have been made today, Ed writes.
5. MILADA—”We should all be grateful to Netflix for bringing us Czech director David Mrnka’s English-language film about a social justice advocate largely unknown in the U.S. Milada Horáková, born in 1901, became a lawyer when few women were able to rise to this status. She championed labor and women’s issues and in the late 1930s tried unsuccessfully to warn the English of Hitler’s true intentions. She returned to her native land to take part with her husband Bohuslav Horák in the resistance to the Nazis.”
6. DANGEROUS LIES—”Director Michael Scott’s mystery can provide an enjoyable time away from the current turmoil, especially if you enjoyed Knives Out, though his tale revolving around a good-hearted caretaker by no means rises to that level.”
7. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY—In his review of the new HBO series, Ed writes: “I love road trip movies, and this series looks like it will rate right up there with the best, judging by the incredibly good first segment called Sundown!” Then, this new series transported Ed way back into the roots of his own fascination with science fiction—so he adds this personal column about early sci-fi fans he knew and the genre’s potential to expand our worlds in helpful ways.
8. PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD—Ed writes, “Regarded as Charles Dickens’ most autobiographical novel, David Copperfield had been filmed 13 times before Armando Iannucci adapted it. Thoroughly enjoying his political satire, The Death of Stalin, I was looking forward to seeing this new version, noted for its color-blind casting and touch of surrealistic absurdity. I was not disappointed, the director and co-writer Simon Blackwell giving us a whimsical romp through the sprawling novel in just under two hours.”
9. IRON JAWED ANGELS—Ed writes, “Although there are many good films dealing with the Civil Rights movement, there are relatively few about the struggle for women’s rights. Thus we should be glad that HBO saw fit to produce this film for Women’s History Month in March of 2004. … This is a film that should be seen by every American who treasures the progress that genuine democracy has made in this country.” (5 out of 5 stars)
10. SUFFRAGETTE—”This film, set in England a few years before the First World War, could be considered a prequel to the 2004 movie Iron Jawed Angels. Alice Paul and Lucy Burns both gained experience in the women’s rights movement in England. This newer film mixes real characters with fictional ones.” (4.5 stars)

.

 

.

.

.

.

.