Christianity Today Book Awards 2023

by Christianity Today

61 books

Our picks for the books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture.

The Air We Breathe

How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality

Glen Scrivener, 2022

Award of Merit

Is God a Vindictive Bully?

Reconciling Portrayals of God in the Old and New Testaments

Paul Copan, 2022

Finalists

Why Believe?

A Reasoned Approach to Chrisianity

Neil Shenvi, 2022

Logic and the Way of Jesus

Thinking Critically and Christianly

Travis Dickinson, 2022

Biblical Studies

Winner

The Gospel and the Gospels

Christian Proclamation and Early Jesus Books

Simon J. Gathercole, 2022

Award of Merit

The Book of Jeremiah

John Goldingay, 2021

Finalists

The Samaritan Woman's Story

Reconsidering John 4 After #ChurchToo

Caryn A. Reeder, 2022

The Gospel of John

A Theological Commentary

David F. Ford, 2021

Bible & Devotional

Winner

Heaven and Nature Sing

25 Advent Reflections to Bring Joy to the World

Hannah Anderson, 2022

Award Of Merit

Literarily

How Understanding Bible Genres Transforms Bible Study

Kristie Anyabwile, 2022

Finalists

Scribes and Scripture

The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible

John D. Meade, Peter J. Gurry, 2022

Sheltering Mercy

Prayers Inspired by the Psalms

Ryan Whitaker Smith, Dan Wilt, 2022

Children

Winner

A World of Praise

Deborah Lock, 2022

Winner Of Merit

How to Fight Racism Young Reader's Edition

A Guide to Standing Up for Racial Justice

Jemar Tisby, 2022

Finalists

Bare Tree and Little Wind

A Story for Holy Week

Mitali Perkins, 2022

Fly High

Understanding Grief with God's Help

Michelle Medlock Adams, Janet K. Johnson, 2022

Young Adults

Winner

Who Am I and Why Do I Matter?

Chris Morphew, 2022

Award of Merit

The Dragon and the Stone

Kathryn Butler, 2022

Finalists

You're the Worst Person in the World

Why It's the Best News Ever that You Don't Have it Together, You Aren't Enough, and You Can't Fix It on Your Own

Scarlet Hiltibidal, 2022

Your New Playlist

The Student's Guide to Tapping into the Superpower of Mindset

Jon Acuff, L.E. Acuff, McRae Acuff, 2022

Christian Living & Spiritual Formation

Winner

Overcoming Apathy

Gospel Hope for Those Who Struggle to Care

Uche Anizor, 2022

Award of Merit

Jesus and Gender

Living As Sisters and Brothers in Christ

Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Eric Schumacher, 2022

Finalists

Good and Beautiful and Kind

Becoming Whole in a Fractured World

Rich Villodas, 2023

How to Inhabit Time

Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now

James K. A. Smith, 2022

Church & Pastoral Leadership

Winner

The Flourishing Pastor

Recovering the Lost Art of Shepherd Leadership

Tom Nelson, 2021

Award of Merit (TIE)

The Pastor's Bookshelf

Why Reading Matters for Ministry

Austin Carty, 2022

Reorganized Religion

The Reshaping of the American Church and Why it Matters

Bob Smietana, 2022

Finalist

On Earth As in Heaven

Theopolis Fundamentals

Peter J. Leithart, 2022

Culture & the Arts

Winner

Christian Poetry in America Since 1940

An Anthology

Micah Mattix, Sally Thomas, 2022

Award of Merit

The Scandal of Holiness

Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints

Jessica Hooten Wilson, 2022

Finalists

A Supreme Love

The Music of Jazz and the Hope of the Gospel

William Edgar, 2022

Reading Black Books

How African American Literature Can Make Our Faith More Whole and Just

Claude Atcho, 2022

Fiction

Winner

Count the Nights by Stars

Michelle Shocklee, 2022

Award of Merit

The Book of Susan

Melanie K. Hutsell, 2022

Finalists

Absolute Music

Jonathan Geltner, 2022

The Baxters

A Prequel

Karen Kingsbury, 2022

History & Biography

Winner

An Odd Cross to Bear

A Biography of Ruth Bell Graham

Anne Blue Wills, 2022

Award of Merit

Denmark Vesey's Bible

The Thwarted Revolt That Put Slavery and Scripture on Trial

Jeremy Schipper, 2024

Finalists

A History of Contemporary Praise & Worship

Understanding the Ideas That Reshaped the Protestant Church

Lester Ruth, Lim Swee Hong, 2021

Cotton Mather’s Spanish Lessons

A Story of Language, Race, and Belonging in the Early Americas

Kirsten Silva Gruesz, 2022

Marriage & Family

Winner

Teach Your Children Well

A Step-by-Step Guide for Family Discipleship

Sarah Cowan Johnson, 2022

Award of Merit

Habits of the Household

Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms

Justin Whitmel Earley, 2021

Finalists

It Takes More than Love

A Christian Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Cross-Cultural Adoption

Brittany Salmon, 2022

The Race-Wise Family

Ten Postures to Becoming Households of Healing and Hope

Helen Lee, Michelle Ami Reyes, 2022

Missions & Global Church

Winner

No Shortcut to Success

A Manifesto for Modern Missions

Matt Rhodes, 2021

Award of Merit

Faith in the Wilderness

Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church

Hannah Nation, Simon Liu, 2022

Finalists

The Realities of Money and Missions

Global Challenges and Case Studies

Jonathan J. Bonk, G. Distefano, J. Nelson Jennings, 2022

Virtuous Persuasion

A Theology of Christian Mission

Michael Niebauer, 2022

Politics & Public Life

Winner

Beyond Racial Division

A Unifying Alternative to Colorblindness and Antiracism

George A. Yancey, 2022

Award of Merit

Untrustworthy

The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community

Bonnie Kristian, 2022

Finalists

What Are Christians For?

Life Together at the End of the World

Jake Meador, 2022

Uncommon Unity

Wisdom for the Church in an Age of Division

RICHARD. LINTS, 2022

Theology (popular)

Winner

You're Only Human

How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News

Kelly M. Kapic, 2022

Award of Merit

The Thrill of Orthodoxy

Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith

Trevin Wax, 2022

Finalists

Fruitful Theology

How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul

Ronni Kurtz, 2022

Reading Theology Wisely

A Practical Introduction

Kent Eilers, 2022

Theology (academic)

Winner

Jesus and the God of Classical Theism

Biblical Christology in Light of the Doctrine of God

Steven J. Duby, 2022

Award of Merit

Trinitarian Dogmatics

Exploring the Grammar of the Christian Doctrine of God

D. Glenn Butner, Jr., 2022

Finalists

Justification by the Word

Restoring Sola Fide

Jack D. Kilcrease, 2022

God in Eternity and Time

A New Case for Human Freedom

Robert E. Picirilli, 2022

Book of the Year

Overcoming Apathy

Gospel Hope for Those Who Struggle to Care

Uche Anizor, 2022