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"This new generation does not know him," Hyatt says.

Garrett says that religion books mirror the contentious nature of American culture. She expects books on atheism to remain big—with God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens released last month (following 2006 bestsellers like The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins)—along with books on religion and politics, Intelligent Design, and creationism.

"Books that seemed to do really well are the ones dealing with controversies," she says. "What you see in religion publishing is a reflection of a deeply divided country with some really sharp disagreements on some hot-button issues."

Books about the Gospel of Judas or other gnostic Gospels will also remain popular, Garrett predicts. "Mary Magdalene is fading from view, but Judas is coming on strong," she says.

Anti-gnostic books have had mixed results. Darrell Bock's Breaking the Da Vinci Code sold more than 500,000 copies, but N. T. Wright's Judas and the Gospel of Jesus "was a blip," says Garrett.

Michael G. Maudlin, editorial director of HarperSanFrancisco, says that despite market pressures, editors and publishers still often go with their gut and choose books they think are important, rather than simply profitable.

HarperSanFrancisco (which was renamed HarperOne) published Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade—and How We Can Fight It by David Batstone as a tie-in to Amazing Grace, the William Wilberforce biopic.

"It's really hard to sell a book on human trafficking. People tend not to want to buy books about bad news," Maudlin says.

Maudlin also cites several recent bestsellers that have thrived based on quality writing, rather than a platform, including Blue Like Jazz.

"His success is due to his writing," says Maudlin, "not because he's got a famous church or television program. That's been encouraging."

Bob Smietana is features editor for The Covenant Companion and co-author of G.P. Taylor: Sin, Salvation and Shadowmancer.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Reviews, excerpts, and other articles on recent books are available in our special section.

'What's Next: Publishing & Broadcasting' tells what evangelical leaders say are the priorities and challenges for the next 50 years.

Christianity Today's coverage of books mentioned in this article includes:

Travel Writing from the Afterlife | If the Bible doesn't quench your curiosity on what it's like in heaven and hell, we have two new firsthand accounts. (May 30, 2006)

Familiar Word | Famous black voices eagerly join audio Bible project. (December 14, 2006)

The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals | Landmark titles that changed the way we think, talk, witness, worship, and live. (October 6, 2006)

Heard Any Good Books Lately? | Audio is the new medium, and Christian publishers are getting the message. (June 1, 2006)

Forget Your Bliss | The success of The Purpose-Driven Life reveals a cultural opportunity. A Christianity Today editorial. (March 1, 2004)

A Better Storyteller | Donald Miller helps culturally conflicted evangelicals make peace with their faith. (June 1, 2007)

What (Not All) Women Want | The finicky femininity of 'Captivating' by John and Stasi Eldredge. (August 1, 2006)

Jesus Out of Focus | The Da Vinci Code is raising issues that go to the heart of the Christian faith—and it's starting to confuse us all. (June 1, 2006)

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June 2007, Vol. 51, No. 6