Featured Titles, January 8, 2026

Here is a selection of titles recently added to our collection.

 God, evil & morality : a debate /J. Brian Huffling and Gary J. Whittenberger with Michael Shermer, James P. Sterba and Richard G. Howe.  Is evil evidence against the existence of God? In this lively discussion, atheists Michael Shermer and Gary Whittenberger debate theist Brian Huffling about this question. James Sterba (atheist) and Richard Howe (theist) provide a commentary on the debate. The existence of God is the most important question that one can ask. In this work, the reader will hear arguments for and against God’s existence as it relates to evil and suffering in a way that will appeal to scholars, pastors, and laypeople alike.

 The affections of Christ Jesus : love at the heart of Paul’s theology /Nijay K. Gupta ; foreword by Michael J. Gorman.  A study of the theological, linguistic, and cultural significance of love in Paul’s writings.

 The book of records : a novel /Madeleine Thien.  Lina and her father arrive at an enclave called The Sea, a staging post between migrations, with only a few possessions. In this mysterious and shape-shifting place, a building made of time, pasts and futures collide. Lina befriends her neighbors: Bento, a Jewish scholar in seventeenth-century Amsterdam; Blucher, a philosopher in 1930s Germany fleeing Nazi persecution; and Jupiter, a poet of Tang Dynasty China. Memory, political revolution, generational change, and the ethical imagination are at the heart of Lina’s illuminating conversations with her fellows in the Sea: how we come to believe what we believe, and how every person is an irreplaceable, unique vessel of history. Through the guidance of these great thinkers, Lina equips herself to reckon with difficult questions of guilt, responsibility, and the possibility of redemption when her ailing father begins to reveal his role in their family’s tragic past. As Lina confronts her father’s troubling admissions, she begins to reconceptualize the world around her, gaining a deeper understanding of how our individual futures are shaped by our political circumstances, and she relies on the collective joy of art and intellectual endeavors to carry her through difficulty. A novel that voyages between centuries, generations, and ideas, The Book of Records is an indelible testament to the migratory nature of humanity and our ceaseless search for a home–in the physical world, in cyberspace, in history, and in the imagination–in the wake of catastrophe.”

 The discipline of inspiration : the mysterious encounter with God at the heart of creativity /Carey Wallace.  Learn where inspiration comes from and how to harness it in your creative work. We all know the feeling of inspiration. It’s what tells a painter what to paint and a singer how to sing-and what prompts us to throw a handful of something new into an old recipe. But what is inspiration? When we train artists, we pick them based on talent and train them in technique. We talk very little about the crucial creative spark of inspiration. Where does it come from? What does it want from us? How can we get more of it? In The Discipline of Inspiration, Carey Wallace meditates on this mysterious spark found in the work of artists across genres and throughout history. She also offers practical methods-including silence, community, and rest-to help everyone access inspiration more consistently. Readers from all walks of life will discover the transformative power of inspiration in both their art and their lives.

 The emotions of God : making sense of a God who hates, weeps, and loves /David T. Lamb.The God of the Bible is emotional. But for some Christians, the idea of God experiencing deep emotions can be confusing and problematic. In this rich study, Biblical scholar David Lamb examines seven divine emotions, arguing for the goodness of God’s emotions, so that we might better know and reflect the beauty of emotion to the world.

 The Epistle of Barnabas : a commentary /Jonathon Lookadoo ; foreword by James Carleton Paget.  Although the Epistle of Barnabas may be best known for its Two Ways Tradition or its anti-Jewish use of Scripture, its contents reveal much that will be of interest to anyone studying Christian origins. In keeping with other contributions to the Apostolic Fathers Commentary Series, this volume not only introduces readers to critical issues such as date, authorship, and opponents but also reflects on the multifaceted scriptural interpretations at play within the argument and sketches the theological beliefs that underlie the text. The commentary also provides a fresh English translation of the Greek text while endeavoring to highlight the internal literary connections within the Epistle of Barnabas. In so doing, this book provides a knowledgeable and accessible interpretation of a fascinating early Christian document.  The essential City of God : a reader and commentary /Gregory W. Lee.  This one-stop resource offers introductory essays and critical commentary on Augustine’s City of God. The book makes Augustine’s thought accessible, explains his ideas clearly, and prompts further reading.

 The first Christian letters : reading 1 and 2 Thessalonians /Rafael Rodríguez.“Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians are the earliest surviving Christian documents. They are also among the most easily overlooked parts of the New Testament. What could these short, simple letters possibly have to say to a world caught in the throes of racial discord, political polarization, fears of an uncertain future, and fights over truth and false news? While Paul and his companions could not have imagined anything like the twenty-first century, their letters in the mid-first century to non-Jewish followers of Jesus in northern Greece address problems we still wrestle with today: race and ethnicity, family, ethics, an unknown future, how to respond to strangers, and more. These letters, rather than being an outdated part of Paul’s collected letters, provoke us to throw ourselves into the great challenges of the modern world, to resist the temptation to repay “another person evil for evil,” and to “pursue the good, both for one another and for everyone” (1 Thess 5:15). Will we read these ancient letters anew?”

 The fourth synoptic gospel : John’s knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke /Mark Goodacre.The author argues that when John wrote his Gospel, he was familiar with and influenced by the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

 The gospel of peace :a commentary on Matthew, Mark, and Luke from the perspective of nonviolence /John Dear.  A comprehensive commentary of the synoptic gospels from the perspective of nonviolence.