RE-IMAGINING THE CHURCH
COVER STORY—Just imagine: A world where everyone feels safe. Everyone is loved. That alone is an astonishing vision in this era when each morning’s front-page headlines chronicle yet another crushing confrontation between our nation’s leaders. And then imagine: In this world shaped by Jesus’s vision of compassion and justice, everyone is invited to explore God’s goodness—because everyone recognizes that a loving God continues to remains active in our world. That’s the inspiring message of the new Solus Jesus: A Theology of Resistance, a book by Emily Swan and Ken Wilson. In this week’s cover story, Ken and Emily talk about their recent adventures at the Wild Goose Festival—and their vision of a world where everyone is safe to follow God’s leading.
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FROM HEALING—TO HEALER
GOD SIGNS—This week, Suzy Farbman introduces us to Dr. Elana Ackerman whose childhood struggle with cancer helped to inspire her journey into medicine. In this story, Suzy also includes another famous Michigan doctor who survived a medical challenge in her youth. We all should be thankful for physicians who feel such a strong personal vocation, Suzy writes. This could be the perfect week to reach out and thank a medical professional who played a key role in your life.
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FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING
THOUSANDS OF AWARDS! Did you know that there are more than 6,000 competitions for book awards each year in the U.S. alone? Why are so many of these prizes cropping up? David Crumm explores the complex world of book prizes this week in our Front Edge Publishing column. One reason is that many non-profits have decided to include awards programs as part of their marketing campaigns. So, are prizes losing their value for authors trying to find an audience? On the contrary, awards still can help boost the awareness of a book in many ways.
Want to learn more about publishing today? Please, share this home address with friends: www.FrontEdgePublishing.com
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Hajj Mubarak
A WORLDWIDE OBSERVANCE—More than a billion Muslims around the world look to the Hajj, each year, as more than 2 million pilgrims travel to Mecca for to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam. Stephanie Fenton has the story for us, including an overview of the history and customs. Most Americans have a friend, neighbor or colleague in the community who is Muslim. It’s a great time to learn about the culture of this faith that stems, along with Judaism and Christianity, from the patriarch Abraham.
Want to see all the holidays? www.InterfaithHolidays.com
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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.
Among Ed’s free reviews and columns are:
- LEAVE NO TRACE—Based on Peter Rock’s 2009 book, My Abandonment (a novel inspired by a true story), this film offers a refreshing look at outsiders and insiders, refusing to demonize anyone, as so many films do. (5 stars)
- THE MEG—Director Jon Turtletaub’s summer blockbuster aims to be a Jaws on steroids, the title being a shortened form of Megalodon, a prehistoric shark said to grow up to 75 feet in length. (3.5 stars)
- BLACKkKLANSMAN—Based on the memoir of policeman Ron Stallworth, Spike Lee has written and directed one of the most important films of the year. (5 stars)
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EIGHTH GRADE—Writer/director Bo Burnham is able to reach back and recall the awkwardness of the middle school years. His new movie, Eighth Grade, equals Leave No Trace for the depth of its insights about father-daughter relationships. (5 stars)
- CHRISTOPHER ROBIN—Director Marc Forster and his talented team of scriptwriters perform a remarkable feat of retaining the charm of A.A. Milne’s characters, especially Eeynor’s ever-gloomy observations and Tigger’s ever-present smile, as well as Pooh’s gentle nature. (4 stars)
- HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3—The jokes come fast and furious, as does the action, so from the youngest to the oldest member of the family, no one should be bored. And, as usual, the realization that we have more in common than what divides us is a good message, especially during our present time of hostility. (4 stars)
- BOUNDARIES—Laura and her father Jack are thrown together when he wears out his welcome at his retirement home due to his selling pot. The film co-stars the ever-popular Christopher Plummer, but also has its flaws, Ed writes. (3 stars)
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