Top 10 Books of 2012

The following favorites were selected by The Dubious Disciple among those reviewed as the best religion books of 2012. Books are presented in order by review date.


Bad Acts of the Apostles

by John Henson, reviewed February 5, 2012

Short book about the struggles of the first apostles in remaining true to the spirit of Jesus, as they took the church to the new world.

 

 

Contours of Pauline Theology

by Tom Holland, reviewed March 4, 2012

Very deep book about Paul’s corporate theology, that left me with much to think about. A study worth taking the time to work through.

 

 

Dancing in the Shadows of Love

by Judy Croome, reviewed April 6, 2012

A captivating and haunting novel about love, betrayal, lust, trust, and learning to live again. This one earns its place because of its penetrating writing style.

 

 

The Power of Parable

by John Dominic Crossan, reviewed April 16, 2012

Crossan compares the stories told about Jesus to Old Testament parables, wondering if much of the Jesus story was never meant to be read in a literal fashion.

 

 

Faith in the Public Square

by Robert D. Cornwall, reviewed July 21, 2012

A short little merger of God and politics. This is a collection of essays written by Cornwall for the Lompoc Record that I found thought-provoking from cover to cover.

 

 

Living The Questions, the Wisdom of Progressive Christianity

by David M. Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy, reviewed August 6, 2012

A poetic, inspiring look at the Divine that cannot be missed. Perhaps the one must-read book of 2012. I guarantee it will satisfy both head and heart.

 

 

The Searchers

by Joseph Loconte, reviewed August 29, 2012

Two men walked side-by-side one day twenty centuries ago, heads bowed, on the way to Emmaus. This is a book about finding hope in the valley of doubt.

 

 

Emergence Christianity

by Phyllis Tickle, reviewed October 8, 2012

Emergence Christianity is a relatively new worldwide movement in the Christian world, and it’s still evolving. Tickle gives us a penetrating look into Christianity’s future.

 

 

The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails

by Randal Rauser, reviewed November 12, 2012

Fun book about a coffee house conversation about God, evil, and common-sense Christianity–apologetics without pressure.

 

 

The Meaning of the Bible

by Douglas A. Knight and Amy Jill Levine, reviewed December 18, 2012

Excellent and enjoyable, a fun look at the Old Testament from a scholarly perspective, and my most marked-up book of 2012. Guess I saved the best for last.