‘Building a house united’
THIS WEEK, a national nonprofit dedicated to “building a house united,” called Braver Angels, is holding a four-day national conference in Gettysburg, hoping that the spirit of Abraham Lincoln can help inspire healthy dialogue between conservative and liberal activists. Lincoln scholar Duncan Newcomer is playing a role through selling copies of his book, 30 Days with Abraham Lincoln: Quiet Fire. Duncan also organized this week’s special issue of ReadTheSpirit magazine, inviting writers to contribute their reflections on Lincoln’s legacy.
Our special issue starts with Duncan’s introduction to the series and to the work of Braver Angels. Please begin with that column as a guide to everything else our writers have contributed for this important week. And, if you find these columns helpful and inspiring, please take a moment to share them with friends via social media and email. That small step makes a big difference in spreading this good news in our troubled world.
Easy navigation through this entire series
It’s easy to enjoy all the inspiring work from these writers, this week.
If you start with Duncan’s introductory column, linked above, then you will find links to all of the other columns. Whatever you choose to read next, you will find links to the other new columns at the bottom of each page. To ensure easy navigation, we also are duplicating those series links right here on our home page, as well:
Lincoln scholar Duncan Newcomer’s introduction to this series includes a salute to Braver Angels, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to de-polarizing American politics that is gathering from across the country for a major conference at Gettysburg this week.
Duncan also writes about: What were Lincoln’s hopes for our nation?
And, he explores: What were Lincoln’s core values?
Then, journalist and author Bill Tammeus writes about how Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address still calls us to reach out to one another.
Journalist and author Martin Davis asks: Are our battle-scarred American roads capable of carrying us toward unity?
Author and leadership coach Larry Buxton writes about: Growing up and growing wise with Abraham Lincoln
Columnist and editor Judith Pratt recalls: Hearing our Civil War stories shared generation to generation.
Attorney and community activist Mark Jacobs writes about: How Lincoln’s astonishing resilience and perseverance inspires me today
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Holidays & Milestones
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Celebrating Independence Day
THIS YEAR, the number of Americans hitting the highways and the skies is expected to surpass the previous year as the pandemic fades as a national concern. But if your aim is fireworks, for example, you’ll want to check on local plans right now! Many public Fourth of July programs are scheduled well before the actual holiday.
WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com
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Click this movie poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of Disney’s new Elemental.
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:
- ELEMENTAL—Ed writes, “Although far short of Wall-E and such, Elemental is still enjoyable as a Romero & Juliett love story and an immigrants-make-good tale.”
- CLOWN IN KABUL—Ed reaches back to 2002 to recommend this Italian documentary about Dr. Patch Adams’ trip to Afghanistan in 2002.
- THE CAPTAIN—Near the end of World War II, a German soldier is trying to flee from his army when he discovers a captain’s uniform that changes his life.
- IT AIN’T OVER—”Yogi Berra’s famous quotations and media celebrity have overshadowed his other amazing accomplishments—and it is this which director Sean Mullin and executive producer Lindsay Berra set out to rectify in this delightful documentary.”
- ASTEROID CITY—Ed writes: “I have enjoyed most of Wes Anderson’s droll comedies, especially Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs. This time his satirical tale set in the desert town of Asteroid City left me a bit cold and nonplussed.”
- POTATO DREAMS OF AMERICA—”Writer/director Wes Hurley’s autobiographical dark comedy is about a young boy growing up during the last days of the USSR.”
- OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN—”French writer director Rebecca Zlotowski puts a different spin on this rom-com tale of a woman falling in love with a divorced man who is co-parenting a little daughter.”
- ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET—”The film, directed and written by Kelly Fremon Craig, follows the novel very faithfully, with every member of the excellent cast contributing to the humor and insights, so that I think fans of the iconic book—it sold 90 million copies!—will agree that the long wait has been well worth it.”
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