1517's Favorite Books from 2025
By 1517 Staff
12/29/25
17mins

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
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
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

Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
05/15/25

Why We Worship

“The fear of the Lord” is our heart’s awakening to and recognition of God’s outrageous goodness.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
05/09/25

Church Attendance Increases in New Study—But Can We Trust It?

We needn’t fear statistics and studies as palm readings into a certain future. God is God, and his Spirit is alive through his Word.
Seth Moorman
Seth Moorman
05/07/25

A Kingdom Without Smoke: What the Conclave Can't Decide

The church does not await a verdict; she proclaims one.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/22/25

A Review of The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World

Dave weaves together music, movies, and documentaries to illustrate all the ways we seek relief—and then, full and free, he connects our need to Christ’s gift.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
04/22/25

What does Pope Francis’ Death Mean to Protestants?

While I disagree with many things Francis did and believed, I think he deserves credit for this: Francis showed us what Christian leadership can look like.
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
04/17/25

From Eden to Easter: Suffering in Gethsemane

This is the fourth installment in our series, From Eden to Easter: Life and Death in the Garden. Each day throughout Holy Week, we will take a special look at the gardens and wildernesses of Scripture, and in particular, these scenes' connections to Christ's redemption won for us on the cross.
1517 Staff
1517 Staff
04/08/25

Giving Up Lent, For Lent

On second thought: Keep Lent, but sacrifice your concept of it.
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
04/03/25

Psalm 8 From the Mouth of Babes: Why do you care, O Lord?

The Psalm now is this: as Christ suffered and then was exalted, so we are also in him.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
03/27/25

The Proclamation of Paint

How intentional will we be about utilizing gospel spaces that already inescapably communicate?
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
03/25/25

The Wounds We Run From: Severance and the Healing Found in Suffering

Devoid of the gospel of Jesus’s death and resurrection, sufferers are left to frantically run the halls of self-salvation, turning this way and that but never getting anywhere.
A.J. Vega
A.J. Vega
03/12/25

The “I” in Church

We are called to believe in the church even when we don’t believe in the church.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
03/11/25

The Wound and the Well

The great lie of addiction is that suffering must be fled, must be numbed, must be drowned out by any means necessary.
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