Arts and Faith Forum has a list of 100 “Spiritually Significant Films” and you are invited to make nominations. Look at the list and maybe you’ll want to register with the forum to make a nomination for another one. I don’t know if ranking is up for revision. Most of these appear to be foreign films, so you may not have seen many of them. I have seen “Babette’s Feast,” which was slow, quiet, and a pretty good story. “The Mission” was similar that way with beautiful music to boot. Have you seen any of these films? Do you think there’s another one to add to the list?
All posts by Phil
Will You Be in Philadelphia on April 11?
Scott Stein announces “A Frank Conversation with Frank Wilson.” That’s Frank Wilson of Books, Inq.
on April 11, 2008, 2:00 PM, at Paul Peck Center, 3142 Market Street, Drexel University, Philadelphia. I will not be there, because I don’t have a pass to leave my room this year. Maybe the warden will get me a live feed, but he’s been in a bad mood lately, so I doubt it. More information on Scott’s blog.
storySouth Best Online Short Award
The storySouth 2008 Million Writers Award for Fiction is open to nominations this month. The Rules: “Any story published during 2007 in an online magazine journal is eligible. The caveats are that said online mag or journal must have an editorial process–meaning no self-published stories–and the story must be at least a 1,000 words in length. Readers may nominate one story for the award. Editors of online publications may nominate up to three stories from their publication. All nominations are due by March 31.”
I confess that I do not read online fiction, though perhaps that would be a more edifying use of my time than browse news/blog tidbits. I do waste time online, but I also see far more interesting articles than I read.
Bookshelves
You know that Kimbooktu has a focus on bookshelves and home libraries. Here she links to some cool designs in shelving, some more practical than others. I love this Ellipse Bookcase. It has a hobbit feel. This Ceiling Book Storage is impressive too.
The Incarnation of Evil
By way of Kimbooktu, I have learned the William J. Clinton Presidential Library has a representation of Cthulhu overlook the visitors. Scroll down a bit to see a couple photos of it. It’s labeled a “Chihuly Sculpture,” but [not so] seriously, doesn’t that remind you of the biggest force of evil in this universe this side of Darth Vader?
Country Quiz
The question should be, “How many country names can you spell correctly under pressure?” I burned seconds trying to spell “Mozambique” and “Colombia” and many I would not have tried.
Two Thoughts
I’ve been thinking of my sister lately. I think she’s a fan of NPR’s “What, What . . . Don’t Tell Me!” It’s hilarious. I have it on now, one of the repeats they have during the weekend. Have you heard it?
Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea makes this comment on something my sister told me she is enjoying too: “Don’t get me started on having Michael York . . . ruining The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia boxed set I got — although I have to say the bad experience was nicely balanced by the heaven of listening to Jeremy Northam reading The Silver Chair – oh yummy yummy, I could just eat him up!”
Recommended Reading on Modern History
I’m listening to the current edition of the Mars Hill Audio Journal, and the host, Ken Myers, recommends Fred Turner’s book From Counterculture to Cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Network, and the Rise of Digital Utopianism.
Kingdom Blends Works to Help Third World
Pastor David Banks of Chattanooga challenged his congregation to set a goal for this year to do something out of their comfort zone which would influence someone’s life. Taking the challenge himself, he started Kingdom Blends coffee, which sells in the Folk Heart store in Northgate Mall and by phone. Part of the sale price goes to Kiva for third world family loans.
The Reason for God
The website for Tim Keller’s book, The Reason for God, is fantastic, loaded with audio downloads and a study guide. This looks like a great book for the modern church. First Things has a lengthy interview with Keller, which appears to be linked from many blogs. Keller says:
I think the new-atheism thing was an impetus [to writing the book], and it was also an opportunity, because I believe that this book, say, three or four years ago, the average secular person in a Barnes & Noble wouldn’t necessarily—why would you pick up a book that’s designed to say orthodox Christianity’s true? But now, as part of the cultural conversation, the book’s title immediately positions it as an answer.
…
Penguin probably was willing—which doesn’t even have a religion division—the reason Penguin was interested in it was because of the cultural conversation and the new atheists. I don’t think they would have picked it up otherwise, frankly. But they’ve been really supportive, wonderful.