From the editor’s desk
What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church
WITH popcorn at the ready, millions of people go to the cinema every week. According to the most recent figures available from the UK Cinema Association, more people went to the cinema in 2018 than in any other year since 1970 – and the early indications are that attendance figures in 2019 did not drop dramatically from the 177 million admissions of the previous 12 months. Despite competition from television and online streaming companies, a trip to the cinema is still a popular pastime. And the interest taken at this time of year in the nominees and winners of awards such as the Golden Globes, Baftas and Oscars clearly demonstrates the kudos that the silver screen still holds. In this week’s War Cry, we put film in focus as we look at two new dramas: Just Mercy and A Hidden Life. Both are stories based on real events, and their release proves the attraction of seeing true-life stories told at the cinema. Screenwriter and author Murray Watts believes that people engage with well-told stories. In this movie-themed War Cry, he describes how ‘a story can engage more emotions’ than other forms of communication. Perhaps that is why people of faith, such as Murray, have often been keen to promote Christianity through films. Film critic Simon Carver, however, is not sure that films depicting Bible stories have a bright future. ‘I don’t think they have the cultural relevance that they once did,’ he says in our interview. ‘Bible knowledge is pretty scant nowadays.’ However, the Christian movie reviewer sees in secular films faithbased themes such as hope and ‘the nature of God’s fatherhood’. In that respect, the film world is similar to the real one. As we often reflect in the War Cry, glimpses of God can be seen in the world he created – assuring those who see them of his love, care and compassion for each one of us.
What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
WAR CRY Issue No 7457
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Malcolm Davies
Published weekly by The Salvation Army ©The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England and Wales is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
Contents FEATURES 3
In need of justice Film highlights plight of prisoners on death row
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Miracle movie maker Interview with author and screenwriter
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In full review Reviewer sees how films project faith
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Hidden life brought into focus New film depicts couple’s Second World War heroism
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REGULARS 12
Browsing the Bible
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Faces of Faith
14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: Shutterstock.com
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