The Narrow Path
I've read a couple of books by Jesuit peace activist John Dear, and mentioned him on the blog a few times .... today I was browsing the Google/YouTube viseo place and came across a 4 minute trailer for a 90 minute documentary film, The Narrow Path: John Dear and the Way of Nonviolence, produced by the San Damiano Foundation. Here's a little of what John Dear has to say about the film (and Gerry Straub) in his May 8th column at NCR ...
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Gerry spun out his idea. "Let's do a film about you in the New Mexico desert," he said. "We'll film you talking about the nonviolence of Jesus. We'll culminate with the gathering at Los Alamos sitting in sackcloth and ashes."
Thus a movie is born, "The Narrow Path," some 90 minutes long on DVD with cameos from Daniel Berrigan, Martin Sheen, Cindy Sheehan and Ron Kovic, and music by Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance," and Joan Baez, "Let it Be." The movie is set in the austere beauty of the desert where I live, atop a mesa 7,000 feet in the air, overlooking miles of spectacular scenery, the land teeming with jackrabbits, ravens, horses, coyotes, scorpions, tarantulas and rattlers. Plus my cat. And in the distance -- the nuclear hellhole of Los Alamos.
It's awkward undertaking such a project, but the risks notwithstanding, I harbor hopes that the film will spur people, young people especially, toward a life of peace work and active nonviolence. And I thank Gerry Straub for his ongoing creativity and Gospel risk-taking. We both hope it will encourage others to take another step forward on the narrow path of Gospel nonviolence.
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Here's the trailer ...
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Gerry spun out his idea. "Let's do a film about you in the New Mexico desert," he said. "We'll film you talking about the nonviolence of Jesus. We'll culminate with the gathering at Los Alamos sitting in sackcloth and ashes."
Thus a movie is born, "The Narrow Path," some 90 minutes long on DVD with cameos from Daniel Berrigan, Martin Sheen, Cindy Sheehan and Ron Kovic, and music by Jackson Browne, "Lives in the Balance," and Joan Baez, "Let it Be." The movie is set in the austere beauty of the desert where I live, atop a mesa 7,000 feet in the air, overlooking miles of spectacular scenery, the land teeming with jackrabbits, ravens, horses, coyotes, scorpions, tarantulas and rattlers. Plus my cat. And in the distance -- the nuclear hellhole of Los Alamos.
It's awkward undertaking such a project, but the risks notwithstanding, I harbor hopes that the film will spur people, young people especially, toward a life of peace work and active nonviolence. And I thank Gerry Straub for his ongoing creativity and Gospel risk-taking. We both hope it will encourage others to take another step forward on the narrow path of Gospel nonviolence.
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Here's the trailer ...
posted by crystal | 7:32 PM
4 Comments:
WOW - Thanks for posting this, it gave me goosebumps! What an inspiration to continue in the path of Jesus. My husband said to me when the states invaded Iraq that if 100,000 Bible carrying, Gospel preaching, love bestowing Christians went in instead of the soldiers, there would be no war. It's awesome to know there are other Christians who believe that as strongly as we do!
Hi Dyan, thanks for your comment. I guess there are a lot of peace-nik Christians, like those at Pax Christi and those involved in the Peacemaker teams.
I think it is hillarious that we have to have a 'peace-nik' movement at all in the Church. I've always wondered how we could have ever reconciled agression, violence, and war with the gospel. Oh sure I understand the thought and the motivations behind 'Just war' theology, I just don't see that it is really supported by the gospel in general and the Passion in particular.
Thanks for giving the heads up about this Crystal.
Hi Cura,
Yeah, you'd think the gospels are pretty straightforward on the issue of violence.
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