You can use our reading lists to find the best Christian books ever written on a variety of subjects.
Our recommendations span the best history of Christianity books, the best Jesus books, books on the existence of God, and many more.
Our best Christian book recommendations are from members of the clergy, biblical scholars, church historians, and philosophers of religion. These include distinguished scholars such as Richard Harries, Diarmaid MacCulloch, Edward Feser, and Robert Morgan.
The Best Augustine Books, recommended by Catherine Conybeare
Christianity has been profoundly influenced by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE), but the fifth-century North African bishop has impacted almost every area of western thought: philosophy, theology, political theory, linguistics, and rhetoric. His Confessions is one of the most recommended titles on Five Books, but is it really the first autobiography? Professor Catherine Conybeare introduces us to the life, thought, and personality of this controversial yet brilliant figure. She picks the best books to learn more about St. Augustine and explores how he has been unfairly maligned.
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A History of the Bible
by John Barton -
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An Introduction to the New Testament
by Raymond E Brown -
3
Jesus the Jew: a Historian’s Reading of the Gospels
by Geza Vermes -
4
The Misunderstood Jew: the Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus
by Amy-Jill Levine -
5
Seeing the Word: Refocusing New Testament Study
by Markus Bockmuehl
The best books on The Bible, recommended by Nicholas King
The best books on The Bible, recommended by Nicholas King
The Bible is not always an easy read—nor is it always obvious how or where to start reading it. Here, Nicholas King, a Jesuit priest and biblical scholar, chooses five books to help you start getting to grips with what is, arguably, the world’s all-time bestselling book.
The best books on Jesus, recommended by Robert Morgan
Jesus was a 1st century Jew from Galilee who had a ministry of teaching and healing. He gathered disciples around him, but was eventually arrested and executed by the Roman governor of Judaea from 26 to 36CE, Pontius Pilate. But what else do we know about Jesus and what is his significance in an increasingly secular age? New Testament scholar Robert Morgan talks us through his favourite books on Jesus.
The Best Books on the History of Christianity, recommended by Diarmaid MacCulloch
How can one get to grips with a subject as huge as the history of Christianity, a 2000 year-old religion with adherents in every corner of the globe? The popular and distinguished Oxford historian, Diarmaid MacCulloch, recommends books that will help you make a start.
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Summa Theologiae, Questions on God
by (ed.) Brian Davies and Brian Leftow -
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The Thought of Thomas Aquinas
by Brian Davies -
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Aquinas's Way to God: The Proof in De Ente et Essentia
by Gaven Kerr -
4
The Reality of God and the Problem of Evil
by Brian Davies -
5
Atheism and Theism
by J. J. C. Smart & John Haldane
The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God, recommended by Edward Feser
The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God, recommended by Edward Feser
Is the existence of God incompatible with evil? What is the difference between ‘classical theism’ and ‘theistic personalism’? What is the best argument against there being a God? From Aristotle through Aquinas to the present, philosopher Edward Feser gives an in-depth look at arguments for the existence of God.
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The Confessions
by Augustine (translated by Maria Boulding) -
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The Cult of the Saints Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity
by Peter Brown -
3
Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary
by Miri Rubin -
4
Mohawk Saint: Catherine Tekakwitha and the Jesuits
by Allan Greer -
5
Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars Who Study Them
by Robert Orsi
The best books on The Saints, recommended by Simon Yarrow
The best books on The Saints, recommended by Simon Yarrow
Heroes are universal to human culture and, in Christian culture, they manifested themselves as saints. Historian Simon Yarrow recommends the best books to understand the saints, from their widespread appearance in late antiquity to their continuing influence in modern America.
The best books on Religious and Social History in the Ancient World, recommended by Robin Lane Fox
Cultural and philosophical changes that occurred in late antiquity are essential to our understanding of the world today, but few us know much about that period. Historian Robin Lane Fox recommends the best books to read to get a good sense of late antiquity.
The best books on Christmas, recommended by Bruce Forbes
Did you know that Santa Claus was a 4th century bishop in what is now Turkey? That Puritans tried to outlaw Christmas? Or Tiny Tim was originally Little Fred? Religious scholar Bruce Forbes recommends books that shed light on Christmas’s pagan past and consumerist present.
The best books on Jerusalem, City of Peace?, recommended by James Carroll
Jerusalem has been at the center of conflict for millennia and its current problems cannot be blamed on Israelis and Palestinians alone, says bestselling author and former Catholic priest James Carroll. He picks the best books to understand Jerusalem’s complex history and its message of peace which still gives him hope.
The best books on The Christmas Story, recommended by Brent Landau
The story of the birth of Jesus is the part of the Gospels that is least based on history, explains religious studies scholar Brent Landau. Jesus was probably not born in Bethlehem and he may have been visited by as many as 12 wise men. He picks books to help understand the real Christmas story.
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The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God
by Carl Sagan -
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The Atheist's Guide to Reality: Enjoying Life without Illusions
by Alex Rosenberg -
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God in the Age of Science?: A Critique of Religious Reason
by Herman Philipse -
4
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
by Daniel C Dennett -
5
A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom
by Andrew Dickson White