Cover Story: Rusty Rosman invites us to shape our own legacies through ‘Two Envelopes’

 

A New Book for Everyone Who Cares about How We Will Be Remembered

OUR COVER STORY this week may seem somber—planning for how we each will leave this world someday—but we are hearing from early readers nationwide that Rusty Rosman’s unique new book, Two Envelopes, is a reassuring and even liberating experience of self expression.

Please, consider: Read our Cover Story this week, then share it with friends and loved ones via social media and email. That simple “good deed” of sharing this story just might help a family avoid a future feud.

That’s no exaggeration! Rusty’s wisdom about family fears and hopes is that valuable. Let her guide you through this fascinating process—and she is available to speak with your class or small group, as well. Please: Meet Rusty this week.

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From Our Authors—

Jeffrey Munroe

‘Telling Stories in the Dark’ invites readers to discover the healing power of community

Many people are eager to talk about Jeffrey Munroe’s life-affirming message of finding resilience and hope—even in the face of deep and sometimes long-lasting trauma. After one such discussion, Jeffrey told us about a surprising, spontaneous response from a man whose story illustrates why such a book is needed.

We asked Jeffrey to write up that experience for us.
And here is that story …

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Mindy Corporon

Telling her inspiring story of compassion in the face of hatred

OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING column this week highlights author Mindy Corporon, who has dedicated her life to encouraging kindness, faith and healing in congregations, companies and communities.

And there’s even more valuable information here: We are using Mindy’s newest YouTube podcast, hosted by Matt Gilhooly, to illustrate the vast reach of YouTube. The latest Pew Research study of Americans’ social media use has just been released and, once again, YouTube dominates all other forms of social media.

Please enjoy this column—including the podcast video as well as the new Pew data—and share this news with friends this week.

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MSU’s Joe Grimm and the Bias Busters:

American Sikhs are joining in a global vote

IN 2024, the award-winning Bias Busters—a long-running program of the Michigan State University School of Journalism under the direction of MSU’s Joe Grimm—will be adding new volumes to their series of guides to understanding racial, ethnic and religious minorities. Please stay tuned to ReadTheSpirit and to Joe Grimm’s own Bias Busters columns for updates on new guides that will be appearing throughout 2024.

In his latest column, Joe reports on an issue close to the heart of the worldwide Sikh community—a question of possible independence within India that gets very little attention in American news media. In this column, Joe gives us a fascinating introduction to that global issue along with links to read more.

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Holidays, Festivals & Observances

Chinese Year of the Dragon

ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10, the Chinese Year of the Dragon begins. Unrivaled among Chinese holidays, the New Year begins weeks in advance with families cleaning and hanging paper cutouts in their homes, shopping for fish, meats and other specialty foods, and purchasing new clothing.

On the eve of the New Year, a Reunion Dinner is shared with extended family members. Dumplings, meat dishes, fish and an assortment of hot and cold dishes are considered essential for the table. Sociologists who study religious diversity around the world refer to the annual New Year’s homecoming in China as the greatest annual human migration on the planet.

Holidays & Festivals columnist Stephanie Fenton has the story.

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Blue is the color of hope in March

COLORECTAL CANCER HAS TOUCHED MILLIONS OF LIVES and, in 2024, the latest news is ominous: Rates of these cancers are rising among adults in their 30s and 40s. In fact, an NBC News reports: “Colorectal cancer is the deadliest cancer for men under age 50—and the second deadliest cancer among women in the same age group, behind breast cancer.” We are publishing this column early so that you can share this story with friends and loved ones and maximize the sharing of this important news that will unfold in March.

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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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Faith & Film

Click on this poster for the latest season of the Genius TV series to read Edward McNulty’s review.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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Cover Story: Launching this week—’Telling Stories in the Dark’ invites readers to discover the healing power of community

And readers already are sending enthusiastic thanks for author Jeffrey Munroe’s inspiring new book

COVER STORY: Our entire team of writers and editors is thankful this week for the shower of encouraging notes from early readers of author Jeffrey Munroe’s new Telling Stories in the Dark: Finding healing and hope in sharing our sadness, grief, trauma, and pain

His book is officially launching this week via Amazon in hardcover and paperback, as well as via Barnes & Noble, Walmart and other booksellers.

One of the warmest emails was from a therapist who had received a pre-publication copy and loves the book so much that she has decided to place a copy on the table in her waiting room. She emailed Jeff to tell him she’s now ordering more copies, because that book is so attractive that she knows some of her clients will want to take it home! She needs more copies to keep the book available on her table.

And, please, don’t simply take our word for it about the value of this book: We also are pleased to share a link with our ReadTheSpirit readers this week to veteran journalist Bill Tammeus’s review of Jeff’s book in which Bill calls this “an enormously helpful book.” Bill headlined his review: Confronting trauma not with explanations but with love

Want to read a sample? This is the first book in our new Reformed Journal Books imprint and that online magazine—The Reformed Journal—has published their own column heralding the book’s official publication-date this week. The Journal editors chose to provide a brief excerpt from Jeff’s book, headlined: The Thing with Feathers, which was Emily Dickinson’s famous description of “hope.”

Got more questions? Perhaps we’ve already asked Jeff a question that might be in your mind. Last week, we published this Q&A with Jeff, based on the kinds of questions folks have been raising as they have learned about the launch of this new book.

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From Our Authors—

Dr. David Gushee:

Best-selling ‘Changing Our Mind’ becomes ‘Cambiano nuestra mente’

THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD have been helped in reconciling with their LGBTQ loved ones through the inspiring message of Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee in his best-selling book, Changing Our Mind. Now, in response to requests from Spanish-speaking Christians, his influential book is now available for pre-order in Spanish. Please read this week’s Front Edge Publishing column and share it with friends who might be interested in this news. In doing so, you just might be playing a small role in reuniting a family.

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MSU’s Joe Grimm and the Bias Busters:

‘Do Amish people shop at Walmart?’

IN 2024, the award-winning Bias Busters—a long-running program of the Michigan State University School of Journalism under the direction of MSU’s Joe Grimm—will be adding to their series of guides to understanding racial, ethnic and religious minorities.

Stay tuned to ReadTheSpirit and to Joe Grimm’s own Bias Busters columns for updates on new guides that will be appearing throughout 2024. (If you care about diversity issues, please use the “subscribe” box on that Bias Busters page to get the latest columns directly from Joe.)

In his latest column, this week, Joe previews the upcoming 100 Questions and Answers About Mennonites and the Amish. The answer to the question he raises—”Do Amish people shop at Walmart?”—will surprise you.

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Holidays, Festivals & Observances

Four Chaplains Day

ON FEBRUARY 3, each year, memorial services are held in communities nationwide to recall the four chaplains of various religious affiliations who sacrificed their lives to save as many soldiers and sailors as possible, after their WWII transport ship was hit by a torpedo. Our columnist Stephanie Fenton has this inspiring story, which is especially timely in 2024, when the FBI is reporting a rising tide of hate crimes across the U.S.

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Blue is the color of hope in March

COLORECTAL CANCER HAS TOUCHED MILLIONS OF LIVES and, in 2024, the latest news is ominous: Rates of these cancers are rising among adults in their 30s and 40s. In fact, an NBC News reports: “Colorectal cancer is the deadliest cancer for men under age 50—and the second deadliest cancer among women in the same age group, behind breast cancer. The incidence of colon cancer has been rising for at least the last two decades, when it was the fourth-leading cause of cancer death for both men and women under 50.”

We are publishing this column early—well before Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March—so that you can share this story with friends and loved ones and maximize the sharing that will unfold in March.

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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 the movie poster to read Edward McNulty’s review of the new Mean Girls movie.

Faith & Film

Click on this image from the front cover of the January 2024 issue of Visual Parables Journal to learn more about this resource enjoyed by individuals and small groups nationwide.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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Cover Story: Jeffrey Munroe on the power of ‘Telling Stories in the Dark’: ‘When we tell our stories, others find their own healing and hope’

A heartfelt story of family and friends—in which you are likely to recognize your own story, too

THAT’S THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER JEFFREY MUNROE WRITES ABOUT in his new book Telling Stories in the Dark. When we honestly share our stories of sadness, grief, trauma and pain—we discover that others are living out these same stories. We find hope and healing—and our friends and families do as well.

In our Cover Story this week, ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm interviews Jeff, asking questions many of Jeff’s early readers have raised about this unique book. Please read this story and share it with friends this week via social media and email. You may be surprised, when you share this story, how many people will thank you.

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From Our Authors—

Laura Elizabeth:

The challenges and the fun of launching a first book

In our recent Front Edge Publishing columns, we have been reporting on ways to develop and to participate in successful podcasts, which are a vital gateway to expanding your audience—whether you are an author or a scholar or a community or religious leader. This week, we are featuring a really engaging podcast hosted by author Peter Greenwood, interviewing our cozy mystery author Laura Elizabeth. It’s a great glimpse into the experience of first-time publishing and it’s a solid example of a well-produced podcast by Peter.

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‘We are not born to hate’

HERE’S A POWERFUL AND TIMELY AFFIRMATION from our author Howard Brown—thanks to writer Debra L. Eckerling and the Los Angeles-based Jewish Journal. Debra’s profile of Howard shares some of Howard’s very practical advice for making the world a little better, each day. It’s the kind of story that’s inspiring to read and is likely to bring a smile to your friends if you share it on social media.

Of course, the best way to get a dose of Howard’s wisdom is to get a copy of his book, Shining Brightly.

Or, you can visit Howard at his website, where you can download free PDFs with wisdom distilled on several themes: Mentorship, Survivorship and Interfaith Bridge Bulding. Those download links are in the navy blue area on this page.

 


Holidays & Festivals

Holocaust Remembrance

ON JANUARY 27 EACH YEAR, people around the world observe one of the two annual days to memorialize the Holocaust—a remembrance that is especially timely and sorely needed in 2024. Our columnist Stephanie Fenton has the story and includes lots of helpful links to further reading and resources.

Still Honoring Dr. King

IF YOU MISSED IT LAST WEEK, we marked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with a special cover story featuring author Greg Garrett and his new book about James Baldwin. We’ve heard from a number of readers who were “off” when last Monday’s issue of ReadTheSpirit appeared, so we are repeating a link to that inspiring cover story about Jame Baldwin’s prophetic life and legacy, this week, as well.

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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 the movie poster for The Book of Clarence to read faith-and-film critic Edward McNulty’s review.

Faith & Film

Click on this image from the front cover of the January 2024 issue of Visual Parables Journal to learn more about this resource enjoyed by individuals and small groups nationwide.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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Cover Story: Greg Garrett amplifies James Baldwin’s prophetic call from ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’ to ‘The Welcome Table’

‘Any Myth that Denies a Person’s Humanity Has to be Excavated and Repented’

THAT’S A COMMITMENT made by scholar and author Greg Garrett in his newest book, which we are featuring as our Cover Story to mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024. Please read this interview with Greg about the prophetic value of encountering James Baldwin’s body of work in a fresh way—including new research Greg has undertaken on Baldwin’s final, unfinished play The Welcome Table.

As you read this Cover Story, please also take a moment to share a link to this story via your social media or email contacts. That simple act helps to spread good news in our troubled world at a time when we need resources like this one.

About the MLK Day Holiday

OUR HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS COLUMNIST Stephanie Fenton reports on the King holiday, which this year falls on King’s actual birthday. Of course, she includes a helpful link to the national website for this day of service, as well.

SINCE 2007, we have been pleased to bring Stephanie’s coverage of the world’s major observances to readers far and wide. As we launched this new year, we recently unveiled Stephanie’s 2024 calendar—and we invited readers to contact us if they have questions: Have you spotted a “missing” observance that you would like us to include? Found a typo or an issue to clarify? Please email us at [email protected] (And we’re sending a sincere “Thank you!” to the readers who did email us with suggestions and also words of appreciation for this wonderful service.)

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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From Our Authors—

Howard Brown:

Each week, he makes a daring promise to ‘Inspire!’ his podcast audience

Does he succeed? Now you can test that claim yourself with a “Top Stories” roundup Howard has prepared for us, highlighting some of the very best of his 61 podcasts produced so far. This is a story you’ll want to share with friends who will thank you for recommending this unique, weekly podcast.

In this Front Edge Publishing column, we are featuring Howard’s “Top Stories” podcast—and we’re also providing quick links to a half dozen of the very best that he mentions. This is a one-stop column for lots of inspiring listening this week.

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Victor Begg:

The sustaining power of faith in the midst of grief

VICTOR BEGG is the author of Our Muslim Neighbors: Achieving the American Dream—which also features stories about his late wife, the remarkable interfaith peacemaker Shahina Begg.

In this recent column, Victor writes about his own reliance on faith in the midst of loss. While friends, family and caring neighbors are vital ingredients in finding a path forward after a life-long partner passes, Victor writes that faith also is an essential part of his journey.

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Jeffrey Munroe:

Our 1st Book Launch in 2024 is Telling Secrets in the Dark

VISIT OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING website for a brief preview and links to pre-order our first new book of 2024—Telling Secrets in the Dark by Jeffrey Munroe.

Our regular readers also may recall our big November 2023 announcement of this new publishing imprint with The Reformed Journal—which has has been, for many decades, one of the leading Christian magazines published in America.

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TO MARK MLK DAY, we know readers may want to see the new feature film Rustin, about the man behind the March on Washington. Clicking on this Netflix poster for the film takes you to Edward McNulty’s full review of that film.

Faith & Film

Click on this image from the front cover of the January 2024 issue of Visual Parables Journal to learn more about this resource enjoyed by individuals and small groups nationwide.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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Cover Story: A Delightful Year of Holidays & Festivals Is Unfolding Around the World

Every week through every year—we celebrate our colorful world!

THANKS TO OUR HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON, our ReadTheSpirit magazine has been covering a variety of celebrations, commemorations and observances around the world since 2007. That’s more than 850 weekly issues in which Stephanie has shared colorful stories of the ways our communities mark spiritual and cultural milestones, each year.

This week’s Cover Story is the unveiling of Stephanie’s 2024 calendar. We know that, over many years, readers both in the U.S. and in other parts of the world have used Stephanie’s calendar as a guide to expressions of religious and cultural diversity. We are aware of her column being used by chaplains in health care systems and other major institutions, community leaders, civic officials, educators and other media professionals. Once again in 2024, please feel free to share Stephanie’s calendar—and her ongoing weekly columns that appear in our online magazine—and please include a credit line for Stephanie and our magazine for this service we have been providing for 17 years.

Got a question about the calendar? Have you spotted a “missing” observance that you would like us to include? Found a typo or an issue to clarify? Please email us at [email protected] 

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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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From Our Authors—

Laura Elizabeth announces:

‘Murder Mystery Dinners’ based on her cozy mystery

THE FIRST AUTHOR IN OUR NEW COZY MYSTERY IMPRINT, Laura Elizabeth has become a true innovator in book marketing. This week, she is announcing that—in her home state of Georgia—she will be cooperating with Kaya Vineyard and Winery to host three “Murder Mystery Dinners,” based on the story of her popular novel All Is Now Lost. In her newest newsletter to readers, Laura announced to her fans that her beloved characters “Carr, Barb, and Tripp will come to life under the tent at Kaya Vineyards on March 3rd, 8th, and 9th. More information and ticket options can be found on Kaya’s website.” Bravo to you, Laura! And, if any of our far-flung ReadTheSpirit readers are interested in these Georgia events—please follow that link.

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Jeffrey Munroe:

Our 1st Book Launch in 2024 is Telling Secrets in the Dark

VISIT OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING website for a brief preview and links to pre-order our first new book of 2024—Telling Secrets in the Dark by Jeffrey Munroe.

Our regular readers also may recall our big November 2023 announcement of this new publishing imprint with The Reformed Journal—which has has been, for many decades, one of the leading Christian magazines published in America.

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George Mason on:

The Shifting Landscape for Pastors

IN THE OPENING DAYS OF THIS NEW YEAR, the widely respected pastor George A. Mason appeared in a new Cooperative Baptist Fellowship podcast about “the shifting landscape for pastors and preachers.” George’s new book, The Word Made Fresh, available from Amazon, has brought a new national spotlight on his inspiring style of preaching and teaching while embracing inclusion. We’re sure many of our readers will enjoy this CBF audio conversation with George, focused on emerging issues that thousands of churches are facing in 2024.

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Rodney Curtis:

Award-winning photographer and author showcases a year of favorite photographs

YOU’LL DEFINITELY WANT TO CLICK OVER to Rodney Curtis’s website this week to enjoy his collection of “My Favorite Pictures of the Year.” The selections include, of course, Rodney’s family as well as their adventures in New Zealand and Montreal. Among the best photos of 2023 are some downright cuuuute baby photos as well!

Rodney greets us all in this gallery: “Wow, what a year! I was unbelievably fortunate to have traveled through three countries over the past twelve months and also receive a new granddaughter along the way.” So, c’mon, take a peek!

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Calling All Writers—And Readers:

Please, Join Us on Goodreads in 2024

AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW YEAR, we hope you’ll enjoy connecting with our publishing house team on Goodreads, the worldwide social-media network for book lovers. In this week’s Front Edge Publishing column, Editor David Crumm writes about how Goodreads really can become a wonderful community of friends who enjoy reading—and you’ll find easy links to connect with David and Front Edge’s Susan Stitt as well.

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Click this poster for the new version of The Color Purple to read Ed McNulty’s review.

Click this photograph of Edward McNulty from his service in Freedom Summer in Mississippi in 1964 to read our tribute to his remarkable career.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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Cover Story: Toast New Year 2024 with 10 Resolutions Guaranteed to Light Up This Dark Winter

Consider adding these to your own New Year’s Resolutions

For our 2024 New Year’s issue of ReadTheSpirit online magazine, we are sharing some New Year’s Resolutions from our nationwide community of authors. We did not have to ask these writers to send us “new” resolutions—because virtually all of our authors hope their books will make our world—and our lives—just a little better. That means—in the pages of their books—they’re offering readers wisdom about everything from finding happiness to peacemaking.

Please enjoy and share this column with friends this week via social media or email. That simple act of sharing this column might surprise you with the appreciation you’ll receive in response!

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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 photograph of Edward McNulty from his service in Freedom Summer in Mississippi in 1964 to read our tribute to his remarkable career.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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Cover Story: The Top 10 Stories You Told Us You Enjoyed—and Shared with Friends—in 2023

‘You’ve got to read this!’

THAT’S WHAT WE HOPE OUR READERS say to their friends when we produce each weekly issue of our online magazine. Since 2007, we have published more than 850 of those “weekly issues” (meaning a fresh lineup of stories each Monday on our ReadTheSpirit.com front page). This week—as we do at the end of each year—we look back across our previous 51 issues and we highlight 10 stories that really got our readers talking in 2023! Please, enjoy this annual Top 10 list and remember to keep sharing these inspiring and thought-provoking stories with friends as we move into the New Year 2024.

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Holidays & Festivals

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 photograph of Edward McNulty from his service in Freedom Summer in Mississippi in 1964 to read our tribute to his remarkable career.

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 film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide 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:

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