Books
(REVIEW) In 2018, Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appeared on the East African nation’s political scene almost from nowhere. Claiming to be responding to an assignment by God, the young Pentecostal Christian promised democratic salvation and national unity to a hopelessly divided nation.
Many books now tell us what to eat or when not to eat, how to observe “sacred times” or generate mystical experiences, but in Christ we sever both our bondage to the world and our tendency to think that a guru’s orders will save us. Ruben Rosario Rodriguez’s “Calvin for the World” takes readers on an unusual look at John Calvin as “a humanistic reformer whose ecclesiastical and civil polity wanted ‘every resident of Geneva integrated into a caring community,’”
The late Warren Wiersbe, a prolific author of more than 170 books, never seemed keen on writing with his grandson Dan Jacobsen. Following Wiersbe’s death in May 2019, the family discovered a dusty manila file folder among the thousands of files Wiersbe left behind. In it was a manuscript, 80 percent complete, perhaps begun in 2012 when Wiersbe was in his early 80s.
(ANALYSIS) In the company of endless superhero comics and Japanese pirate manga lives a delightfully sizable population of religious graphic novels. This is fitting, as perhaps the oldest comics are religious. Regardless of intention, what do ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics read like if not a comic strip? Here’s a look at three stories that touch upon faith.
(REVIEW) Many of us might be acquainted with conventional narratives that combine 19th century colonialism and Christianity with cultural suppression and forced conversion in Asian territories where local inhabitants fought back intruders and crushed evangelical missions. Thailand, however, has a different history.
Art & Music
Caodaist beliefs and practices are a similar blend — although these seem to be skewed more towards traditionally Asian spiritualities. Reincarnation, karma, ancestor worship and divination are all central elements, while the most apparent contribution of the Abrahamic religions is monotheism.
What does a Roman centurion and an artist have in common with an ancient mosaic from the Holy Land more than 1,800 years ago? All are featured in the Megiddo Mosaic on display at the Museum of the Bible in an exhibit considered to be the oldest display of Christian faith in the world. The museum opened seven years ago this month.
(REVIEW) In “Joseph Smith and the Mormons,” Van Sciver has cautiously critiqued Mormonism and has earned that critique by the genuine effort to pursue empathy and the effort to understand what factually occurred. What it lacks in the brevity and accessibility which characterize most comics, it makes up for with its beauty and integrity.
Ahead of the beginning of the Jubilee of Hope in 2025, the Dicastery for Evangelization is hosting various events, including concerts and exhibitions. In a press conference, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-prefect of the Dicastery, outlined the itinerary for some of the upcoming events. Another major event ahead of the Jubilee is the exhibition of various rare icons from the Vatican Museums.
(ANALYSIS) If you’ve spent time on Facebook, you may have noticed photorealistic images that are too good to be true: children holding paintings that look like the work of professional artists, or majestic log cabin interiors that are the stuff of Airbnb dreams. Others, such as renderings of Jesus made out of crustaceans, are just bizarre.
(ANALYSIS) A sculpture of the Virgin Mary showing her giving birth to Jesus was recently attacked and beheaded. Called “Crowning” by the artist Esther Strauss, the sculpture had been part of a temporary exhibition of art outside the Catholic St. Mary Cathedral in Linz, Austria. The sculpture was controversial for its explicit depiction of birth; an online petition seeking its removal received more than 12,000 signatures.
(REVIEW) The England–Wales border is dotted with ancient churches, many of which have not heard a sermon or hymn in decades. They are the lonely stone relics of declining rural communities where faith has all but faded away. Since 1957, Friends of Friendless Churches has cared for many of these places of worship, working to protect their rich history and architectural legacy.
Skillet frontman John Cooper says the band wants a revolution. And from recent indications on Apple Music, fans agree. The band has a new album called "Revolution" that's coming in November, but its first single debuted at No. 1 on the Apple iTunes rock and music video charts in August. Ironically, the song is called “Unpopular."
(ANALYSIS) American gospel musician Kirk Franklin and his Maverick City shook off negative perceptions from Kenyan skeptics to stage a show. As fans gathered at the Ulinzi Stadium in Nairobi to dance to Franklin, critics chose to stay away. Those who believe they are defenders of the Christian faith warned that Franklin was no longer representative of Jesus.
Bocelli is often referred to as the most world-famous Italian national alive, which is not surprising if you think that he has managed to sell more than 90 million albums worldwide in a career that spans over 25 years. Motivated by his Christian faith, Bocelli's ability to connect with audiences worldwide has made him an international star.
Film & TV
Unlike “The Chosen,” which spends a lot of time on the Jewish rituals that shaped Jesus’ life and that of his followers, “The Carpenter” makes no attempts to authentically portray life and practices in ancient Israel. It doesn’t even portray biblical events. The two plot lines — Oren’s journey to the Jerusalem competition and Yeshua’s serenely intoned life lessons — have seemingly nothing to do with each other.
(REVIEW) Christmas may not be a Jewish holiday and “Hot Frosty” is entirely devoid of even the slightest hint of Hanukkah happening in the background. What I’m saying is this: Jews are way better at holiday magic. And since Christians get so many holiday movies, we are the ones who deserve the hot snowman golem movie.
(REVIEW) It appears at first glance that “Heretic” is using religion merely as a springboard for horror, as movies often do. But “Heretic” has much more on offer, making for a surprisingly thoughtful and in-depth study about the nature of religion and faith.
(REVIEW) “Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints” is an eight-episode docudrama series following the lives and sacrifices of saints: Joan of Arc, Francis of Assisi, John the Baptist, Thomas Becket, Mary Magdalene, Moses the Black, Sebastian and Maximillian Kolbe. Each episode features a dramatization of their lives, narration by Scorsese and a panel.
(REVIEW) Despite its flaws, “Agatha All Along” gives a refreshingly honest look at grief, relationships, the false promises of power and selfishness. In a world that churns out superhero movies with nothing to say, this is a welcome thing. In a world that tries to idealize the witch lifestyle, this show gives a far more accurate take than most forms of media have the guts to. The world of “Agatha” is one without hope in the face of death.
(REVIEW) “Conclave,” the fictional thriller that outlines the Catholic process of selecting a new pope, does the audience the service of stating its intended message outright. In a controversial homily that begins the proceedings, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence declares that “certainty is the great enemy of unity.” The movie also goes on to demonstrate that lesson in a variety of ways, as conspiracy abounds and tension grows.
Travel
Caodaist beliefs and practices are a similar blend — although these seem to be skewed more towards traditionally Asian spiritualities. Reincarnation, karma, ancestor worship and divination are all central elements, while the most apparent contribution of the Abrahamic religions is monotheism.
It turns out what happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily stay there. In fact, sin is everywhere — from beer-loving Milwaukee to decadent New Orleans — meaning that the U.S. is filled with people behaving badly, a new study finds. The report compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 37 key indicators and seven sinful behaviors, including greed, lust, vanity and laziness.
Along the Hudson River, about an hour north of New York, is a church perched atop a hill in a village called Sleepy Hollow. When Washington Irving immortalized the Old Dutch Church with its Headless Horseman in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” it became a literary mainstay. For 300 years, the ghost who haunts the churchyard has frightened people. These days, a new force distresses the locals.
Weekend Plug-in columnist Bobby Ross Jr. recounts his adventures as a roving religion reporter. Ross has covered news and features in all 50 states and 18 countries.
The city is preparing for a jubilee year, a time when the Catholic Church invites pilgrims to Rome. The events, which will officially began on Christmas Eve this year and end on Dec. 28, 2025, constitute a special time dedicated to prayer and pilgrimage. Italy’s capital, which already draws an estimated 25 million visitors each year, could see that number increase to 32 million in 2025.
(ANALYSIS) When Jack Kerouac penned “On the Road,” he immortalized the American road trip as a quest for meaning, a journey that was almost existential in nature. His words sparked a generation's wanderlust, fueling a search for adventure, self-discovery, and — dare I say — even a higher power.
(ESSAY) In one theme of this summer's travels, the history of Japanese Christianity, I found a different issue. This is the ignorance not only amongst foreigners but also amongst Japanese themselves of that history, particularly the long history of persecution. Some of this, especially the dire persecutions of the early seventeenth century, is better known through Shusako Endo's gripping 1966 novel “Silence.”
(REVIEW) Adventurous, dangerous, fabulous, redemptive and revolting: Medieval travel was all of this and more, as Bale describes, drawing upon a host of period narratives to paint a vivid picture of the experience during an era dominated in the West by pilgrimage. The reasons that pilgrims embarked for places like Canterbury, Santiago de Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem (the holiest and most desirable of all) were manifold.
Kosovo is a region in the heart of Europe that offers visitors an amazing journey through nature, history and religion. Despite its rich history and beautiful views, tourists had avoided Kosovo for years because of the ethnic conflict between Albanians and Serbs.
(TRAVEL) The path to the Beatles Ashram, once the tranquil retreat of the famous British band, is now overgrown with lush plants reclaiming the crumbling structures. Tucked away in the Himalayan foothills, this abandoned Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram was a brief escape for the Beatles from their hectic lives in the spotlight. Decades later, fans find this site a place they must visit.
Sports
Despite his success, boxer Mike Tyson was plagued by demons. Emotional pain and a violent temper led to a series of personal and professional breakdowns. In 1992, he was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison. It was during those years that Tyson encountered the Islamic faith. It would take years before he would eventually find redemption.
Members of the small Jewish community in Amsterdam confronted the city’s deputy mayor Friday morning, demanding answers for its failure to prevent violent attacks on Israeli soccer fans the night before that international Jewish organizations and leaders condemned as a pogrom. Videos showed men running through the streets beating Israelis and shooting fireworks at them.
Nick Saban — who adopted two children, Nicholas and Kristen, with his wife, Terry, and “adopted” hundreds more as a coach — drew a sellout crowd to Faulkner University’s annual benefit dinner, which celebrated heroes of adoption and foster care. Saban, a college football legend, retired from coaching and now works as a TV analyst for ESPN's “College GameDay,”
(INTERVIEW) For the first time since 2009, the New York Yankees have made it to the World Series, where they will play an erstwhile favorite team of New York Jews, the Los Angeles Dodgers, formerly of Brooklyn. The fabled New York history of America’s pastime deserves another look as the Yankees and Dodgers face off in the 2024 World Series, a bicoastal series that will showcase the best of baseball.
The pontiff reflected on his own memories of playing soccer as a child in Argentina. Francis also described sports as an experience of the “sense of fraternity,” because friends would play “knowing only opponents on the field, never enemies.” Sports offer lessons in life, he added, as players learn from the highs of winning, the effort it takes to win, and the loss of defeat.
To understand why Jews love the New York Mets so much requires a Talmudic understanding of New York City history, sports history and Jewish psychology. It’s also about the DNA of baseball and Brooklyn in the 1950s; being called “amazin’” when you’re actually the worst team around, and disappointing fans so often that reveling in your losses becomes a badge of honor.
Hank Greenberg was also Jewish, and he is often called America’s first Jewish sports superstar. As Greenberg wrote in his autobiography, that was not an easy honor to bear. Greenberg played during a time of rising antisemitism, and the cruel taunts he suffered from players and fans lasted throughout his career. Here's a look back at the man known as the "The Hebrew Hammer."
(REVIEW) “Do Right: The Stallings Standard” is a heartfelt documentary that focuses on the life of former football coach Gene Stallings. The film primarily shows his time as head coach with Texas A&M University (1965-1971) and the University of Alabama (1990-1996). However, the film goes deeper than just football.
(REVIEW) “We Who Wrestle with God” is a solid compilation of Peterson’s views on the continuity between biblical testimony and the human condition. If he’d been more disciplined with his prose, the good in his work would have been more readable. And if he’d taken more seriously wrestling with the text itself, there would have been a lot more good to read.