"Seeking intimations of grace at the movies can be hit-and-miss. ... Four recent movies touch on aspects of grace: three are explicitly Christian in perspective, while the fourth is implicitly grounded in faith. The best of the quartet is 'Paul, Apostle of Christ'." Paul's [James Faulkner] "strength and Luke's [Jim Caviezel] gentleness are admirable without seeming artificial. Solid performances, and a message that feels unforced, combine to pleasing result". "In 'God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness' a historic church situated on a secular university campus in no longer welcome. .... It suggests that organized religion is under attack by secular foes; but, so far (in the West, at least) that's a hyperbolic premise. .... The writing and cast are uneven ..". "'I Can Only Imagine' is based on the true story of the lead singer for MercyMe, a Christian music band that struck a chord with the song that gives the film its title. It's well-intentioned stuff -- about turning pain to inspiration. But its protagonist (J. Michael Finley's Bart Millard) is dull". "'A Wrinkle in Time', which sends children on a trans-dimensional journey to find their missing father, is a disappointment. .... authenticity is missing here, in a film hampered by inconsistent casting ... an overreliance on effects and a misreading of the story as an action piece, when it is actually anchored in relationships ... It inflates the potency of evil ... And the heart of the story, which is about grace, is neglected ..".
Originally published in German as: AIDS : Eine Krankheit verander die Welt : Daten, Fakten, Hintergrunde. Frankfurt: Verlag Otto Lembeck, 2003.
Includes bibliography: p. 110-118.
This book "is an offering to churches and the world -- a significant and vital addition to the continuum of knowledge -- that will greatly assist churches to be effective and efficient in the struggle to overcome HIV/AIDS. It is a compilation of historical, scientific and statistical material aimed at providing churches and their partners with a better understanding of the dynamics of HIV/AIDS as well as current information to aid in collaborative efforts at answering the challenge of the disease. .... On a practical level this response is deliberately multi-faceted and interactive, encouraging churches and Christian service organizations to build and support coalitions dedicated to overcoming this epidemic". -- Preface.
Contents: Preface / Samuel Kobia, General Secretary, World Council of Churches -- Introduction / Sonja Weinreich and Christoph Benn --.Natural history and HIV transmission -- Global, regional and country-specific spread of HIV/AIDS -- Vulnerable population groups -- Gender equity -- Children -- Young people -- Socio-economic context -- Stigma and discrimination --Human rights -- People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) -- Prevention -- Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) -- Care -- Antiretroviral therapy -- HIV/AIDS on the international agenda -- Advocacy and lobbying -- Culture and tradition -- Churches, theology and HIV/AIDS -- Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS -- Literature.