15 Key Christian Books for Your 2021 Reading List
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Kickstart the new year by adding these key books on the Christian faith to your 2021 reading list. (Click here for the 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, and 2018 lists.)
1. The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman (Crossway)
While the sexual revolution has been going on for some time, it has rapidly advanced in recent years, to the point of normalizing various self-identities including transgenderism. Why is society seeing such a dramatic break from traditional sexual boundaries in which long-established biblical teaching on what it means to be male and female is now considered to be morally oppressive?
According to historical theologian Carl R. Trueman in his highly anticipated book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, “the sexual revolution is simply one manifestation of the larger revolution of the self that has taken place in the West. And it is only as we come to understand that wider context that we can truly understand the dynamics of the sexual politics that now dominate our culture” (p. 20). It is now almost commonplace to hold the conviction that “reality is inward and psychological, not outward and natural” (p. 340), with one of the most consequential social aspects of the LBGTQ+ movement being the dissolution of the traditional family (p. 377). Trueman’s latest book is the go-to source for anyone who wants to better understand how the accelerating pursuit of self-creation and the overthrow of objective reality have come to result in the rejection of intrinsic meaning outside of self in God’s created order. Click here for Amazon link.
2. The Unfolding Word: The Story of the Bible from Creation to New Creation by Zach Keele (Lexham Press)
Do you want to make better sense of the Bible from beginning to end, from the garden of Eden in Genesis to the New Jerusalem in Revelation, from man’s creation and fall to his redemption and glorification? According to Zach Keele, pastor and seminary lecturer in English Bible Survey, Greek, and Hebrew at Westminster Seminary California, ”When we read the Bible, we need to hold together both slow and fast reading. Scripture is like a large mosaic, where each tile is its own image. Put together, they form another image. We need to zoom in and out regularly; slowing down and speeding up have to work together” (p. 3).
As he surveys each major section of the Bible in The Unfolding Word, Keele connects individual stories and passages to the big picture and helps us better grasp that Scripture is not only a historical story that “unfolded within the lives of real people within the messiness of history,” but also an account of events that took place in ancient cultures with very different ideas and assumptions from our world today. Whether you’re a new or mature believer, this must-read book will help you gain a more thorough (and delightful!) understanding of God’s redemptive plan by one of the clearest and most insightful Bible expositors of our time. Click here for Amazon link.
3. A Field Guide on False Teaching (Ligonier Ministries)
Can you explain to your “name-it-and-claim-it” friend why the prosperity gospel is actually a false gospel? If Mormons came to your door, would you be prepared to share biblical truth with them? With all the available teaching on the Christian faith out there, it’s not always easy to discern biblical truth from error.
Thankfully, the highly respected Ligonier Ministries organization has published a handy field guide covering errant doctrinal teachings (prosperity gospel, deism, legalism, antinomianism); cults (Mormonism, Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witnesses), and false world religions and philosophies (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, New Age spirituality, atheism, and secularism). Be ready with gentleness and respect “to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15) with this outstanding resource from Ligonier. Click here for Amazon link.
4. The City of God by St. Augustine (Image Books)
Does it ever seem like you’re watching a cosmic battle between good and evil play out in the world today? It’s actually happening. People are increasingly at odds with one another, holding vastly opposing views regarding identity, politics, culture, and religion, even accusing Christian morals as hateful toward freedom of self-expression. This is true now and was also the state of affairs when Rome was sacked by the Visigoths in AD 410. According to St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, we are observing the temporal, earthly city of man versus the eternal city of God. Roman citizens blamed the rise of Christianity over pagan religion as the cause of the city’s destruction in the early fifth century. In his work, The City of God, St. Augustine writes that it was actually pagan thought and practice that were at the root of Rome’s problems.
Augustine delineates the difference between the two cities: “Accordingly, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word, glories in itself, the latter in the Lord. For the one seeks glory from men; but the greatest glory of the other is God, the witness of conscience” (Book 14, Ch. 28). This abridged edition of Augustine’s vast work on this topic will give the reader valuable insights into the conflict that has been ongoing since the garden of Eden and will continue to exist until Christ’s return at the consummation. Click here for Amazon link.
5. A Holy Fear: Trading Lesser Fears for the Fear of the Lord by Christina Fox (Reformation Heritage Books)
While we usually associate the word fear as being associated with something bad, the Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10), and the Lord is good (Mark 10:18)! So what exactly are Christians to think about and do with their fears? In her latest book, A Holy Fear, Christina Fox sums up what is at the root of our fears: “In a sense, all our fears are fears of the future. That’s because fear likes to time travel, looking ahead to possible harms and warning us of all that could go wrong” (p. 15).
Throughout each chapter, Fox explains with clarity and gentleness why believers can confidently put their fears in their proper place because our God is always trustworthy: “We have to remember that God is a perfect Father; all He does is good. His love for us will never wane. He is not fickle; He will not change. What He promises He will fulfill. While our earthly father may have failed us, hurt us, and been untrustworthy, our God is a good Father. Even His discipline and training are perfect and just what we need to grow in holiness. We can fear Him with a filial fear” (p. 25).
As we face deeply unsettling times with a future that seems more uncertain than ever, A Holy Fear will help you to better rest in Christ while growing in a deeper love and sense of awe for our good, holy, loving, mighty, just, and merciful God. Click here for Amazon link.
6. Searching Our Hearts in Difficult Times (Puritan Paperbacks) by John Owen (Banner of Truth)
In Searching Our Hearts in Difficult Times, the publisher Banner of Truth has compiled a number of Owen’s lectures and sermons from 1672 to 1680. Widely considered the greatest of all British theologians, Puritan theologian John Owen (1616-1683) lived in England during the time of the Great Plague of London (1665-1666) and the Great Fire (1666). People continued to die of the plague through the 1670s in London, and the devastation clearly weighed heavily on Owen’s heart as he preached and taught in those years.
Owen is particularly focused on helping us to thoughtfully and thoroughly examine our hearts in order to assess any decay in our spiritual state and to rightly respond to divine warnings. Just as Owen saw difficult times, such as the Great Plague, as God’s judgment and warning to professing Christians to wake up from their spiritual lethargy, it is reasonable and wise for us to also consider God’s purposes in permitting the current pandemic and social unrest.
If you’re wanting a godly mentor who will help you grow stronger in your faith for the perilous times at present and to come, Searching Our Hearts in Difficult Times is a wonderful opportunity to have John Owen minister to you personally. Such reflection is needed now as much as ever in a chaotic world where the church is being increasingly pressured to conform to cultural norms instead of standing for God’s truth against the culture. Let Owen patiently and pastorally apply Scripture to your heart, for your own sake, your neighbor’s sake, and the sake of Christ’s kingdom. Click here for Amazon link.
7. The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity by Michael J. Kruger (Cruciform Quick)
Emergent Christianity? Progressive Christianity? The names may sound trendy, but they’re the same old attempt to liberalize the Christian faith to make it more appealing to those who want to reject biblical teachings that conflict with their own moral relativism. According to theologian and president of Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte Michael J. Kruger, progressive Christianity “is a master class in half-truths that sound appealing on the surface until you dig down deeper and really explore their foundations and implications. Benjamin Franklin was right when he quipped, ‘Half the truth is often a great lie’” (p. 6).
With only 58 pages to get the job done, Kruger examines ten principles of progressive Christianity and explains clearly and succinctly why each one advocates a different religion entirely. Click here for Amazon link.
8. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett (Banner of Truth)
If you ever find yourself searching for inspiration to pray or to simply mediate on God and his word, then this small book of Puritan prayers will surely feed your soul. Taken from Puritan prayers and spiritual writings, each short poem can serve as a daily devotion as well as a prayer for use with others or in private. They are organized under ten headings such as the “Trinity and Redemption,” “Needs and Aspirations,” and “Ministry and Service.”
Beneath the major heading each prayer is given a topical title in order to guide your thoughts and prayers as particular needs may arise in your own experience. While they are faithfully taken from the word of God, the poetry and emotional depth of these Puritan prayers in The Valley of Vision will help lift your mind and heart to heaven above and provide comfort when conversing with your heavenly Father. Also available in a handsome, leather-bound edition. Click here for Amazon link.
9. Transhumanism and the Image of God: Today’s Technology and the Future of Christian Discipleship by Jacob Shatzer (IVP Academic)
How does technology not only affect us as human beings but also as Christians? Can we use AI, GPS, or experience augmented reality without any consequences, without it changing or damaging us? You may never have heard of the word transhumanism, but you will be surprised how much this ideology affects what you do and how you reason on a daily basis. The thinking behind technology and its purpose are not ethically neutral.
In Transhumanism and the Image of God, biblical ethicist Jacob Shatzer explores many different facets of modern technology and the thinking behind that technology. According to Shatzer, “transhumanism is a worldview and is related to other worldviews. It is complex but provides simple and practical implications for everyday life. It rejects the supernatural (though notes of transcendence echo throughout). Instead, transhumanism emphasizes that we discover meaning and ethics via reason, progress, and the value of existence itself" (pp. 40-41). The marks of transhumanism, according to Shatzer, “are the use of intelligent technology, an open society, self-direction, and rational thinking” (p. 43).
As you read through the chapters, you will likely be surprised at how you might unconsciously be buying into unbiblical ideology via the technological advances in our world that are grounded in transhumanist philosophy. Shatzer’s highly regarded book is a must-read for anyone who wants to have a better understanding of how science and technology are continuing to shape society as well as how Christians can live faithfully amid these changes. Click here for Amazon link.
10. The Bruised Reed (Puritan Paperbacks) by Richard Sibbes (Banner of Truth)
The title of this small book by Puritan Richard Sibbes is taken from Isaiah 42:1-3, which is ascribed to Christ Jesus in Matthew 12:18-20 as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy about the servant of the Lord who will give his life to save God’s people. In sixteen compact chapters, Sibbes takes readers from their own experience as bruised reeds with small sparks of grace to the spirit of mercy and help from Christ Jesus. With beauty and tenderness Sibbes reaches the heart of our fallenness and hopelessness apart from Jesus. He leads us to Jesus' work by the power of the Spirit and ultimately to his eternal and glorious reign. It is Christ who is merciful and mighty, giving all as the servant of the Lord for all of God’s people.
Sibbes also counsels against a false hope while encouraging us when doubts may arise. Finally, the last chapters describe how conflict in this life often assaults the Christian; yet, Sibbes reminds the reader of victory—the victory that is Christ’s, won for all who trust in him. If you want to learn of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, then this book will surely satisfy your longing. Click here for Amazon link.
11. With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires and Will toward Christ by A. Craig Troxel (Crossway)
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). Yet, how do we love God in all these ways all at once? In his latest book, With All Your Heart, Westminster Seminary California professor of practical theology A. Craig Troxel engages with key Bible passages on how your mind, will, and desires all work together to love Christ with all your heart. Troxel points out that God has designed us in such a way that the proper functioning of our mind is dependent on the proper ordering of our desires and will and vice versa (p. 33).
According to Troxel, “One of the most significant modern-day misconceptions about the heart—even among evangelical Christians—is that the heart is opposed to the head. It is said that if we really want to follow our heart, then we will be guided more by our intuitions and non-thinking than by our thinking and mind….But to put the heart and the intellect into a relationship of tension is not being true to Scripture” (p. 34). In With All Your Heart, Troxel helps readers come to a fuller understanding of why the heart and mind are actually friends and how loving Jesus is a whole-person endeavor. Click here for Amazon link.
12. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller (NavPress)
Praying seems easy in a way: we can just stop whatever we are doing and speak to our heavenly Father. Yet, why can prayer be difficult for many Christians? How do we talk to God? Is there a special way? Why do we need to pray if God already knows everything about us and what’s going on in our lives? You may struggle to stay focused or forget what to pray about, or perhaps think that God only wants to hear about really important things.
In A Praying Life Paul Miller helps take the uneasiness or guilt we may have been feeling toward our praying life and shows us how to pray in a simple, meaningful way. According to Miller, “Since a praying life is interconnected with every part of our lives, learning to pray is almost identical to maturing over a lifetime. What does it feel like to grow up? It is a thousand feelings on a thousand different days. That is what learning to pray feels like (p. 9). Miller interweaves poignant family stories along the way to help us to better understand how God is composing a story with our lives—and that we can have hope in life’s circumstances instead of being paralyzed by them (p. 10). Pastoral and an easy read, A Praying Life is a wonderful resource to get you started in connecting with God in prayer—and one to return to again and again. Click here for Amazon link.
13. Longing to Know: The Philosophy of Knowledge for Ordinary People by Esther Lightcap Meek (Baker Publishing Group)
How do we know Jesus actually lived, died, and was resurrected? In Longing to Know, Geneva College professor Esther Lightcap Meek answers broader questions about knowing—how do human beings come to know, not merely as an apologetic exercise but as a relational, covenantal exercise of body and soul? After setting the stage by taking the reader through common default ways of knowing, Meek then presents her argument that we truly know in relationship to others—that coming to know is a transformative experience with others. Interpersonal relationships constituted in the form of a covenant (like a marriage covenant, for example) is our knowing paradigm. She gives an apt illustration: “Knowing is perhaps a bit like a marriage. First you bind yourself with promises to love, honor, and obey. Only then does reality unfold itself to you” (p. 37).
Though the book serves as an excellent work for learning about epistemology (the study of the nature of knowledge), Meek’s illustrations are very accessible to those outside the field, as well as providing detailed engagement with other thinkers on the topic. If you want to better understand, “How do we know?” then enter into relationship with Esther Lightcap Meek through Longing to Know. Click here for Amazon link.
14. Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life by John Calvin (Baker Books)
While we live in a rapidly changing world, the principles of the Christian life never change. According to Protestant reformer, theologian, and pastor John Calvin (1509-1564), “The plan of Scripture for a Christian walk is twofold: first, that we be instructed in the law to love righteousness, because by nature we are not inclined to do so; second, that we be shown a simple rule that we may not waver in our race” (p. 15).
In this short gem of a book that was originally published in 1550, Calvin covers essential aspects of the Christian life, including humble obedience, the true imitation of Christ, self-denial, patience in cross-bearing, hopefulness for the next world, and the right use of the present life. If you’re looking for a short classic to reboot your Christian walk that has been cherished by Christians for well over four hundred years, don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from and be exhorted by Calvin in this heartfelt, vigorous, profound, and balanced teaching on the Christian life. Click here for Amazon link.
15. Can We Still Believe the Bible?: An Evangelism Engagement with Contemporary Questions by Craig L. Blomberg (Brazos Press)
How do you respond when people tell you the Bible is a mix of historical events and fiction and that no one should take it seriously? Thanks to theologian and Denver Seminary New Testament scholar Craig L. Blomberg, you can be prepared with solid answers to contemporary pushback against the historicity and reliability of Scripture with Can We Still Believe the Bible?
According to Blomberg, there are “areas of scholarship where new findings, or at least much more intense study of slightly older discoveries, have actually strengthened the case for the reliability or trustworthiness of the Scriptures, even while the most publicized opinions in each area have claimed that there are now reasons for greater skepticism!” (p. 7). In this highly respected work, Blomberg addresses six issues in particular regarding the trustworthiness of Scripture: “Aren’t the copies of the Bible hopelessly corrupt?”; “Wasn’t the selection of the books for the Canon just political?”; “Can we trust any of our translations of the Bible?”; “Don’t these issues rule out biblical inerrancy?”; “Aren’t several narrative genres of the Bible unhistorical?”; and “Don’t all the miracles make the Bible mythical?” Can We Still Believe the Bible? provides readers with accessible and thorough scholarship that is sure to bolster their faith and give them more confidence in God’s word. Click here for Amazon link.