As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.You know the
Note: This online-only article is part of a series showcasing past Banner editors. You can read all the content celebrating The Banner’s 160th anniversary here.Rev. John Yeury De Baun, a pastor of the True Reformed Dutch Church in America in New Jersey, published the first issue of The Banner of Tru
To send letters to the editor, please see our guidelines at thebanner.org/letters.Books About GazaRegarding the reviews of two books of the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza (Daughters of Palestine, online): in 1972 through 2019, I worked as an archaeologist in and out of the West Bank, and since I was
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.I’m the kind
Reformed denominations are buzzing with controversy about Christian nationalism. Synod 2026 called for a study committee to consider the issue. Part of the problem is that the term “Christian nationalism” means very different things to different people. It might be helpful to consider whether any fo
I am growing resentful of my spouse because I feel like I am doing everything alone, and it’s not getting better. What do I do?I see this often in my clinical work. I’ll give an example using the man as the “lazy spouse,” but wives can fill that role too: A couple has difficulty negotiating their ro
“The hard part is now. The hard part is prayer,” said my friend, referring to the CRC’s 10-year plan. He shared how pumped he was after Synod’s decision that the CRC would multiply disciples. He spoke to his men’s group. And to the council. And an education team. Folks were polite—but mostly the big
I was pleasantly surprised to see John at church one Sunday. I caught up with him just before he left the building. “So good to see you here this morning, John!” He looked at me with a cynical grin and said, “Yeah! And the church is still standing,” as he scooted out the door.Later in the week I sto
I wonder if you, like me, have wondered about airplane flight paths. When I look at a map online, the routes always appear curved.It doesn’t seem to make sense that a flight from Chicago to Japan would cross over part of Alaska. On a flat map, the most direct route looks like a straight line across
Monday. 7:15 a.m. The November air was brisk, but pleasant.Up ahead, two figures. A man. A woman. Each carrying black plastic bags.A barrage of yelling pummeled the morning air. Spewed words I couldn’t hear but recognized as hateful, angry, demeaning—in a word, abusive.I kept my distance—watching an
Any celebration of The Banner’s birthday has to include a story about The Bananer, even though it is 56 years old and appeared when the magazine had only recently turned 100. It’s hard to imagine now that a spoof of The Banner would cause threats of university expulsion, even excommunication, for it
We now turn to the last section of the Heidelberg Catechism: gratitude. The HC states that the way we show our thankfulness to God for his grace is by doing good works (Q&A 86). The motivation for thankfulness is generated in believers by the Holy Spirit. The outward demonstration of our thankfulnes
The music changes. You have already crossed off three hymns in the bulletin, counted the steps leading to the pulpit, and imagined what it would feel like to leap from each one—higher, higher. Then suddenly, there it is.The collection plate lands in your lap.Heavy.On your spindly legs, it feels as e
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.Since I was a
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.As an Indigen
When I was young, I had asthma. During an asthma attack, my lungs got tight and heavy, and my throat felt like it was closing in on itself. You don’t realize how much you love breathing until you become conscious of the effort a single inhale can take. Though I was filled with panic as my lungs burn
For almost a decade as a youth pastor, one of my favorite games was six-way tug-of-war. Instead of one rope, you use three. The result is chaos. Everyone pulls as hard as they can, convinced they're moving in the right direction, but the whole group usually ends up spinning in circles.As I listened
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.The first tim
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.About a year
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.I never thoug