These news stories, features and columns from 2017 made the top 10 in reader engagement, as counted by The Banner’s web analytics software. Thanks for reading!
1 Confronting White Privilege
In recent years, Christian colleges and universities have made significant progress on issues of race. At the same time, they have been inconsistent on the topic of privilege. Overt racism is condemned, but the subtler conversation about white privilege remains controversial.
2 CRC Executive Director Signs Petition Regarding Refugees
Early in 2017 Steven Timmermans signed a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence expressing concern about the moratorium placed on refugee resettlement in the U.S.
3 Alberta Doctor Earns High Canadian Honor
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tom Greidanus received a Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division) for 20 years of service to Operation Esperanza.
4 Gentiles, Homosexuality, and Grace in the Body of Christ
As the church wrestles with whether women and men who practice homosexuality ought to be embraced into the full life of the church, it is important to remember that the church has struggled with questions of membership from the very beginning.
5 We Need to Talk About It
Without any indication of the magnitude of their inner struggle, and often without sharing their anguish, an alarming number of teens and young adults in the United States and Canada are ending their lives.
6 Rape Culture and Christian Colleges
Rape culture is a phrase to describe a culture where violence against women—especially sexual violence—is implicitly tolerated or condoned. Instances can be found on college campuses —including Christian colleges.
7 Executive Director Defends Social Justice Activities
Christian Reformed Church executive director Steven Timmermans spent part of his annual state of the church address to Synod 2017 defending the denomination’s social justice ministries.
8 Classis Releases Former Race Relations Director from Ministry as One Deposed
On September 19, Rev. Esteban Lugo, former director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Race Relations, was released from ministry by Classis Grand Rapids South.
9 The Reformation: What Did We Gain? What Did We Lose?
Five hundred years after the Reformation, what should Christians be commemorating, especially in the increasingly diverse and globalized church?
10 Jesus on East Colfax Avenue
Rev. Shawn Sikkema joked that a good attention-grabbing headline for this story could be “Former megachurch pastor and wife now live among homeless.”
Bonus
The #1 article from previous seasons most-read in 2017 was Ten Questions for Debriefing After a Mission Trip by Dave Miller (2012). Nice to see resources from previous years still being heavily used.