By 1517 Staff

12/29/25

1min

1517's Favorite Books from 2025

Below is a list of our favorite theological books - across all categories - from 2025. A special thanks to our contributors who submitted titles, wrote summaries and full reviews for these books and more throughout the year.

The Scandal and Splendor of the Savior’s Birth

Bradley Gray

12/26/25

The Scandal and Splendor of the Savior’s Birth

Every sinner can trace their salvation back to this moment when the Savior was born in accordance with the Word of God so that all of God’s words would be realized.

What to Preach and Not to Preach at Christmas

Steven Paulson

12/25/25

What to Preach and Not to Preach at Christmas

Christmas is not for remembering, thinking, pondering, trying to make sure you are really celebrating it properly, or for wondering whether you truly have faith.

All Articles

Kyle G. Jones

10/05/21

The Bible and How to Read It - Part 3: How Do I Understand It?

We must be careful in how we use Bible verses to establish Scriptural truth both to others and to ourselves.

Martin Luther

09/25/21

Repentance In Your Name vs. Repentance In Christ's Name

To repent in his name is done thus: in those who believe in Christ God through the same faith works a change for the better, not for a moment, nor for an hour, but for their whole life.

Kevin Hale

09/14/21

Paying Attention to Genre in Scripture

While all Scripture is the self-revelation of God, not all Scripture should be read in the same way.

Bradley Gray

09/13/21

Free Indeed

Jesus’s freedom is different. It isn’t meant to indicate that the moorings which tether men and women to what is true, beautiful, and holy are unfastened, liberating them to do anything they please.

Martin Luther

09/10/21

Hypocrites and Work-Saints

The upright, in whom the law has exercised its work, when they feel their sickness and weakness, say: God will help me; I trust in him; I build upon him; he is my rock and hope.

Donavon Riley

08/13/21

Luther versus Erasmus: Bound to be Free (Part 3)

Erasmus laid out his argument for a theology of grace and free will in much the same way modern Protestants have done since the Enlightenment.

Martin Luther |

Haroldo Camacho

08/12/21

The Eighth Beatitude: The Persecution of the Gospel

As long as the church teaches the gospel, it will suffer persecution.

Scott Davis

07/31/21

The Gospel and the Boy Who Cried Wolf

It isn’t that God struggles to believe our repeated cries of “wolf.” Rather, we struggle to believe God when he repeatedly comes to us with forgiveness and mercy on his lips.

Scott Keith

07/26/21

That's a Good Question: What Should we do When the Church Lets us Down?

The Church is where God has instituted the office of the preacher of the gospel. And if you are let-down, the gospel is what you need to hear.

Haroldo Camacho

07/01/21

The Second Beatitude: From Tears to Joy

The giver of life, the source of joy, stands weeping together with the human family as they grieve under the curse of sin.

John Bombaro

06/27/21

First Principles of Preaching: The Verb Itself (Part 2)

The Christian sermon is Gospel preaching. We only preach the Gospel. Only the Gospel is the sermon, notwithstanding necessary admonishments of law and requisite exhortations toward sanctification.

Mark Mattes

06/23/21

A Guide to the Augsburg Confession

The reformers were compelled to confess the true faith and challenge corrupt practices—this is what the Augsburg Confession is about.

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