Filmmaker Craig Detweiler directs the Reel Spirituality Institute at Fuller Seminary. He plays himself in the new documentary,
Purple State of Mind. He blogs as “Dr. Film” at
www.conversantlife.comPAGES
A Roundup of New Books and Ideas
The End of the Book? People have been predicting the end of printed books for some time, but now Thomas Nelson CEO Michael Hyatt is getting in on the debate. On his “
From Where I Sit” blog he recently explained: “Why Traditional Books Will Eventually Die.” Among his main arguments: The book manufacturing process is inefficient; the book distribution process is inefficient; and the book buying experience is inefficient.
Hyatt cautions: “Don’t get me wrong, I love books,” and he says the transition to digital publishing won’t happen overnight. “But the drive for more efficiency will radically alter the industry over the next few years … The digital path is more clearly marked than ever. As a result, publishers, printers, and booksellers need to come up with a game plan for how they will respond. Most of us have a plan, but we need to move faster. I don’t think we have much time. The clock is ticking.”
“Bookiest” cities: Publishers Lunch recently reported that these cities have the highest number of bookstores per capita: 1 Seattle, WA
2 San Francisco, CA
3 Minneapolis, MN
4 Cincinnati, OH
5 St. Louis, MO
6 Portland, OR
7 Pittsburgh, PA
8 St. Paul, MN
9 Cleveland, OH
10 Washington, D.C.
11 Denver, CO
Books Explore Faith and Politics: The presidential election has generated a large number of books exploring the intersection of faith and politics.
One of the more interesting titles is Joel Hunter’s
A New Kind of Conservative (Regal). Hunter’s publisher says the book “offers an intriguing alternative to the incomplete rhetoric associated with the extreme religious right” that transcends the earlier focus on gay rights and abortion and the sometimes-divisive rhetoric of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell.
Hunter is the pastor of Northland, a church in Boca Raton, Florida. He was recently offered the presidency of the Christian Coalition but declined due to the inability to reach agreement concerning his desire to broaden the organization’s agenda.
“The old Christian Right was built on fury toward and focus on a few issues,” he says. “But the battle for the future will not be won in narrow ways by party politics or special interests. It will not be policy based, but faith based. Progress requires compassion and concern—two words that are at the very heart of our faith.”