Short stuff

Grace Awards are the Christian cousin to the Oscars and Golden Globe awards. They are handed out by a privately run “faith and values” watchdog called the Christian Film and Television Commission. Winners – one for movies, one for television – are chosen for performances that “exemplify God’s grace and mercy toward us as human beings”. Producers receive an award for “most inspiring movie or TV episode. The 2003 roster of best-actor nominees include Pierce Brosnan for his portrayal of an Irishman fighting unfair custody laws in Evelyn; Billy Ray Cyrus for Doc and Craig T. Nelson for an episode for The District.

—The United Church Observer

Michael W. Smith garnered a total of 6 Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year, at this year’s 34th annual Dove Awards. Rock band Third Day claimed its third Group of the Year award.

—Providence music group

Christian History Project has released the third volume in the series The Christians: Their First Two thousand Years. Entitled, By This Sign, it is subtitled A.D. 250 to 350 From the Decian Persecution to the Constantine Era. Not sold in bookstores, the books are available by calling 800-853-5402 or at their website. Each volume is $59.95 (including GST and shipping). It deals with the early years of the church through the Constantine era, the Trinitarian debates, origin of the Arian heresy and the council of Nicea. Volume 4 will deal with the collapse of the Roman Empire and the onset of the Middle Ages; Volume 5 with the beginnings of the conflict with Islam.

—CHP

A US court has dismissed a lawsuit by Tim LaHaye, co-author of the Left Behind book series, against Namesake Entertainment and Cloud Ten Pictures, which produced Left Behind: The Movie. The lawsuit, launched in 2000, argued that LaHaye was fraudulently induced to sign the movie contract and that the contract was not honoured in the production of the movie. CPT has counter-sued LaHaye for over $10 million US for violating the agreement; that lawsuit is expected to go to trial in fall 2003. Cloud Ten Pictures says it is looking forward to producing more Left Behind movies. Left Behind co-author Jerry B. Jenkins refused to take part in the lawsuit for religious reasons.

—Evangelical Press News Service

Food for Thought: Catholic Insights into the Modified Food Debate is a new book by Jesuit priest John Perry, who teaches at St. Paul’s College at the University of Manitoba. Among other things, the book draws parallels between genetically modified food and the Catholic teaching of transubstantiation, which says that the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper actually turn into the body and blood of Christ even though they continue to look and taste like bread and wine.

—Novalis

VeggieTales, the animated Christian children’s video series featuring Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato, have sold 30 million videos and over 3 million music albums since 1993. The first full-length VeggieTales movie, Jonah, grossed over $25 million in movie theatres.

—Evangelical Press News Service

The Cross and the Switchblade is the dramatic account of Pentecostal minister David Wilkerson’s move to New York to start the Teen Challenge ministry to street gangs and drug addicts. Over 32 million copies of the book have been sold or distributed worldwide since it was first released in 1963.

—Evangelical Press News Service