Read the Spirit (original) (raw)

Two Authors Whose Faith and Conscience Move Them to Prophetically Help Others

THIS WEEK’s COVER STORY is actually a magazine-style collection of stories on a single theme: “When do our faith and conscience compel us to speak out?”

FIRST, we are featuring a unique conversation between bestselling Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee and his former student financial expert Jonathan Grimm, talking about the moral teachings of Jesus that should prompt millions of Americans to think about the deeply conflicted state of our nation and our world today.

This is a video conversation you’ll want to share with friends—and may find yourself quoting in coming weeks as we contend with the complex issues in this political season.

SECOND, Jonathan Grimm is launching his own major new effort to help the millions of Americans who are facing a looming retirement crisis. That’s a situation that Grimm details in his new book, written in part because of the social conscience that his mentor Dr. Gushee helped to spark in him years ago. We can avoid that financial crisis, Grimm believes, if we understand more about the powerful financial, social and cultural forces that are pushing us toward that critical shortfall. AND—like his mentor Dr. Gushee—Grimm is committed to producing free weekly columns that will be valuable in helping readers nationwide understand the challenges we face. So, please, check out his new offering—The (free) Grimm News service—and please consider signing up yourself.

THIRD, Dr. Gushee has issued a public challenge to men and women of faith and conscience nationwide to consider co-signing the “Christian Faith and Democracy” statement about core Christian values that call for “a multi-racial, multi-faith, multi-generational democracy, where every voice is valued and every person afforded the opportunity to participate fully and freely in the life of the community.” Original sponsors of this online effort include Jim Wallis through the Georgetown Center for Faith & Justice as well as Walter Brueggemann, Diana Butler Bass, Tony Campolo, Shane Claiborne, EJ Dionne, Adam Hamilton, Brian McLaren, Miroslav Volf—and, like Dr. Gushee, another member of our own community of authors: Bill Wylie-Kellermann. This letter was designed as specifically “Christian” so that it could serve as a direct counter to groups of “Christian Nationalists” who are calling for much different outcomes in the 2024 elections.

THEN FOURTH, we have a review of Dr. Gushee’s new book about Jesus’ moral teachings by veteran journalist Bill Tammeus. In his review, Tammeus starts by citing the all-time-best-selling author about Christianity’s relevance in our world—C.S. Lewis. Then, Bill makes intriguing comparisons with Gushee’s book. Also, if you read to the end of Tammeus’ column—you will find a couple of other news items of moral concern in our troubled world.

Thanks Bill for your weekly contributions that so thoughtfully inspire and provoke us! If you missed it last week, you’ll also want to read Bill’s column about the legacy of “9/11.” Bill writes about this observance, each year, from the viewpoint of a family member of a loved one who perished that day. To read more of Bill’s reflections on the legacy of 9/11—including Bill’s powerful recommendations for “unplugging” extremism in America—get a copy of his memoir, Love, Loss and Endurance.(If you missed it, you’ll also want to read Bill’s column a week ago about the legacy of “9/11.”)

Holidays & Observances

Planning for Rosh Hashana 5785?

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton looks ahead to the Jewish High Holidays coming in less than a month from now.

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

Click on this poster to read Ed McNulty’s review of this documentary.

Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

SCOOP—Faith-and-film critic Ed McNulty says this is a powerful dramatization of the British TV journalists who brought Prince Andrew to the BBC in 2019, talking about his experiences with child predator Jeffrey Epstein.
_AM I RACIST?_—Ed warns viewers against what he describes as a deeply troubling film that currently is making the rounds across the U.S.
_THE BEAR_—Ed writes about why The Bear has become such a beloved TV series.
_CHESLEY BONESTELL_—If you’re a nostalgic fan of science fiction, you’ll definitely want to see this documentary about the remarkable artist who envisioned the far-flung scenes that showed up in many sci-fi classics. Today, Bonestell is known as the “Father of Modern Space Art.”
_WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT_—Ed writes, “As Holocaust stories go, this is very mild, and thus a suitable film for introducing children to the subject.”
GOOD ONE—Ed highly recommends this indie coming-of-age film that unfolds over a hike in upstate New York.
_HAROLD and the PURPLE CRAYON_—”Director Carlos Saldanha’s adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s classic by Crockett Johnson gives us the adult version of the original series about a four-year old and his magical purple crayon who lives inside a book.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

The world’s leading independent Catholic newspaper ‘has long punched above its weight.’

OUR COVER STORY, this week, features 4 short videos from the authors of a major new history of the world’s leading independent Catholic newspaper: The National Catholic Reporter. If you’re following headline news stories in autumn 2024, the timeliness of this new book is obvious. The roles of the Catholic church, Catholic teachings and Catholic culture are all showing up in front-page stories. So, please read about this remarkable new book that, overall, brings a message of “hope” that we all can use in our troubled world right now. And, also, share this story with friends who may want to know about this new book. By taking a moment to share this story via social media or email, you’re helping to spread the good news our writers are producing every week.

And more from our writers—

What does it mean to be part of a ‘global conversation’?

IN OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING COLUMN, this week, Shining Brightly author Howard Brown writes about how our community of authors truly is reaching around the world. For example, in this week’s Cover Story (above), we point out that the new NCR book already is being promoted by booksellers from Australia to the UK. In this Front Edge column, Howard highlights the importance of a network he has joined that is broadcasting out of South Africa to connect and empower authors around the world.

Turning masterpieces of architecture into a landscape of new music

THAT’S THE CREATIVE CHALLENGE COLUMNIST Suzy Farbman writes about this week in her GodSigns column. ‘Albert Kahn,’ a newly composed piano sonata recently debuted at Detroit’s iconic Fisher Building along with huge projected images of many of Kahn’s designs.

Holidays & Observances

Remembering 9/11—

JOURNALIST and AUTHOR BILL TAMMEUS writes about marking the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. This year’s column is headlined “The failure behind 9/11 continues to produce a broken world.” Bill writes about this observance, each year, from the viewpoint of a family member of a loved one who perished that day. To read more of Bill’s reflections on the legacy of 9/11—including Bill’s powerful recommendations for “unplugging” extremism in America—get a copy of his memoir, Love, Loss and Endurance.

Equinox, Mabon

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes about the traditions of welcoming fall by marking Mabon or the Equinox.

Already planning for Rosh Hashana 5785?

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton looks ahead to the Jewish High Holidays coming in less than a month from now.

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

Click the Scoop movie poster to read film critic Ed McNulty’s review.

Click on this preview image to learn more about the September 2024 issue of Visual Parables Journal, the online monthly collection of movie reviews and discussion guides edited by Faith & Film critic Edward McNulty. This issue includes the movies Good One, It Ends with Us, The Fabulous Four, ALIEN: Romulus—and more!

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:

SCOOP—Faith-and-film critic Ed McNulty says this is a powerful dramatization of the British TV journalists who brought Prince Andrew to the BBC in 2019, talking about his experiences with child predator Jeffrey Epstein.
_AM I RACIST?_—Ed warns viewers against what he describes as a deeply troubling film that currently is making the rounds across the U.S.
_THE BEAR_—Ed writes about why The Bear has become such a beloved TV series.
_CHESLEY BONESTELL_—If you’re a nostalgic fan of science fiction, you’ll definitely want to see this documentary about the remarkable artist who envisioned the far-flung scenes that showed up in many sci-fi classics. Today, Bonestell is known as the “Father of Modern Space Art.”
_WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT_—Ed writes, “As Holocaust stories go, this is very mild, and thus a suitable film for introducing children to the subject.”
GOOD ONE—Ed highly recommends this indie coming-of-age film that unfolds over a hike in upstate New York.
_HAROLD and the PURPLE CRAYON_—”Director Carlos Saldanha’s adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s classic by Crockett Johnson gives us the adult version of the original series about a four-year old and his magical purple crayon who lives inside a book.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

Laura Elizabeth’s Personal Invitation to Return to the Little Island Where Mysteries Just Keep Washing Up

OUR COVER STORY, this week, comes in two parts as we celebrate the return of cozy mystery author Laura. Elizabeth’s friends on tiny Mongin Island off the Atlantic Coast of South Carolina. First, Laura herself updates us with a host of opportunities on the horizon from book appearances to four dinner-theater versions of her second mystery in Georgia in early 2025. That part of our Cover Story appears in our Front Edge Publishing website this week.

Then Second, Editor David Crumm has posted his own overview of this new novel, explaining in this Goodreads column why the cozy mystery formula is such a welcoming genre for so many readers.

And more from our writers—

End of Summer Postcards from Rodney Curtis

ALL WE CAN SAY IS: You’ve simply got to visit author-and-photojournalist Rodney Curtis’s website to enjoy these gorgeous photographs from an end-of-summer Great Lakes getaway.

Where on earth (and in the heavens) are all those people going?

ONE OF THE MAJOR RELIGION-NEWS TRENDS our writers have been following in recent years is the so-called “Rise of the Nones”—or, more properly, the rising tide of Americans who don’t give pollsters a specific religious affiliation. Now, 1 in 4 Americans are “unaffiliated.”

FIRST, we are linking, this week, to a very thoughtful overview of fresh Pew Research data by Calvin University scholar Debra Rienstra, which was just published by our colleagues over at the Reformed Journal. (We now co-sponsor the Reformed Journal Books publishing imprint, which debuted with Telling Stories in the Dark.) Debra’s September 7 headline is: Religious Churn in America—A New Study.

THEN, SECOND, please read about the little Illinois church that said, “Goodbye!” However—rather than simply vanishing without another word, the congregation and its pastor found their story going viral. MSU Bias Busters founder Joe Grimm writes about this story that’s sweeping the country—and the valuable lessons we all can take away from it.

Holidays & Festivals

Already planning for Rosh Hashana 5785?

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton looks ahead to the Jewish High Holidays coming in less than a month from now.

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

Faith & Film

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

GOOD ONE—Ed highly recommends this indie coming-of-age film that unfolds over a hike in upstate New York.
_HAROLD and the PURPLE CRAYON_—”Director Carlos Saldanha’s adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s classic by Crockett Johnson gives us the adult version of the original series about a four-year old and his magical purple crayon who lives inside a book.”
_ALIEN: ROMULUS_—Ed tells us this film is plenty scary in keeping with the Alien franchise.
THE FABULOUS FOUR—Ed says we may enjoy this movie if we like typical comedies about “rambunctious senior citizens.”
_IT ENDS WITH US—_“Director/star Justin Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel starts as a passionately romantic tale that turns into a dark cautionary tale.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

So how did this Michigan-based author transport herself so completely to this distant land?

OUR COVER STORY, this week, welcomes back our good friend and author Lynne Golodner—whose nonfiction work includes a book published by ReadTheSpirit about spiritual traditions related to bread. However, these days, she’s becoming better known as a novelist with a demanding book-a-year schedule. One year ago, we recommended Lynne’s first novel to our magazine’s readership (and, yes, there’s a link to learn more about that first novel at the end of this new Cover Story).

In the brand new Cave of Secrets, Lynne pulled off an astonishing feat for a novelist. She immersed herself sufficiently in Scottish life that she was able to set her suspenseful new tale in a multi-layered community that feels authentic to people who know their Scottish heritage.

First, please enjoy this Cover Story in which we asked Lynne to describe how she achieved this feat of authentic storytelling in an admittedly distant land.

And, then, ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm—who has deep family roots in Scotland—has posted his review of her novel on his Goodreads homepage.

So, you can learn more about how the novelist built this story—then learn why we think it’s so compelling. And, in the end, we hope you’ll order a copy of her book and tell your friends about this delightful tale.

And more from our writers—

Congratulations to the ‘Sanctuary’ team in Iowa City

LAST WEEK, the courageous church in Iowa City where folks dared to move from their evangelical roots to become a fully inclusive Christian community that welcomes everyone celebrated their 25th anniversary and the start of a pre-sale period of their memoir, titled Sanctuary: Queering a Church in the Heartland. In this week’s Front Edge Publishing column, we tell you what happened as a result of that first week of support for this inspiring effort.

Dr. David Gushee: Wrestling with American Values

‘Regarding Election 2024—Eight Things I see’

AS THE FALL 2024 ELECTION NEARS, the dozens of authors and journalists in our ReadTheSpirit community are naturally reflecting on moral issues and American values they see playing out in our deeply divided nation.

In this earlier issue of ReadTheSpirit, we featured columns from four of our writers, representing a range of perspectives about those issues. Then, last week, we published two more related columns.

This week, we are linking to a Baptist News Global column written by Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee, which he titled, “Regarding Election 2024—Eight Things I See.” We are hoping that, like the previous columns we have highlighted, Dr. Gushee’s approach to these issues might help spark constructive conversations among friends, family and small groups in congregations.

And if Dr. Gushee’s work on inclusion over the years has inspired you, then you may also want to read the latest book review on the theme of inclusion from our friend, pastor and author Robert Cornwall, who is recommending the new book The Widening of God’s Mercy, by Christopher and Richard Hayes. Along the way, Bob also includes another strong recommendation for Dr. Gushee’s Changing Our Mind. Thanks, Bob, for all you do in covering such helpful new books!

Suzy Farbman: The Story of Timber Ridge

Sometimes, while creating a special place—we wind up creating our better selves.

IN HER GodSigns column this week, Suzy Farbman writes about “Timber Ridge”—a special farm and lake-side retreat that she and her late husband Burton created in northern Michigan. Along the way, they created memories that continue to shape their family.

Holidays & Festivals

Labor Day is about more than trips, picnics and sales

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes this week about the history of the American tradition of Labor Day, and the ways that some mainline religious groups have tried to lift up moral issues concerning the treatment of workers.

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

Click on this movie poster for “Harold and the Purple Crayon” to read film critic Ed McNulty’s review.

Faith & Film

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

_HAROLD and the PURPLE CRAYON_—”Director Carlos Saldanha’s adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s classic by Crockett Johnson gives us the adult version of the original series about a four-year old and his magical purple crayon who lives inside a book.”
_ALIEN: ROMULUS_—Ed tells us this film is plenty scary in keeping with the Alien franchise.
THE FABULOUS FOUR—Ed says we may enjoy this movie if we like typical comedies about “rambunctious senior citizens.”
_IT ENDS WITH US—_“Director/star Justin Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel starts as a passionately romantic tale that turns into a dark cautionary tale.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

What are these people celebrating this week?

After a 25-year journey toward inclusion—now, you can become a part of this inspiring story.

OUR COVER STORY THIS WEEK springs from the celebration of 25 years of inclusive ministry in a church called Sanctuary in Iowa City—a congregation whose reputation for faith and hope and compassion is inspiring other people coast to coast about the possibilities for truly welcoming Christian congregations. This is the book that national experts are urging people nationwide to read for an honest understanding of both the challenges—and the powerful rewards—if traditional churches dare to tackle the risks of inclusion.

Please enjoy this inspiring story; please consider pre-ordering your copy of the book called Sanctuary; and if you are a media professional or community leader hoping to write more about this story—we’re also encouraging you to reach out to us to learn more about this book and its three co-authors.

Want to learn more about gender and orientation?

MSU’s Bias Busters team has the books for that!

IN OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING column, this week, MSU Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm explains why his team at the School of Journalism decided to publish two books—one about gender and a second one about sexual orientation.

As thousands of congregations nationwide move toward inclusion, these handy guidebooks answer common questions and help all of us navigate these new relationships in a cooperative and compassionate way.

Our Writers on—

Wrestling with American Values

LAST WEEK’S SPECIAL ISSUE of ReadTheSpirit magazine featured four columns from our writers reflecting on the American values we all are wrestling with related to headline news events—from debates over military service to the upcoming retirement of President Joe Biden. Here is a link to that issue of our weekly magazine. All week long, we received encouraging notes from our readers. In fact, more of our writers wanted to weigh in on timely themes.

THIS WEEK, we are featuring two of our writers with additional columns about the values that sustain us—

Ann Worley—

Suddenly, our disability challenges pop up in national headlines

_TEXAS-BASED ANN WORLEY—and many parents like her of neurodivergent children nationwide—_are celebrating the rising tide of national support for families after conservative political activists attacked Gov. Tim Walz’s family for young Gus Walz’s emotional response to his father. As a leading advocate for families with neurodivergent children, Ann writes about what it’s like for parents and kids who felt like they were right there in the cross-hairs of the mean-spirited response to Gus last week. In a remarkably graceful column, this week, Ann writes, not out of anger, but out of a generous desire to help other Americans learn the language they need to welcome and support such families. Please read Ann’s column and share it with others.

Larry Buxton—

When the most powerful leaders decide it’s time to surrender

THAT’S THE COURAGEOUS MOMENT LEADERSHIP COACH LARRY BUXTON examines in his column about the humbling decisions made by President Joe Biden recently—and the great King David thousands of years ago.

Holidays & Festivals

Jain festival of Paryushan Parva

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes, this week, about the annual Jain period of fasting and reflection known as Paryushan Parva. Although this is a time of fasting and self-denial, Stephanie also offers a link to delicious vegetarian recipes that are themed to this season’s special dietary restrictions.

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

Click this movie poster to read critic Ed McNulty’s review of ‘The Fabulous Four.’

Faith & Film

Click on this poster from the PBS documentary to begin reading Ed McNulty’s series of columns, which he has collected from his original journals of that landmark 1964 Freedom Summer in Mississippi. As of this week, Ed has posted 4 parts of this series marking this 60th anniversary: First, here is Part 1; then here is Part 2; followed by Part 3; and then Part 4.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

THE FABULOUS FOUR—Ed tells us this movie is pretty much just one more installment in the recent series of comedies about “rambunctious senior citizens.”
_IT ENDS WITH US—_“Director/star Justin Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel starts as a passionately romantic tale that turns into a dark cautionary tale.”
_COUP_—”Written and directed by Joseph Schuman and Austin Stark, this tale of class warfare takes place in a time that was as deadly as our recent Covid Pandemic, the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.”
_TRAP—_“I kept thinking of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyder as I watched writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s suspenseful film unfold.”
_SHOGUN_—It’s so mesmerizing, Ed writes, that it encourages binge watching.
_WIDOW CLICQUOT—_“Director Thomas Napper’s debut feature film could serve as a feminist tract celebrating the heritage of a strong woman in early 19th century France.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

Martin Davis: Tim Waltz grapples with tough lessons great coaches understand

OUR COVER STORY COLLECTION OF COLUMNS begins, this week, with journalist Martin Davis—who literally wrote the book about the wisdom of America’s high school coaches—writing about some of the tough lessons former coach Tim Walz is grappling with now he’s in the national league of American politics.

Joe Grimm: MSU Bias Busters can help as military culture collides with political posturing

MORE THAN 30 YEARS HAVE PASSED since two veterans squared off in an American vice presidential race—and MSU Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm writes about the difficulty of sorting out some of the confusing claims about military service. That potential for confusion is why his Bias Busters team devoted an entire guidebook to understanding veterans’ lives and culture.

Duncan Newcomer: How a Civil War hero redefined American courage for our time

CIVIL WAR SCHOLAR DUNCAN NEWCOMER writes, this week, about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who is best known as one of the most courageously effective officers in the American Civil War—helping to turn the tide more than once at Gettysburg. Now, Duncan argues, it is time to recover post-war lessons about courage that Chamberlain taught in his career as an educator and community leader.

Jeffrey Munroe: What Joe Biden has taught us about ‘the stewardship of pain’

JOURNALIST JEFFREY MUNROE, whose new book is about the spiritual resources people draw upon to live with trauma, writes this week about Joe Biden’s legacy—now that he has stepped out of the presidential race—as a man whose character is as important as his specific policies.

Inspiring News from Our Writers—

Suzy Farbman writes about ‘Miracle Girl’ Sofia Edmonds

IN THIS SECOND PART of her column about Sofia Edmonds, Suzy Farbman explains why friends have dubbed her a “Miracle Girl.” (Note: This second part also includes a convenient link to find Part 1, if you missed it.)

Confused? Then let MSU Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm explain …

THIS IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION of a condition shared by several million Americans. Soon, the Michigan State University Bias Busters team will be discussing this issue with men and women who know it well—to produce a new book in their award-winning series. This week, in our Front Edge Publishing column, Bias Busters Director Joe Grimm is asking for your help with this project.

Holidays & Festivals

Krishna Janmashtami

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS columnist Stephanie Fenton writes about the worldwide Hindu celebration of the birthday of Lord Krishna.

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

Faith & Film

Click on this cover shot from Ed McNulty’s August 2024 issue of Visual Parables Journal, packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This issue includes: Twisters, Sing Sing, Touch, My Penguin Friend and many more.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

_COUP_—Ed writes, “Written and directed by Joseph Schuman and Austin Stark, this tale of class warfare takes place in a time that was as deadly as our recent Covid Pandemic, the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.”
_TRAP—_“I kept thinking of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyder as I watched writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s suspenseful film unfold.”
_SHOGUN_—It’s so mesmerizing, Ed writes, that it encourages binge watching.
_WIDOW CLICQUOT—_“Director Thomas Napper’s debut feature film could serve as a feminist tract celebrating the heritage of a strong woman in early 19th century France.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
_TWISTERS—_“Director Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster film is about as thrilling as it can get, far more entertaining than a screen full of wisecracking Marvel superheroes.”
_LONGLEGS_—”Director Oz Perkins probes the “madness is in their heart” in an unforgettable way in this film that combines horror with FBI procedural.”
_TOUCH_—”Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s film is for those who love a star-crossed lover’s story.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison..

By learning more about Mary, Chris Stepien hopes readers will glimpse ‘God’s far larger world’

OUR COVER STORY THIS WEEK features an interview with a long-time friend of _ReadTheSpirit—_Chicago-based author Chris Stepien. In an inspiring conversation with Editor David Crumm, Chris shares his heart-felt journey from his work as an award-winning, secular media professional toward his new life as an influential Catholic novelist.

Please enjoy this glimpse of Chris Stepien’s spiritual and professional transformation—and please consider sharing this cover story with friends via social media and email. We know that there are thousands of readers out there who will be enjoying Chris’s latest novel. So, please, help some of your friends discover his new book, this week.

Our focus on Mary’s wisdom is timely this week

Feast of the Assumption

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON has our story this week about the ancient Christian Feast of the Assumption of Mary—also known as the Dormition of the Theotokos in Eastern Orthdox churches.

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

Inspiring News from Our Writers—

Suzy Farbman writes about her instant friendship with the resilient Sofia Edmonds

THERE WERE SO MANY ‘GodSigns’ in their first meeting that Suzy Farbman instantly sensed that her new friend was special. And, now, Sofia is letting Suzy tell her story of a global romance and later a life-threatening battle with stage IV cancer. This is Part 1 of Sofia’s triumphant story—and we will bring you Part 2 in our August 19 issue.

What up with Jonathan Grimm?

WE’RE HEARING FROM FOLKS who already want to meet this upcoming author, so in our Front Edge Publishing column this week, Marketing Director Susan Stitt gives us a pre-pre-release “heads up” about how to find this guy online. As it turns out, he’s a whole lot of places!

Faith & Film

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

_WIDOW CLICQUOT—_Ed writes, “Director Thomas Napper’s debut feature film could serve as a feminist tract celebrating the heritage of a strong woman in early 19th century France.”
_MY PENGUIN FRIEND—_“I love interspecies films such as Fly Away, and Brazilian director David Schurmann’s film is a delightful addition to the genre.”
_TWISTERS—_“Director Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster film is about as thrilling as it can get, far more entertaining than a screen full of wisecracking Marvel superheroes.”
_LONGLEGS_—”Director Oz Perkins probes the “madness is in their heart” in an unforgettable way in this film that combines horror with FBI procedural.”
_TOUCH_—”Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s film is for those who love a star-crossed lover’s story.”
**SING SING**—This inspiring film is based on a true story of prisoners producing an annual theatrical production at Sing Sing prison.
_A MUSSOLINI DOUBLE FEATURE—_Ed says that viewers with an interest in Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s long and complex reign in Europe and Africa will want to watch two films (now streaming on YouTube and on Amazon): Mussolini’s Daughter and Lion of the Desert, each one running about three hours.
_THE LONG GAME_—Ed urges us to see this inspiring true story of a groundbreaking team of young Latino golfers.
_A QUIET PLACE: DAY 1_—Ed likes this prequel even though he initially was skeptical about the quality of a third film in this francise.
_DADDIO_—”Writer-director Christy Hall’s film, shot almost entirely within the confines of a NYC Yellow Cab, pulls off a seemingly impossible task—keeping us interested entirely by means of a conversation that moves from the casual to the intimate.”
_FRESH_—Ed also suggests we look back this week to a 1994 film set in Brooklyn that many of us may have overlooked.
_HORIZON, Chapter 1_—“I wish Kevin Costner could redo this as a cable series.”