Out of the 46 books I read this year, here are some of the best and why (in no particular order).
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma
As I’ve done exorcism throughout the years, I’ve come across some of the kinds of trauma difficulties that Bessel van der Kolk describes in his popular book, The Body Keeps the Score. As odd as it sounds, to overcome the trauma, the Holy Spirit seemed to lead me and my clients into many of the techniques described in this book—which was very surprising when I finally got around to reading it. Trauma is no joke, and this book does a beautiful job of addressing it and the many dynamics that come with it.
Good News to the Poor: Wealth and Poverty in Luke
For my Master’s classes this year, I read through several books addressing impoverished people’s plight and the Bible’s call to serve them. Many were very good, but Walter Pilgrim’s book, Good News to the Poor, especially stood out. The Bible’s call to serve the poor is radical and demanding, and I’ve found that the church at large does not pursue the call enough. Indeed, it’s often found arguing with the call instead. This book grounds itself in Biblical research and is deeply convicting. It’s worth the read.
Jesus Sophia: Returning to Woman Wisdom in the Bible, Practice, and Prayer
This is a unique and spectacular book! In the Old Testament, there’s a Creator-God figure known as Woman Wisdom, which some Bible scholars have connected to Jesus himself. I was first introduced to this theme through the work of Michael Heiser, but Sally Douglas has brought many more biblical passages and intertestamental references to support this belief. The first half is perhaps more focused on the scholarly content, and the second half is perhaps more pastoral in nature. Sometimes, the second half feels a little disconnected from the main theme, but Douglas always has a way of bringing it back around. And even in those tangential moments, all the points are solid and need to be said to the church, making it a fantastic read.
A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology
While I haven’t had a seminary class with Richard Middleton yet, I’ve had the classes he’s designed at Northeastern Seminary, which are terrific. Middleton seems to be a perfect mix of all of my favorite theologians and A New Heaven and a New Earth is a book that blends all of their theologies together seamlessly. And this isn’t just theology for theology’s sake—this is the kind of theology that scripts out the meaning of life and our purpose in the cosmos. If you’re unfamiliar with the content, it’s a perfect book to submerge you in the biblical worldview.
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church
When it comes to debates about women in ministry, conservatives are quick to shut down feminists by saying something like, “I hold to a Biblical view of women in ministry.” But that’s just the thing—we feminists do, too. Many passages in the Bible promote women in ministry, and they’re being ignored because of a few other loud passages that seem to say the opposite. This is not fair biblical research. You need to look at all the data when establishing a doctrine, and that’s exactly what popular Bible scholar Nijay K. Gupta does in his book, Tell Her Story. Feminist theology is grounded in biblical studies, and Gupta presents a solid case for women in ministry.
America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States
It’s said that history repeats itself, and this book could not be more clear about that. As it ends up, Trump’s fear-mongering rhetoric and the many xenophobic ideologies of Trumpism are as old as America itself. The fear of “the other” has always been an American problem, and we address these fears the same way every time they resurface: with rumors, labels, unjust laws, and even violence. Americans have shown themselves to be against anything that seems different and Erika Lee proves this narrative true with a dizzying 482 pages of stories and facts. We have turned against every race, religion, and tradition that has come to America, and we’ve done some rather horrible things in our fears. I’m concerned that this history will repeat itself on a massive scale soon if we don’t learn from our mistakes.
The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1, Revised and Updated: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation
I typically find history books to be very dry and dull. This book, however, was not one of them. Justo L. González has a way of revisiting hundreds of years of church history in exciting ways. He zooms in on great stories and characters. He focuses on important themes and follows them throughout the centuries. He also does this with good pacing, allowing the content to stay fresh. There are a lot of church history books out there, but this is the one I’d recommend.
Inspired Imperfection: How the Bible’s Problems Enhance Its Divine Authority
I keep hearing pastors and their congregants say that the Bible is perfect and has no errors. This feels like gaslighting to me because it forces logical people to deny the clear inconsistencies they’re seeing. And if they try to ask questions about those inconsistencies, they’re told they either don’t have enough faith or they’re not a real Christian. This kind of response isn’t appropriate, nor is it “faith.” Yes, the Bible is God’s divine word and carries divine authority, but it is a complicated book written over centuries by many different authors with many different views of God and culture. God expects us to wrestle with his word and read it with the Holy Spirit. One of my favorite theologians, Greg Boyd, helps us do this better with this amazing book.
My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church
Now that I’ve taken up a side job as a pastor at David’s Promise, which ministers to people with disability, I’ve been trying to learn more about the subject. Amy Kenny’s book was my introduction to the subject, which I found quite eye-opening. Her stories and lists are enough to wake us all up to how we’ve acted ableist or believed and practiced ableist theologies. I think our churches have a long way to go on this subject and that we will have to lower our defenses if we want to learn and make progress on reaching those with disability.
Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality
I have read a lot of Christian sex books and this one goes toward the top of my “best of” list. What’s especially remarkable about it is that it’s written by a man, but does not sound like all the other Christian sex and masculinity books written by men. Wagner does a terrific job of inviting us out of the worst of past teachings and he does it with both conviction and humility, making his words actually able to be heard. Whether you are single, married or otherwise, this is a book that all men should read. Heck, I think it might even be beneficial for many women as it offers a better perspective on men than the macho and super-sexual teaching we’ve all been exposed to. It takes the best parts of the best books I’ve read on sex and complies them into something that I really think is helpful and healing for Christians to hear. I cannot recommend it enough.
Malestrom: How Jesus Dismantles Patriarchy and Redefines Manhood
Another “required reading” for all men. Carolyn Custis James does a spectacular job of dismantling patriarchy with Scripture and research and calls all men to ground themselves in Jesus’ countercultural ways. She helps us recognize how gender expectations have always been tainted by culture, and how both women and men have been imprisoned by the fallen paradigm of patriarchy that we continue to practice and endorse in some of the most horrifying ways. Women and men are on the same level, called to the same mission, and it’s time we read Scripture more carefully so that we can be free to live life and do ministry together as God has called us to do.
Macho Paradox
Holy crap we’ve messed up. All men need to listen to this book. Even if you’re not violent against women or demeaning toward them, you need to learn how to address such behavior when you see it, and learn how growing up in our culture has affected our minds in micro and macro ways. Hearing all of these stories and facts will give you the motivation you need to approach abuse issues. And you might need to throw up a little along the way.
The Cross and Gendercide: A Theological Response to Global Violence Against Women and Girls
I was really impressed with this book that my professor, Dr. Gerhardt wrote. Having worked with women in abuse for years, she has a lot of wisdom and stories on this topic. She also shows us how resistant the church is to being open to this subject. While the theological studies of the final third of this book felt a bit wanting for the subject matter, everything before it is crucial and eye-opening.
Why the Gospel?: Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “No one preaches the real gospel”—and then they go on to proclaim something that is not actually the gospel. Just like in his other books, Bates hits a home run—but this time in a very pastoral form of writing. This is well worth the read for anyone who has felt the modern gospel is shallow and wanting. This is for those who want a faith that wants you.
Images of the Spirit
I really like Meredith G. Kline’s work. He’s one of those rare supernaturalist theologians who is willing to say some really bold and weird things if he feels like he sees it in Scripture. However, he often also says it with very scholarly language. That being said, this book may not appeal to everyone, but it’s a great work I’d recommend.
Why Christians Should Not Tithe: A History of Tithing and a Biblical Paradigm for Christian Giving
This is not exactly the best book I read this year, but it’s an important one. It’s not the best because it needs some editing as it repeats itself constantly and could be significantly shorter if it didn’t. However, it does address an important subject I’ve been chewing on for many years. I have felt for a long time that there’s a bit of a biblical disconnect between today’s practice of tithing and the Bible’s portrait of tithing and this book proves that this is the case. In short, tithing was an Old Testament economic system that does not fit today’s paradigm. But before you go and say, “I don’t have to tithe anymore,” the New Testament has a different (and perhaps, more radical) paradigm of generosity led by the Holy Spirit. That said, poor people may donate little or nothing to the church, while the rich may give well beyond the ancient 10 percent tithing formula. Again, it’s not the most fluid read, but it’s an important one that I think pastors should be challenged by.
Jamin Bradley 
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