Ep. 57 - Real Talk Round Up - Mark & Jon

Happy Monday, friends! Today, we're testing out a new type of feedback episode, calling it the Real Talk Round Up. Joining us for this is Reformed Perspective's Executive Director, Mark Penninga and editor, Jon Dysktra. We're grateful for their thoughtful perspectives on these last number of episodes. Also included in this new format is the brief coverage of a certain topic (this weeks being teacher shortages) and a book review/recommendation. Be sure to let us know what you think of this style of feedback. We are always open to new ideas. Contact us via social media or email us at [email protected]  0:00 - Intro 3:00 - Youth Culture Recap 8:40 - New Reformation Catechism on Human Sexuality Recap 13:35 - CanRC and URC Relations Recap As mentioned, If you have a voracious reader in your house, and they’ve already worked their way through Tolkien’s the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and Lewis’ Narnia, what’s next? Well, Jon Dykstra had on offer a top 10 list of fantasy books that, while not all explicitly Christian, do seem to come from a Christian worldview.    10. The Sword Bearer - by John White - written by the author when his kids request more Narnia stories. It is imitative, kids going to another world, though updated in that instead of going through a wardrobe, they enter via a TV.    9 .Wings of Dawn by Sigmund Brouwer - Thomas is a young boy seeking to win back his castle by using the technologies that might seem like magic in England, but which were in use at that time elsewhere in the world (like gunpowder, or kites).   8. Warlord of Nin - Stephen Lawhead - well written sword and knights story set in another realm. Lawhead had some clear Christian undertones to this earlier stories that get lost in this later book, so go with early Lawhead.   7. Urchin of the Riding Stars by M. L McAllister - squirrels with swords. Need I say more?   6. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton - a fun romp, with all sorts of inventive ingredients including:   • Piles of poison-tongued jumping turtles • A castle built on top of a mountain that rises and falls once each day. • A tyrant twelve-year-old pepper-hoarding king 5 Brave Ollie Possum by Ethan Nicolle - the author is one of the guys behind Babylon Bee. A kid who is scared of everything can’t get his parents to believe him that there is something on the roof outside his window. But he’s right. Kind of a terrifying premise, but the comic hijinks soon take over, with the scared boy getting turned into a possum, a creature that faints whenever it is scared.    4. Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw - a nephew made me and most of our church read it. And no one has regretted doing so. Only downside is that book 2 has been more than 5 years in the waiting.    3. The Green Ember by S.D. Smith - rabbits with swords. ’Nuff said.   2. Bark of the bog owl by Jonathon Rogers - loosely and hilariously riffing off the story of David and Saul. But in the American South, if it had castles. It’s been described as a Mark Twain crossed with C.S. Lewis.    1. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson - sat on shelf how can person so go at music really also be good at writing too? What are the odds? But this is fantastic, rating right up there with Lewis and Tolkien. Three children contending with the Fangs of Dang, Lizard Creatures that have conquered the land of Skree, and their ruler Gnag the nameless.    A BIG THANKS TO OUR OFFICIAL SPONSOR, TRIVAN! WE APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US MAKE THIS CONVERSATION POSSIBLE. BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.TRIVAN.COM  To keep up with the podcast, check out our website: https://www.realtalkpodcast.ca/ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, clips, and more!  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReformedRealTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reformedrealtalk/ We'd love to hear from you. Please send us your questions, comments, or other feedback at [email protected]. Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please share this podcast with your family and friends!