The Banner Magazine

The Banner magazine is released every month by the Christian Reformed Church in North America. It explores how the Christian faith, particularly in its Reformed tradition, remains relevant in today’s society. We aim for our articles—ranging from news and features to reviews—to be engaging, informative, inspiring, and thought-provoking for our readers.

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Hunting Magic Eels: Recovering an Enchanted Faith in a Skeptical Age

1 day ago | thebanner.org | Richard Beck |Sam Gutierrez

Five hundred years ago, Richard Beck argues, the world was enchanted. He writes in the opening chapter of his book, Hunting Magic Eels, that before the Protestant Reformation and the beginning of the Enlightenment, “God existed, and the devil was real. The world teemed with angels and demons. There were magical creatures and dark, occult forces. It was a world of holy wells and magic eels.” Slowly, in the centuries since, the world has become secular, skeptical, and scientific.
Specters in the Glass House

2 weeks ago | thebanner.org | Jaime Wright

In 1921, Marian Arnold reluctantly returns to Mullerian Manor, her family’s summer estate in the countryside near Milwaukee, Wisc. Since her parents’ deaths and the collapse of her father’s brewing empire due to Prohibition, Marian has no choice but to live in the one place she inherited.
Supplement to Synod 2025: One Appeal, Comments on Overtures, More

3 weeks ago | thebanner.org | Alissa Vernon

The 179 delegates heading to the Christian Reformed Church’s annual synod next week have more on their agenda. Released by synodical services over the past few weeks, after the May Council of Delegates meeting, the supplement includes material from the Council, most of the denomination’s ministries and agencies, and a few classes responding to material already on the agenda.
Synod 2025 Encouraged to Demonstrate Union in Christ

4 weeks ago | thebanner.org | Alissa Vernon

For the third time in its history and as a practice that it will carry forward, the annual synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America had a virtual convening May 28. The denomination’s general secretary, director of ecclesiastical governance, several more staff, a few guests, and 168 delegates assembled by Zoom video conference to work through opening devotions, announcements, and the election of officers. The bulk of the work of synod will continue in person June 13 to 19.
Mix of Experienced, New Officers for Synod 2025

1 month ago | thebanner.org | Alissa Vernon

Delegates to Synod 2025, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, elected pastors Stephen Terpstra as president, Ken Benjamins as vice president, Josh Christoffels as first clerk, and Gary van Leeuwen as second clerk at a virtual convening May 28. The officers will serve synod as it gathers June 13-19 in Ancaster, Ont. Terpstra is a pastor at First CRC in Orange City, Iowa, and served as vice president of Synod 2024.
Looking Forward: Calvin Theological Seminary’s Vision for the Next 150 Years

1 month ago | thebanner.org | Leah Jolly

During the 2025-26 school year, Calvin Theological Seminary will celebrate its 150th anniversary—a remarkable milestone in its longstanding commitment to preparing ministry leaders who are biblically faithful and contextually effective. “As we look back with gratitude to God on these 150 years, we also look ahead with purpose,” said CTS president Jul Medenblik.
Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious

1 month ago | thebanner.org | Ross Douthat |Andrew Zwart

In 2012, Ross Douthat’s book Bad Religion, roughly equal parts theology, history, and sociology, argued that our problem isn’t that we’re not religious enough; rather, we’re too religious, but in all the wrong ways. After laying out a brief history of religion in America during the second half of the 20th century, Douthat critiqued modern forms of belief, from the prosperity gospel to the spiritual–but-not-religious attitude that so many people have seemed to embrace.
Butterfly in the Sky: The Story of Reading Rainbow

1 month ago | thebanner.org | Sam Gutierrez

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday morning was to visit the church library after the morning worship service. Our church library had a wide array of children’s literature, including multiple books about dinosaurs. These books with their colorful illustrations functioned like a magical portal.
A Pastor’s Faith in Action

1 month ago | thebanner.org | Cassie Marcionetti |Zachary King |Shiao Chong |Clayton Lubbers

When Nakese, Nakole Ruth, and Loiki’s mother died from AIDS, the three young girls were left to fend for themselves in their grief. They survived by rummaging through garbage for food and sleeping in abandoned houses in their Ugandan village. They found a home again when Sylvia, a pastor of a nearby church, attended a Timothy Leadership Training led by Resonate Global Mission.
‘Change Is Necessary’: A Frank Picture of Rising Governance Costs and Diminishing Ministry Shares

1 month ago | thebanner.org | Alissa Vernon

Sharing a series of charts and graphics with the Christian Reformed Church’s Council of Delegates, chief administrative officer Shirley DeVries portrayed particular facts: what CRC agencies are able to spend on missions based on the giving from churches; trends in giving; how agencies are experiencing the drop in ministry shares; and despite the picture of valued mission, “how long before all ministry shares will be consumed by governance?” A downward trending red line depicted straight...