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
This is the second book of author Mary DeMuth’s The Women of the Bible series. The first is The Most Misunderstood Women of the Bible: What Their Stories Teach Us About Thriving, and a third book, The Most Overwhelmed Women of the Bible: How Their Stories Help Us Find Peace, will be released later t
The two-part PBS British crime drama, Collision, zigzags through time. One moment we’re in a literal car crash; the next, we’re in the inspector’s quiet office as DI John Tolin plots cause and effect. Quite clever, I thought.The collision is a terrible multi-vehicle accident on a British highway. As
In 1347 Provence, in southern France, 17-year-old Eleanore and her twin sister, Margot, live with their father, an accountant employed by Pope Clement, and their faithful housekeeper, Anes. When the girls were 10 years old, their mother, a respected midwife, healer, and herbalist, died. As a child,
A native of South Carolina, Alexander Smalls is a successful cookbook author, chef, and restaurant owner. This new children’s book by Smalls and coauthor Millner is based on a true story that took place in Smalls’ home and life when he was a young boy. The book is inspiring because it reminds reader
Ooh, a cozy courtroom procedural, with loads of humor and charm, starring Kathy Bates? I’m all in, especially since my husband loves Matlock, too. Add intergenerational dynamics and an underpinning quest for goodness and justice, and you have a show well worth watching. Millions of viewers and criti
Editor’s Note: The Banner does not necessarily advocate for supervised consumption sites, but this book’s provocative thesis, from a faith perspective, is something we think our readers could engage with critical thinking.When author Meera Bai Grover was employed at Insite, Canada’s first supervised
When conflicts happen in communities, what can be done to restore peace? This children’s book tells how Cory the raccoon and his best friends try to restore peace in their village through the narrative power of storytelling.It all started when Badger stole Fox’s bike, and the latter mobilized a grou
Big Daddy Weave’s 10th album, Let It Begin, features songs of loss, hurt, joy, and celebration. It’s a tribute to former bandmate, Jay Weaver, who died in 2022, and was the brother of lead singer Mike Weaver. The album offers two No. 1 hits: “Heaven Changes Everything” and the powerful anthem “God i
Today’s Christianity in the Western world is so mainstream that we in North America sometimes struggle with Christian Nationalism, or blending patriotism with faith in God. According to New Testament scholar Nijay Gupta, however, the first Christians would have had the opposite problem: they were un
Artie Crawford (Pierce Brosnan) remembers things. The 92-year-old WWII vet remembers the white flowers, the forest stillness, the sun at the meadow’s edge. He remembers the sounds too: the rapid-fire machine gun, the explosions, the screams.The Last Rifleman is about an old soldier who must return t
In 1665 London, England, 12-year-old Rose lives with Mother and Father and her 16-year-old brother Lem above the successful spice shop that Father owns and operates. Rose has always been intrigued by the names, smells, and medicinal properties of spices, and she has learned much from Father. Life is
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. Yet it is
The Wars of the Lord: The Puritan Conquest of America’s First PeopleBy Matthew J. TuiningaReviewed by Aaron VriesmanHistory is a complicated mess of noble intentions and selfish ambition. In The Wars of the Lord, Calvin Seminary professor Matthew Tuininga outlines what happened between 1620 and 1676
Young Andy Johnson has energy galore as he joyfully plays with his two sisters. Andy likes running, jumping, kicking, and more, but what he likes best is to fight battles with his older brother Isaiah. With lightsaber swinging and protected by a cut-out pizza box shield, Andy feels brave. When Isaia
By now, we’re all familiar with Paddington, the marmalade-loving little bear. After being rescued and adopted by Uncle Pastuzo (Michael Gambon) and Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), he makes his way to London where he’s found and taken in by the Brown family. Naive, but earnest, he can’t help but make hi
For many years, Christian teachers in Christian and public schools have thought about how to integrate their faith into their teaching. Calvin University education professor David Smith has been one of the leading voices in that conversation, and his latest book, Everyday Christian Teaching, is a si
A compelling writing style and a twisty premise make Chris Whitaker’s newest thriller, All the Colors of the Dark, a satisfying mental adventure.Whitaker’s first paragraph whisks us into the point of view of a kid named Patch who believes, as he overlooks the St. Francois Mountains, that there’s a b
Making worship music for almost 50 years and recording more than 40 albums, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has set a high standard in the Gospel genre. Its latest work, “I Will Not Be Moved,” continues that heartfelt worship. “It’s wonderful to hear believers who love the Lord sing praises and reaffi
History is a complicated mess of noble intentions and selfish ambition. In The Wars of the Lord, Calvin Seminary professor Matthew Tuininga outlines what happened between 1620 and 1676 when the Puritans settled in New England and interacted with the various Native American peoples there. The book is