CGS Library New Book Titles Spring 2026

 
   The titles below have been added to the CGS Library and are now available for your reading
pleasure. They may be found on the new book shelf (top shelf of the book truck) or may already be found on the bookshelves. We use a modified form of the Dewey Decimal classification system by which the books are arranged. The numbers in bold following each title (e.g.        
263 Arm) are the Dewey numbers you can use to locate the books on the shelves. If you have any questions (What library?, What is a book truck?, How do I use the Dewey system?, etc.), your friendly librarian (that’s me, Paul) will be happy to help.
 
Armas, Kat. Liturgies for resisting empire : seeking community, belonging, and peace in a dehumanizing world. Grand Rapids, MI : Brazos Press, 2025. 205 p. 263 Arm
    In Liturgies for Resisting Empire, Cuban American writer Kat Armas breaks down the images and idols of empire. She reveals how early Christians resisted the lies of empire by building communities of belonging and liberation that valued people over power, and she shows us how we can do the same today.
    "A powerful roadmap for decolonizing faith and life. With prose that is both poetic and prophetic, Kat skillfully leads us through accessible liturgies that offer practical ways to resist empire's grip on our bodies, communities, and spirits. I especially loved how Liturgies for Resisting Empire offers a healing vision of belonging where Indigenous wisdom is honored and true kinship becomes possible in harmony with the whole community of creation."-- Randy Woodley, author of Journey to Eloheh, and Becoming Rooted
 
Barker, James W. Writing and rewriting the Gospels : John and the synoptics. Grand Rapids, MI : Erdmans,  2025. 204 p.  226.506 Bar
    “Writing and Rewriting the Gospels is a significant and stimulating work that deserves the close attention of New Testament scholars. It challenges established assumptions, reinvigorates old debates, and opens new lines of inquiry into how the story of Jesus came to be told and retold in written form. While some of its claims invite further testing and dialogue, the book succeeds as a creative and substantive contribution to this field. Scholars interested in the literary formation of the gospels, the relationship between John and the Synoptics, and the theological dynamics of early Christian narratives will find this volume to be a thought-provoking and valuable resource.”― Review of Biblical Literature
 
Barr, Beth Allison. The making of biblical womanhood : how the subjugation of women became Gospel truth. Grand Rapids, MI : Brazos Press, 2024. 244 p. 220.83 Bar
    "This book has the power to help Christians build a faith where 'there is neither male nor female,' to liberate women from patriarchal hierarchies, and to heal the pain inflicted by countless churches. I have waited my entire adult life for a book like this."--Jonathan Merritt, contributing writer for The Atlantic; author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch
 
Ehrman, Bart D. Love thy stranger : how the teachings of Jesus transformed the moral conscience of the West. N.Y. : Simon and Schuster, 2026. xii, 266 p.  241 Ehr
  For centuries, Greek and Roman moral philosophers prioritized generosity towards friends and family. Even Old Testament exhortations to love your neighbor gave little reason to consider the suffering of those beyond your own community.
  Jesus changed all this, introducing a revolutionary new ethical obligation to love those you didn’t even know—unconditionally—and to demonstrate that love through acts of care. The implications of this radical commandment would be debated, misunderstood, and resisted by early Christians. But by the fifth century, a new “common sense” began to transform the moral conscience—and the politics—of the West.
  In Love Thy Stranger, New Testament historian Bart D. Ehrman charts the causes and consequences of this ethical revolution with his signature sly humor and verve. For in this moment of renewed debate over the limitations of Christian love, Jesus’ most demanding commandment remains a thrillingly provocative one, even two millennia on.— Google Books
 
Lambert, Zach. Better ways to read the Bible : transforming a weapon of harm into a tool of healing / with a foreword by Sarah Bessey. Grand Rapids, MI  : Brazos Press, 2025. 201 p.  
   220 Lam   
    "A wide-ranging and cogent guide to seeing scripture in a new light. Disenchanted Christians will be energized."--Publishers Weekly
    "Lambert will challenge you, encourage you, and show you how, even amid theological differences, Christians should be known first for our love."--Beth Allison Barr, professor, Baylor University; New York Times bestselling author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood
 
Levine, Amy-Jill. The Gospel of John : a beginner’s guide to the way, the truth, and the life. Nashville : Abingdon, 2024. 137 p.  226.506 Lev
    John’s Gospel offers readers a new language―of being born anew, of living water, of wind and spirit, of the “I am”―that enhances how we understand the divine, how we experience the world, and how we participate in the mystery of faith.
    With her characteristic wit and charm, Amy-Jill Levine introduces readers to the world of the Gospel of John by unpacking the stories in their original context, along with examining how the text is read today. This book considers the Gospel of John in its entirety.
 
Papandrea, James L. The original Church : what it meant and still means to be a Christian. New York : Scepter, 2025. 121 p. 270 Pap
    What if the Church was never meant to stay frozen in time— nor blown around by it? The Original Church cuts through the noise of tradition versus trend to rediscover what Jesus actually intended when he said, "On this rock I will build my Church." The earliest Christians weren't stuck in the past, nor were they chasing relevance— they were rooted, growing, and guided by a clear purpose. This book explores how the Church can develop without drifting, grow without losing its core, and how every believer can live with conviction in a world that keeps shifting. The Christian faith is a compass, not a weathervane.
 
Tabor, James D. The lost Mary : rediscovering the mother of Jesus. New York : Alfred Knopf, 2025. 217 p. 232.91 Tab
    “In The Lost Mary, renowned historian James Tabor launches a bold quest to rediscover the historical Mary, mother of Jesus. Far from the passive, deified figure of Christian tradition, the real Mary was a Jewish woman shaped by the revolutionary fervor of her time. Tabor restores her voice, her faith, her motherhood, and, most of all, her humanity, in this groundbreaking portrait that challenges everything we thought we knew about the origins of Christianity.” —Reza Aslan, author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
    “Gospels, histories, legends, traditions, archaeological artifacts: James Tabor brings all these sources to bear as he retells the story of Mary, the mother not only of Jesus but also of the movement that he championed. The Lost Mary effects an imaginative repatriation of this ancient and elusive figure, vividly conjuring both her character and the times that she lived in. Tabor’s Mary is ‘lost’ no more.” — Paula Fredriksen, author of When Christians Were Jews: The First Generation
    “Mary mother of Jesus, perhaps the most poorly-understood person who ever lived, could not find a better modern interpreter than James Tabor, whose life-long training in both archaeology and textual studies has given him the keys to, for the first time, construct a convincing portrayal of this enigmatic figure.” — John Dominic Crossan, author of The Historical Jesus
 
Thomas, Joash P. The justice of Jesus : reimagining your church’s life together to pursue liberation and wholeness. Grand Rapids, MI : Brazos Press, 2025. 190 p. 241.622 Tho
    "Joash's deep love for the church shines from every page as he invites us all into the group project of liberation."
--Sarah Bessey, editor of the New York Times bestseller A Rhythm of Prayer.
    "Pastorally disruptive and brilliantly convicting. This book can change the church if we will let it."--Beth Allison    Barr, professor, Baylor University.
    "A timely and courageous gift to the global church, this book will leave you grateful for its depth, clarity, and uncompromising authenticity."-- Danielle Strickland, author, speaker, and advocate
 
Wolfmueller, Bryan. Has American Christianity failed? St. Louis, MO : Concordia, 2016. 250 p.
  230.41 Wolf
    "Bryan Wolfmueller has done us all a great favor. Whether you are a disappointed or disenfranchised American Christian wondering whether there's a more substantial option, you will be enriched by this book. Bryan writes candidly about his own personal journey through American pop Christianity toward Lutheranism, admitting he found the Lutheran Church sadly wanting at first. But like Martin Luther before him, Bryan has been persuaded by the clear teaching of Scripture. The result is a persuasive apologetic for the Lutheran confession of the Christ-centered biblical Gospel over against the me-centered gospel of American Christianity. Read it for yourself first, then pass it along to others looking for living water in the desert that American Christianity has become."-- Dr. Harold L Senkbeil, Executive Director for Spiritual Care, DOXOLOGY: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel
 
 
 
                                                                  Childrens Books
 
Akers, Daneen. Dear Mama God. Watchfire, 2023. J 231.4 Ak
    Combining stunning illustrations with simple yet profound prayers, "Dear Mama God" is the perfect children's book to introduce children (and their adults) to the heart-expanding practice of referring to the divine in feminine form. The text thanks Mama God for trees for birds to nest in, hula hoops for dogs to jump through, paper to draw on, cozy fires, loving hearts, and the universe that is our home. The illustrations invite readers into a luminous, comforting presence.
 
Henkes, Kevin. Waiting : a gentle story about patience and imagination for kids. N.Y. : Greenwillow, 2015. A Caldecott Honor book.  J [Fic] Hen
    Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected?
    Waiting is a big part of childhood—waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for something special to happen—but in this book, a child sets the stage and pulls the strings. Timeless, beautiful, and deeply heartfelt, this picture book about imaginative play, the seasons, friendship, and surprises is a Caldecott Honor and Geisel Honor Book.
 
 
Spier, Peter. Noah’s Ark. N.Y. : Doubleday, c1977. A Caldecott Medal winner.  J 222.11 Spi
    "The book is a triumph, the definitive Noah's Ark."--Publishers Weekly
    Winner of the Caldecott Medal, an ALA Notable Children's Book, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Peter Spier's Noah's Ark has been the iconic edition of this tale for over 40 years, in print continuously since its debut in 1977. 
    In Spier's imaginative retelling, readers witness the danger and the grandeur of the terrifying flood but also the lighter moments: Noah's wife jumping on a crate to avoid the rats; Noah shooing all but two bees from a busy hive; and all the animal babies being born in the spring. It's an illustration feat that's both majestic and tender.
 
Underwood, Deborah. Outside in : a poetic nature story about our connection to the outdoors for Kids (Ages 4–8). Boston : Clarion, 2020. A Caldecott Medal winner.
   J [Fic] Und
    "[M]uch subtler and smarter than all those put-down-your-screen stories kids get hit with, and the atmospheric watercolors on these pages mesmerize. Now, more than ever, we need books to remind us that Outside 'beckons with smells, sunbaked, fresh, and mysterious.'" --NPR, Best Books of 2020 ★
    "[A] love letter to nature....Lushness without sweetness—wild, darkly romantic, and exquisite."—Kirkus, STARRED review ★
    "This gorgeous celebration of nature is a stirring invitation to play." --School Library Journal, STARRED review
 
Wallace, Adam, and, Andy Elkerton. How to catch the Easter Bunny. Naperville, IL : Sourcebooks Wonderland, 2017.  J [Fic] Wall
    "How to Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace brings readers on a rollicking adventure chasing the Easter Bunny as he delivers his eggs...This is a story that will amp up any reader’s anticipation to celebrate Easter." ― San Francisco Book Review
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