Culture

Starring Alan Autry, David Hart, Kimberley Autry  Heritage Home Entertainment, 2010   Reviewed by Dave Thomas, Minister with Tallebudgera Uniting Church and Chaplain at Tallebudgera State School.   I enjoyed this movie. The title caught my attention. There is much to like about its presentation and message, although unfortunately I am not convinced it will have wide appeal across all ...

Lion Hudson 2012 RRP $10.99 Linda Hanson has three young children and is always looking for good Christian books to read to them. First Prayers at Bedtime, is a delightful book for young children.  Each page is lovingly illustrated in bright vibrant colours. The prayers are written using child-friendly language and are short enough to ensure young readers do not ...

  Paraclete Press, 2011 RRP $25.95   Reviewed by Wendy Scott, a member of Kenmore Uniting Church.   SARAH Jobe is an ordained minister who is a prison chaplain and mother of two girls.   She is definitely not an earth mother and does not pull punches when describing labour, morning sickness and the risks involved in bringing a new ...

John Wiley & sons (San Francisco), 2009 RRP $47.95 Reviewed by Barbara Bailey.  THIS unique publication tackles the pressing issue of education and learning (at all age levels) that prepares a person with appropriate skills for survival in the complex and connected world of the 21st Century.   The 200 pages are full of analysis, charts, an index, plus questions ...

Even Before Publishing, 2011,RRP $4.95 Reviewed by Bevan Lobley, who loves to work with children and hear the insights they give us for our lives. THIS book by Paul Clark is a quaint retelling of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. Using cars in place of people allows us to enter the story a little nonchalantly, which is probably how ...

Intervarsity Press, 2009, RRP $37.95 Reviewed by Karyl Davison. ONE of the most concerning aspects of my work in the last four years is the overwhelming acceptance of a heaven or hell framework among church people I have worked with, reducing Christianity to an individualistic, privatised faith that rewards “the saved” and sends “non-believers” to hell. In Christianity Beyond Belief, ...

Black Ink Press, 2011 Reviewed by Karyl Davison. COMPILED by Val Alberts, retired Associate Lecturer at James Cook University, Townsville, The Long and Winding Road is a collection of Indigenous women’s stories of survival from family violence. Originally part of an academic project, Ms Alberts, a Gudjal woman, interviewed women about the difficult topic of family violence but she and ...

Starring Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling and Blythe, Danner, 2012, Rated M Reviewed by Tara Burton Communications Officer and Advertising Manager for Uniting Communications. BASED on Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling novel of the same name, The Lucky One stars Zac Efron as U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault and Taylor Schilling as Beth Clayton. This romantic comedy explores the subjects of destiny and ...

Wombat Books, 2012 RRP none given Reviewed by John Ruhle. WHAT Would Jesus Drive is another edition in the Car Park Parable series. The story takes a different approach to the Palm Sunday story by looking at the events of Jesus entering Jerusalem through the eyes of Old Mr T, Muscles, Luxurious Lucy and co. Not only does the story ...

Starring Sigourney Weaver 2009 Rated M Reviewed by Antonia Bell, a Uniting Church member in Central Queensland and student of Theology through Charles Sturt University. This is a heartrending, powerful, true story about Bobby Griffith. Prayers for Bobby is a must see for those trying to comprehend homosexuality, especially in the light of Christianity. Mary Griffith, Bobby’s mother is a ...