SPIRITUAL LIFE OF LINCOLN
A UNIFIER—Thanks to so many readers who sent us words of encouragement and thanks in recent days for our weekly stories lifting up truth and love—rather than the lies and hate that seem to be so common these days. (And, yes, those who recall the late visionary Vaclav Havel know that “Truth and Love will conquer Lies and Hate!” was Havel’s guiding principle in peaceful change.)
This week, like so many Americans in trying times, we turn to a figure who has graced the pages of ReadTheSpirit more than four-score times over the past decade—and has drawn more readers than any other subject we have ever covered. Of course, that’s Abe Lincoln. And, once again, we have fresh encouragement from our long-time Lincoln scholar Duncan Newcomer. This week, Duncan writes to us:
“Calling Americans back to Lincoln’s powerful voice will inevitably bring people to words like these: Our Founders ‘meant to set up a standard maxim for free society … augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people of all colors, everywhere.’ What’s especially notable about that quote from Lincoln is the date: June 26, 1857! Lincoln was just getting started when he made that declaration! By the time he became, in Walt Whitman’s words, our first Great Martyr Chief, Lincoln had made it clear that America was no longer going to be just a nation for white people. His April 9, 1865, suggestion that Blacks might vote in Louisiana brought John Wilkes Booth’s blood to a boil. Booth believed ‘the country was formed for the white, not the black man.’ Over the past decade, ReadTheSpirit has published a considerable number of columns about the moral and spiritual life of Abraham Lincoln. Read on! Let Lincoln stir you again!”
There are several places to start:
START WITH LINCOLN’S VALUES—Duncan urged us to publish a front-page link to a column, headlined Abraham Lincoln and Visions of a ‘United America.‘ Here’s what stunned us at the home office as we drew that column from our online archives. We published this column more than three years ago! But, read Duncan’s overview of Lincoln’s values and you’ll think he wrote it this week. This look at Lincoln’s moral life demonstrates the timeless nature of the 16th president’s wisdom.
OVERALL INDEX TO LINCOLN—Our authors have written so much on Lincoln over the years that we also published this convenient index to the most popular columns.
QUIET FIRE—Care to listen to Duncan on Lincoln? He produces Quiet Fire, a long-running series of five-minute radio reflections on Lincoln, sponsored by WERU in Maine. Here is the archive of those thought-provoking recordings. (And stay tuned! Duncan is working on a day-by-day book, based on the Quiet Fire series.)
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
SIGN UP NOW—New York City-based peacemaker Samir Selmanovic—whose work we have featured in the pages of ReadTheSpirit over the years—sends us all an open invitation to sign up now for a live one-hour conversation with Brian McLaren at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday August 22. TO SIGN UP: Click on this link to a special EventBrite web page Samir has set up for the event. Then follow the instructions.
Through publishing, organizing events, consulting with community leaders—and a host of other efforts—Samir is a truly heroic figure in the ongoing movement to encourage healthy interfaith and cross-cultural relationships around the world. That’s why Samir’s telephone call this week to our home office was filled with emotion and urgency.
“So much is happening in our country and our world right now that, one day, we feel like falling to the ground in despair—then, the next day, we know we must get up again and continue to work for peace and a better world. We must look for clear signs of hope,” Samir said. “It is important that we help people to process all of these painful things that are happening. That’s why I organized this event with Brian on Tuesday evening. I hope that people will join us. It’s one small thing we can do to help us find hope again.”
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ANOTHER TRUE AMERICAN HERO
OUT OF THIS WORLD! In her weekly series of true stories about remarkable men and women, Suzy Farbman brings us the story of Pete and Nancy Conrad. Decades ago, Americans watched Pete’s amazing feats as an astronaut. Although he died in a tragic accident in 1999, Nancy has expanded on his vocational passion in many ways. This is truly a “good news” story about American innovation.
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HONORING OUR LOVED ONES
RODNEY CURTIS—This week, writer-photographer Rodney Curtis tells the inspiring story of his family’s way of honoring the lives of two relatives who loved Michigan’s waterways.
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HOLIDAYS!
Want to see all the holidays? Remember www.InterfaithHolidays.org.
THE HAJJ—Muslim men and women around the world are already converging on Mecca for the annual pilgrimage. The Islamic lunar calendar moves the official dates each year and, in 2017, the focus is on sunset August 30. The annual “Eid” feast follows soon after the start of the actual Hajj. Stephanie Fenton has the whole story.
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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 at VisualParables.org. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with complete study 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 latest free movie reviews are:
- SHORT TERM 12—This is a terrific feature film, says Ed. (5 out of 5 stars)
- THE DARK TOWER—“Mildly entertaining” is Ed’s verdict. (4 stars)
- THE WOMEN’S BALCONY—You’ll have to look around to find this new film set in Jerusalem, but the search is worth the effort, says Ed, giving this movie 5 out of 5 stars.
- DETROIT—Ed joins many other critics praising the hard-to-watch drama based on the 1967 Detroit rebellion and the so-called Algiers Motel incident. (4.5 stars)
- THE BIG SICK—Delightful, says Ed. (4.5 stars)
- MAUDIE—Look around for this terrific film about the unusual life of the Nova Scotia folk artist Maud Lewis. (5 out of 5 stars)
- BEATRIZ AT DINNER—Ed writes, “The film’s fish-out-of-water story shines a spotlight on the darker side of American business practices.” He urges us not to miss it. (5 stars)
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