Philip Tallon & Jerry Walls examine the draw of C.S. Lewis.
Sarah Arthur looks inside The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Debating the old professor: C.S. Lewis and the advent of Aslan
Elizabeth V. Glass recounts the re-enactment of a timeless debate.
Hurricane survivors count blessings
Kathy L. Gilbert reports from Slidell, Louisiana.
Jackie Larson tells how one small Texas church is making a difference.
Liberian children offer gift of hope to Louisiana
Kathy L. Gilbert reveals an incredibly sacrificial gift.
Tammy Darling and Christine Pohl remind us of an ancient discipline.
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Fifty years ago this January, five missionaries were speared to death in the jungles of Ecuador. Beyond the Gates of Splendor (rated PG-13 for National Geographic—like nudity) is a documentary, just released on DVD, that tells their story and the remarkable aftermath of their deaths.
In 1956, Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian reached out to the Auca people, perhaps the most violent culture ever documented. They had terrorized the more peaceful people the missionaries had been working with, so the five approached the Aucas with gifts, friendly messages, and a plane ride. But just as they thought they were forming friendships, a band of Auca warriors attacked with spears and machetes, killing the men and throwing their bodies into the river.
But the most important part of the story is what happened next. One of the widows, Elisabeth Elliot, with her little girl and a sister of one of the slain missionaries, Rachel Saint, moved into the Auca village. They started evangelizing, and Christianity spread through the tribe.
The documentary shows the transforming power of Christ, both for individuals and the culture. Within two years, the homicide rate dropped 90 percent. Today, the Aucas are peaceful and happy. Though initially refusing to let their story be told in this documentary, the Aucas changed their minds when they heard of the Columbine killings. They now want Americans to know the peace they have found.
Beyond the Gates of Splendor combines missionary home-movies and archival footage with reenactments and interviews of family members and Aucan villagers. The narrator is Steve Saint, son of slain missionary Nate Saint, who after he grew up came back to serve the Auca people. Mr. Saint also served as principal advisor on a wide-release, feature-length version of the story, End of the Spear, due in theaters in January.
Most moving in this DVD release are the accounts of the relationships Mr. Saint and the others developed with some of the very men who killed his father. Though often missing from Christians’ cultural witness today, nothing is more persuasive to nonbelievers than such radical love and forgiveness.
Gene Edward Veith is the culture editor of World Magazine. Reprinted by permission from World Magazine, Asheville, NC—www.worldmag.com.
Veteran roots-rocker Buddy Miller took home a well-deserved Album of the Year at the Americana Music Association’s award ceremony in late September, held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. He was recognized for his bluesy folk gospel album “Universal United House of Prayer.”
The recording is a collection of spiritually gritty songs that both inquire of the Almighty (“Did you wear a crown, and was it made of thorns?…Did you go down to Hell and back for me?”), as well as gives fair warning of Judgment Day (“You better fall on the rock or the rock’s gonna fall on you”). There is nothing pushy or cheesy about the faith reflected on the album. Instead, Miller blends his spiritual unction and musical articulation with winsomeness and grace.
“Faith is certainly a big part of my life,” Miller told The Journal News. “I’ve kind of kept it out of my records a lot, not intentionally, but I just kept it separate from my records. This record I felt like I wanted to put it in there.”Among the country music crowd, it would be difficult to find a more respected guitarist and producer. Country rebel Steve Earle calls him “the best country singer working today.” Emmylou Harris refers to him as “one of the best guitar players of all time.” She should know. Miller has been her top-shelf guitar slinger.
The admiration is mutually shared. “Every good thing that’s ever happened in my career, I have Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle to thank,” Miller told the audience when he accepted his Album of the Year trophy.
During live performances, audiences are left with little choice but to be mesmerized by the intensity with which he strums and picks his guitar with simultaneous aggression and subtlety. Miller’s humility is unmistakable on stage, almost as if he loathes being the center of attention. In response, he closes his eyes and worries and bends the strings of his odd-looking Wandre guitar, allowing his fingers to take the spotlight.
The gospel numbers on “Universal United House of Prayer” are foot-stomping, dance-a-jig-with-a-hankie barnburners. They blur the line between Saturday night boogie and Sunday morning devotion. Throughout most of the album, Miller is joined by the extravagant voices of Regina and Ann McCrary (daughters of the Fairfield Four founder the Rev. Sam McCrary). Emmylou Harris joins him on “Wide River to Cross” and his wife Julie sings along on “Fire and Water”—a moving tribute marking the death of Julie’s brother.
Seemingly to temper the enthusiasm of those in the Christian and country music circles, Miller has also recorded a nine-minute version of Bob Dylan’s 1963 anti-war anthem “With God On Our Side.” In many ways, it is a red state album with a sliver of blue state politics weaved into the mix.
“I don’t think it’s a really political record,” Miller said. “But I don’t think that God is the property of a political party, you know, and things just started rubbing me the wrong way. So, yeah, I wanted to say things like that. And I don’t think it’s overly…it’s not a harsh way. It’s just another perspective that should be coming from a place of faith that sees things a different way, and that’s good.”Whatever your politics or degree of faith, the “Universal United House of Prayer” is worth a listen and more than qualified to be Album of the Year.
Steve Beard is the editor of Good News and creator of Thunderstruck.org—a website devoted to faith and pop culture.
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