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Religion » Theology

Browse book recommendations:

Religion

  • Best Atheist Books
  • Buddhism
  • Christian
  • Islamic
  • Jewish
  • Magic & Witchcraft
  • Theology

Welcome to the Five Books recommendations on theology. We have interviews with a distinguished range of experts including biblical scholars, literary critics, church historians, and philosophers of religion recommending their top theology books on questions of biblical interpretation, the historical development of religions, and specific matters of doctrine.

Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch discusses the history of Christianity. Edward Feser, associate professor of philosophy at Pasadena City College, talks about arguments for the existence of God. Peter Adamson, professor of late ancient and Arabic philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, looks at Islamic theology and chooses his best books on philosophy in the Islamic world. Professor Stephen Greenblatt of Harvard talks about Adam and Eve, Paula Fredriksen, historian of ancient Christianity, tackles sin and academic and Anglican clergyman, Robert Morgan, chooses his best books on Jesus. Timothy Beale, professor of religion at Case Western Reserve Univeristy, looks at versions of the Bible.

While a new part of Five Books, we aim to develop it and engage further with theological questions raised by the most influential religious traditions.

    The Best Books on the History of Christianity, recommended by Diarmaid MacCulloch

  • Read
    The Best Books on the History of Christianity - An Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Venerable Bede

    1

    An Ecclesiastical History of the English People
    by the Venerable Bede

  • Read
    The Best Books on the History of Christianity - The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

    2

    The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
    by Edward Gibbon

  • Read
    The Best Books on the History of Christianity - The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland by Margo Todd

    3

    The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland
    by Margo Todd

  • Read
    The Best Books on the History of Christianity - The Church in Africa, 1450-1950 by Adrian Hastings

    4

    The Church in Africa, 1450-1950
    by Adrian Hastings

  • Read
    The Best Books on the History of Christianity - The Church of the East by Christoph Baumer

    5

    The Church of the East
    by Christoph Baumer

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.

    The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God, recommended by Edward Feser

  • Read
    The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God - Summa Theologiae, Questions on God by (ed.) Brian Davies and Brian Leftow

    1

    Summa Theologiae, Questions on God
    by (ed.) Brian Davies and Brian Leftow

  • Read
    The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God - The Thought of Thomas Aquinas by Brian Davies

    2

    The Thought of Thomas Aquinas
    by Brian Davies

  • Read
    The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God - Aquinas's Way to God: The Proof in De Ente et Essentia by Gaven Kerr

    3

    Aquinas's Way to God: The Proof in De Ente et Essentia
    by Gaven Kerr

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    The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God - The Reality of God and the Problem of Evil by Brian Davies

    4

    The Reality of God and the Problem of Evil
    by Brian Davies

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    The best books on Arguments for the Existence of God - Atheism and Theism by J. J. C. Smart & John Haldane

    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

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.

    The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World, recommended by Peter Adamson

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World - Greek Thought, Arabic Culture by Dimitri Gutas

    1

    Greek Thought, Arabic Culture
    by Dimitri Gutas

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World - Great Medieval Thinkers: Avicenna by Jon McGinnis

    2

    Great Medieval Thinkers: Avicenna
    by Jon McGinnis

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    The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World - Avicenna's 'De Anima' in the Latin West by Dag Nikolaus Hasse

    3

    Avicenna's 'De Anima' in the Latin West
    by Dag Nikolaus Hasse

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World - Maimonides in His World: Portrait of a Mediterranean Thinker by Sarah Stroumsa

    4

    Maimonides in His World: Portrait of a Mediterranean Thinker
    by Sarah Stroumsa

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World - The Teleological Ethics of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī by Ayman Shihadeh

    5

    The Teleological Ethics of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī
    by Ayman Shihadeh

The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World, recommended by Peter Adamson

Arabic philosophy was hugely influential during the Islamic Golden Age; at one point, the Persian polymath Avicenna’s influence outstripped that of Aristotle. But a strong tradition has continued in the centuries since, explains Professor Peter Adamson, as he selects five of the best books on the subject.

    The best books on Adam and Eve, recommended by Stephen Greenblatt

  • Read
    The best books on Adam and Eve - The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary by Robert Alter

    1

    The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary
    by Robert Alter

  • Read
    The best books on Adam and Eve - On Genesis by Augustine

    2

    On Genesis
    by Augustine

  • Read
    The best books on Adam and Eve - Paradise Lost by John Milton

    3

    Paradise Lost
    by John Milton

  • Read
    The best books on Adam and Eve - The Bible According to Mark Twain by Mark Twain

    4

    The Bible According to Mark Twain
    by Mark Twain

  • Read
    The best books on Adam and Eve - The Symbolism of Evil by Paul Ricoeur

    5

    The Symbolism of Evil
    by Paul Ricoeur

The best books on Adam and Eve, recommended by Stephen Greenblatt

Who were Adam and Eve, really? Over many centuries, the origin story has undergone countless transformations. The Pulitzer Prize-winner and Harvard professor Stephen Greenblatt chooses five books that explore the history of Adam and Eve, and tells us why the world isn’t ready to leave the narrative of Eden behind

    The best books on Jesus, recommended by Robert Morgan

  • Read
    The best books on Jesus - Jesus and the Word by Rudolf Bultmann

    1

    Jesus and the Word
    by Rudolf Bultmann

  • Read
    The best books on Jesus - The Quest of the Historical Jesus by Albert Schweitzer

    2

    The Quest of the Historical Jesus
    by Albert Schweitzer

  • Read
    The best books on Jesus - The Shadow of the Galilean by Gerd Theissen

    3

    The Shadow of the Galilean
    by Gerd Theissen

  • Read
    The best books on Jesus - The Birth of the Messiah by Raymond Brown

    4

    The Birth of the Messiah
    by Raymond Brown

  • Read
    The best books on Jesus - Born of a Virgin? by Andrew Lincoln

    5

    Born of a Virgin?
    by Andrew Lincoln

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 Sin, recommended by Paula Fredriksen

  • Read
    The best books on Sin - God: A Biography by Jack Miles

    1

    God: A Biography
    by Jack Miles

  • Read
    The best books on Sin - Augustine of Hippo by Peter Brown

    2

    Augustine of Hippo
    by Peter Brown

  • Read
    The best books on Sin - The Confessions by Augustine (translated by Maria Boulding)

    3

    The Confessions
    by Augustine (translated by Maria Boulding)

  • Read
    The best books on Sin - War and Remembrance by Herman Woulk

    4

    War and Remembrance
    by Herman Woulk

  • Read
    The best books on Sin - Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi

    5

    Christ Stopped at Eboli
    by Carlo Levi

The best books on Sin, recommended by Paula Fredriksen

Tortured by the sins of your past? Or contemplating new ones? The historian of ancient Christianity recommends five books you to understand the role of sin in Christian thought.

    Versions of the Bible, recommended by Timothy Beal

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    Versions of the Bible - The Bible The New Oxford Annotated Bible

    1

    The Bible
    The New Oxford Annotated Bible

  • Read
    Versions of the Bible - The Jewish Study Bible (TANAKH Translation) by Adele Berlin, Marc Zvi Brettler & Michael Fishbane

    2

    The Jewish Study Bible (TANAKH Translation)
    by Adele Berlin, Marc Zvi Brettler & Michael Fishbane

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    Versions of the Bible - The Green Bible by Harper Bibles

    3

    The Green Bible
    by Harper Bibles

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    Versions of the Bible - Bible Illuminated by Forlaget Illuminated Sweden (Editor)

    4

    Bible Illuminated
    by Forlaget Illuminated Sweden (Editor)

  • Read
    Versions of the Bible - The Woman’s Bible by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Editor)

    5

    The Woman’s Bible
    by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Editor)

Versions of the Bible, recommended by Timothy Beal

Religion professor Timothy Beal introduces five different versions of the Bible — from the New Oxford Annotated edition to less traditional “green” and feminist takes

About

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand interviews, or five thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

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