Books

My 5 Favorite Books of 2022

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a few ideas for last second Christmas money/gift card redemption, here’s a few ideas. You can also check out my past lists: 2015 and 2016 lists at my old Patheos blog, and my 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 lists posted here at Biblical Reasoning.

Please forgive my shameless plug upfront, but beyond these five fantastic books below, I have two books to briefly plug:

  • Out tomorrow(!) is an academic monograph with IVP Academic entitled The Trinity in the Book of Revelation, which brings together pro-Nicene retrieval and engagement with modern biblical scholarship. Order here.
  • Out in May, you can preorder my next book with Lexham Press entitled The Biblical Trinity, which is an introductory book to the Trinity in Scripture for pastors and thoughtful laypeople. Order here.

Thanks for considering! And now, in no particular order, here are my five favorite books that I read in 2022.

Hermeneutics and the Rhetorical Tradition by Kathy Eden

This book was recommended to me by several friends as a necessary read for working in early Christian theology and exegesis, and I see why. It is an excellent introduction to the larger contextual influences on early reading cultures and their intersection with/influence on early Christian writings. Order here.

The Trinity by Thomas Joseph White

I simply do not have enough superlatives for this book. Just read it and reference it over and over. Listen to our conversation on tough Trinity questions here. Order here.

Jesus Becoming Jesus (vol. 2) by Thomas G. Weinandy

This three-volume series (see also: vol. 1 and vol. 3) is a treasure trove of theological interpretation of the Gospels. Aside from Jesus himself, of course, Weinandy’s prose is the star of this book. I devoured each volume rather quickly due to how effortlessly Weinandy blends beautiful writing with deeply engaging insights, but I especially enjoyed volume 2. I’ll be revisiting these often. Listen to our conversation on the trilogy here. Order here.

Post-Hellenistic Philosophy by G. R. Boys-Stones

This book is not an easy read, but well organized and gets straight to the point regarding the major philosophical developments in and around early Christianity. The discussion toward the end on Christian appropriations of philosophy is worth the price of the book. Order here.

Sprawlball by Kirk Goldsberry

I know everyone tells me to read more fiction, but I typically reserve my “free time” reading for sports books. I really enjoyed this one on the evolution of the modern NBA game by Kirk Goldsberry, a pioneer in NBA advanced analytics. Order here.

My 5 Favorite Books of 2021

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

It’s become an annual tradition for me and many others to write a post like this. Check out my past lists: 2015 and 2016 lists at my old Patheos blog, and my 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 lists posted here at Biblical Reasoning.

In no particular order, here are my five (six! I cheated this year) favorite books that I read in 2021.

Which Trinity? Whose Monotheism? by Thomas H. McCall

This is a classic example of a book I should’ve read years ago—it came out in 2010!—but just never had the chance to, aside from dabbling in a few chapters here and there. In my view, McCall represents the best of the “analytic theology” (AT) movement: the notably logically-rigorous flavor of AT, but rooted deeply in Scripture and the Christian tradition. His critique of eternal subordination of the Son, years before the 2016 debate, is particularly helpful and still relevant.

The Incarnate Lord by Thomas Joseph White

Another book I came a little late to, but am glad I did. Few people have White’s rare ability to engage some of the most theologically and philosophically complex issues with clarity and precision. In this book in particular, he tackles all of the major issues and questions that arise in Christology in general and Aquinas’s Christology in particular.

Faith, Hope, Love by Josef Pieper

After becoming somewhat bored of overwrought, pragmatic books on morality and ethics, I asked a few philosophy/ethics scholar-friends for recommendations. This book by Pieper was the near-unanimous recommendation. I was blown away by his simple, even doxological, approach to theological ethics, which has obviously been fostered over Pieper’s decades of personal reflection and practice.

On the Trinity by Hilary of Poitiers

I’m always reading the church fathers as part of my research, teaching, and personal interest, and it was my goal this year to read the entirety of Hilary’s work on the Trinity. “The Athanasius of the West” did not disappoint; his orthodox Trinitarian formulations are worked out in unique ways, and his framing around Exod. 3:14 is worth the price of admission.

Letters for the Church by Darian R. Lockett

Lockett is one of my favorite New Testament scholars (and all-around human beings). His broader scholarship contributes to two broadly under-appreciated fields: canon and the Catholic/General Epistles. Those two expertises combine into an excellent, accessible volume on the major theological and canonical issues in interpreting these epistles.

The Same God Who Works All Things by Adonis Vidu

Vidu’s work is truly a monumental addition to the field of Trinitarian theology. Simply put, inseparable operations are a crucial piece of the Trinitarian puzzle, and Vidu’s is the first full-scale work done on the doctrine in recent memory. This book has a great combination of exegetical insights, theological imagination, and historical sensitivity.

Stefana Laing on History, Being a Theological Librarian, and Kids at ETS

/ Brandon D. Smith / 1 Comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Stefana Dan Laing of Beeson Divinity School. We discuss bringing your kids to ETS (2:28), becoming a scholar (6:40), how to understand Christian history (21:10), being a theological librarian (36:12), being a female scholar in evangelicalism (47:20), and more. Buy Stefana’s books.

Church Grammar is presented by B&H Academic and the Christian Standard Bible. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.


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My 5 Favorite Books of 2018

/ Brandon D. Smith / 3 Comments

It’s become a somewhat annual tradition for me and many others to write a post like this. But people love books lists as they consider last-second Christmas gifts or are looking for ways to spend their Amazon gift cards.

There are a few reasons why I continue to compile this list. First, I love reading and I love to share what I’m reading. Second, I’m also always encouraged by others’ thoughts and their lists often help me pick out a few last books for my Christmas wish list. Third, I get a lot of books from publishers, and while I don’t review or share books I don’t end up liking, I’m always willing to recommend a good book if it is, in fact, good. Fourth, I’m increasingly asked by folks what books I’m reading or “what’s a good book to read for X topic?” I think this is primarily because I share a lot of book photos on Facebook.

Anyway, in no particular order, here are my five favorite books that I read in 2018. Check out my 2015 list and 2016 list at my old Patheos blog, and my 2017 list posted here at Biblical Reasoning.

Hope and Suffering by Desmond Tutu

This collection of sermons and speeches give an inspiring glimpse into the mind of one of history’s most important civil rights activists. For a comfortable white evangelical American like me, Tutu’s theology and exposition challenged and sharpened my views on suffering and human dignity.

 

All That’s Good by Hannah Anderson

Hannah is one of the most clear and humble writers out there. Her previous book, Humble Roots, is a beautifully-written exposition of why humility matters. In All That’s Good, she is at it again. I’m not sure I’ve read a better book on discernment and wisdom. And it’s no surprise to me that Hannah’s the one who wrote it.

 

The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God by R. P. C. Hanson

Hanson’s book was recommended to me by my doctoral supervisor as the best treatment of the Arian Controversy and the development of Nicene-Constantinopolitan Christianity. I’ve read several others that are fantastic — Nicaea and Its Legacy, The Quest for the Trinity, and The Way to Nicaea chief among them — but none are as painstakingly thorough as this one.

Dying and the Virtues by Matthew Levering

I reviewed this book as a judge for the Theology/Ethics category of the Christianity Today 2018 Book Awards and was taken aback by how much I ended up enjoying it. On my ballot it was virtually tied with the eventual winner, Seeing God by Hans Boersma, but Levering’s work (as usual) paired theological acumen with pastoral reflection uniquely and powerfully.


The Apostles’ Creed by Ben Myers

A few good books have been written about The Apostles’ Creed, including a helpful one by my Doktorvater, What Christians Ought to Believe. Myers’s is unique because it is super compact — 168 pages but 5×7 inches — and reads like a catechetical devotional more than a theological textbook. We have our elders and staff reading through it right now as we prepare to preach a series on the Creed in 2019.