Joel hosted a fun and freewheeling discussion, with a stand-out panel of readers, of our favorite books from 2025. They discuss many books that were published in 2025, but not exclusively new titles, covering a wide swath of genres from biblical studies to young adult literature to poetry. There's something in this discussion for everyone!
Jessica Hooten Wilson is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University (’23). She co-hosts a podcast called The Scandal of Reading, and is the author of many books, including READING FOR THE LOVE OF GOD and THE SCANDAL OF HOLINESS.
Nijay K. Gupta is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He is the cohost of the Slow Theology podcast, and author of books including TELL HER STORY, STRANGE RELIGION, and many scriptural commentaries.
Dorothy Littell Greco is a writer, speaker, and photographer. Her writing has been featured in many publications including Christianity Today, Missio Alliance, and The Common Good and her most recent book is FOR THE LOVE OF WOMEN.
If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger)
- Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice by Jessica Hooten Wilson
- The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Jessica Hooten Wilson
- Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught & Ministered in the Early Church by Nijay Gupta
- Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous & Compelling by Nijay Gupta
- Slow Theology: Eight Practices for Resilient Faith in a Turbulent World by Nijay Gupta & A.J. Swoboda
- For the Love of Women: Uprooting and Healing Misogyny in America by Dorothy Littell Greco
- The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward by Malcolm Foley
- Redeeming Eden: How Women in the Bible Advance the Story of Salvation by Ingrid Faro with Joyce Koo Dalrymple
- The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
- The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Do Not Judge Anyone: Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World by Isaac Slater
- Where God Happens: Discovering Christ in One Another by Rowan Williams
- Jesus and the Law of Moses: The Gospels and the Restoration of Israel Within First-Century Judaism by Paul Sloan
- Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
- You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good & Beautiful by Karen Swallow Prior
- Romans: An Interpretation Bible Commentary by Susan Eastman
- 1 Corinthians: A Theological, Pastoral & Missional Commentary by Michael Gorman
- For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional by Hanna Reichl
- When Courage Calls: Josephine Butler and the Radical Pursuit of Justice for Women by Sarah C. Williams
- Nervous Systems: Spiritual Practices to Calm Anxiety in Your Body, the Church and Politics by Sara Billups
- A Pilgrimage Into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable by Kara Root & Andrew Root
- Some of the Words are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon by Austic Carty
