Banner Magazine is a publication of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), a Protestant denomination with congregations in both the United States and Canada. [1] On July 7, 2025, the CRCNA published an article titled “Reclaiming Sabbath in a Burnout Culture,” which makes several statements about the Sabbath that raise serious concerns. The article presents the Sabbath not merely as a spiritual practice for the church but as a divinely mandated, countercultural act meant to challenge the popular trends of modern society. It also endorses blue laws as a safeguard for preserving Sunday as a communal day of rest, framing them as protection against the “false gods” of 24/7 consumerism. Furthermore, the article portrays Sabbath observance as a cure-all for burnout and mental health struggles that plague our culture.
Banner Magazine published the following:
• “Scripture presents Sabbath not as an optional spiritual practice, but as a command woven into creation itself. After six days of creative work, God rested—not from exhaustion, but to establish a pattern for humanity (Gen. 2:1-3). The rhythm of work and rest reflects God’s design for human flourishing.” [2]
• “In Canada and the United States, ‘blue laws’ that once preserved Sunday as a common day of rest have largely disappeared, replaced by 24/7 commerce and constant digital connectivity.” [2]
• “We find ourselves in a paradoxical situation: we’re simultaneously working more hours while feeling less productive, more connected via technology while experiencing more isolation, and more “efficient” while reporting record levels of burnout and mental health challenges.” [2]
• “Perhaps we need to reconsider Sabbath not as an antiquated religious obligation, but as a life-giving countercultural practice—a resistance against the false gods of productivity, consumption, and hurry.” [2]
This is a clear sign that the push for Sunday observance in our world is experiencing a resurgence in many Christian circles. By advocating for Sunday as a day of rest not only for believers but for our culture as a whole, the CRCNA is aligning itself with the growing movement among churches seeking to reestablish Sunday as the day of rest for society. The article endorses blue laws, highlighting how such legal enactments once limited the 24/7 consumerism that now defines modern life. It frames the need to recover Sunday rest as a much-needed remedy to reverse stress, burnout, and the mental health crises affecting our nation. This reminds us that there is a broader belief among religious communities that Sunday rest is a necessary moral value in an increasingly restless world.
The Banner Magazine article is not an isolated news story but part of a wider movement gaining momentum across religious and secular groups—calling for the revival of Sunday as the solution to the moral and emotional exhaustion of the modern age. Though framed as a compassionate response to human need, these efforts represent a coordinated push to elevate Sunday as a unifying moral standard in society.
As Seventh-day Adventists, we recognize the prophetic significance of these developments. Both Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy have long warned of a time when Sunday observance would not only be promoted as a religious observance but eventually enforced through civil legislation. This is just another indication that such a shift is already unfolding. In response, we must remain spiritually alert, firmly rooted in the truth of the seventh-day Sabbath as God’s enduring sign, and boldly proclaim the Three Angels’ Messages as we see prophecy being fulfilled in real time.
“The commandment of God that has been almost universally made void, is the testing truth for this time. The Sabbath of Jehovah is to be brought to the attention of the world, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear … The Lord has said that the Sabbath was a sign between him and his people forever. The time is coming when all those who worship God will be distinguished by this sign. They will be known as the servants of God, by this mark of their allegiance to Heaven. But all man-made tests will divert the mind from the great and important doctrines that constitute the present truth” (Review and Herald, May 29, 1888).
Sources
[1] https://www.thebanner.org/about-us
[2] https://www.thebanner.org/columns/2025/07/reclaiming-sabbath-in-a-burnout-culture
0
0
0
Leave a Reply