The best new books I’ve read in the last month are 5 Star Trio Prior to this list, I had rated only six books as 5.0 or higher so far in 2026. That makes this month's trio especially noteworthy. Although these books examine very different subjects, each offers timely wisdom for navigating today's world with greater courage, compassion, and purpose. William Blaine-Wallace's Mending the Space Between: 7 Habits of Contemplative Justice is the strongest new faith-based leadership Read More …
Books
Great New Books for July 2026 (#2328)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are The Power of Beliefs Shawn Achor's The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life is one of the few books I've read this year that led me to rethink and compelled me to revisit some of my beliefs and the ways they lead me to show up in the world. Drawing on research in positive psychology, Achor makes a compelling case that the beliefs we hold about ourselves, others, and Read More …
Great New Books for June 2026 (#2323)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Enough is Enough Enough is Enough: Degrowth, Capitalism, and Liberation Theology is one of the most provocative and challenging books I’ve read this year. The authors argue that capitalism is not simply flawed, but fundamentally unsustainable; it is a system requiring endless growth that is driving us toward ecological and social collapse. Writing from a deeply Christian perspective rooted in liberation theology and Catholic social Read More …
Great New Books for May 2026 (#2319)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Welcome Back Three authors on this month's list have previously been featured on So What Faith Read More …
Great New Books for April 2026 (#2311)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Chain of Ideas I was introduced to the work of Ibram X. Kendi when I read How to Be an Antiracist. Since I read it a couple of years after publication, I did not mention it on So What Faith. Based on what I learned then, I was quick to acquire a copy of Chain of Ideas, reading it only days after it was released. I soon realized it is a book everyone needs to read, especially if you would rather avoid learning more about the “great Read More …
Great New Books for March 2026 (#2303)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are 5+ Rating The Vanishing Church is the first book published in 2025 to receive a 5+ rating here on So What Faith. This distinction has been awarded to just three to five books a year in recent years, including volumes by Jennifer Garcia Bashaw and Ryan P. Burge: Vanishing Church Ryan Burge is widely recognized as one of the most prolific and insightful commentators on the statistical shifts in American religion. Read More …
Great New Books for February 2026 (#2297)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Jesus and Justice John Dominic Crossan has long earned his place on my short list of all-time great authors here at So What Faith. Three of his previous works have already been named So What Faith Books of the Year in their respective years of publication: How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian: Struggling with Violence from Genesis through Revelation (2015), The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction Read More …
Best of the Best: All-Time Top Authors (#2288)
Since 2009 I have reviewed and/or rated more than 1,200 newly published books focused on ministry and leadership here on So What Faith. And, each December I've published a list of my top ten books of that year (for the latest edition, see 16th Annual Top 10 Books of the Year). A decade into this I decided to begin publishing a list of all authors who appeared on two or more top ten lists. I have since shared expanded versions of that list in 2024 and 2025. The list grew from 12 to 16 to 18 Read More …
16th Annual Top 10 Books of the Year (#2282)
Welcome to the 16th annual So What Faith’s Top 10 Books of the Year. This year I read 84 books published in 2024. The top ten are listed below in alphabetical order by author’s last name: Top Ten Top Two The two books on this year’s top ten that had the greatest impact on me are Prior Lists There are so many great books published in recent years. Two of this year's top authors appeared on prior lists: Incredibly this marks Diana Butler Bass' fifth Read More …
5 Star Books Published in 2025 (#2278)
Welcome to the seventh annual edition of So What Faith’s 5 Star Books of the Year! This list is comprised of books rated 5 or 5+ on a scale of 1 to 5. To be eligible the book must have been published in 2025 and I must have read and rated it this year. This year, just 14.4% of all books rated received a rating of 5 or 5+ to earn this honor (in prior years the percentage has ranged from 15% to 17%). Past Years Be sure to check out prior lists Best of the Best Stay Read More …