Hundreds of books pass through our offices each year, ranging from Left Behind imitators to Prayer of Jabez knockoffs to self-published works about hidden numerical codes that prove God's existence.
But then comes the opportunity to consider more than 200 entries in our annual Book Awards contest. Long-standing evangelical publishing houses, daring new imprints, university publishers—all send us what they consider the best of their work that would be of interest to Christianity Today readers. Most of these entries renew our respect for the thousands of Christians involved in publishing books.
One of our judges raised a helpful point: Some books face wider competition than others do. With that in mind, we will mention how many nominees appeared in each category.
The past year was a rich one for thoughtful works by Christians. Here are the books our judges— 200 pastors, scholars, and church leaders—considered the worthiest this year.
Apologetics/Evangelism10 NomineesTruth or Consequences:
The Promise & Perils of Postmodernism
Millard J. Erickson InterVarsity
Biblical Studies20 NomineesJustification and Variegated Nomism:
A Fresh Appraisal of Paul and Second Temple Judaism
D. A. Carson, Peter T. O'Brien, Mark A. Seifrid, eds.Baker Academic
Christian Living45 NomineesIf You Want to Walk on Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat
John Ortberg Zondervan
Christianity and Culture (tie)37 NomineesEncountering Religious Pluralism:
The Challenge to Christian Faith & Mission
Harold Netland InterVarsity
Christianity and Culture (tie)37 NomineesA Visit to Vanity Fair:
Moral Essays on the Present Age
Alan Jacobs Brazos
The Church/Pastoral Leadership26 Nominees
Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacling of God
Marva J. Dawn Eerdmans
Fiction22 NomineesA Common Life:
The Wedding Story
Jan Karon Viking
History/Biography27 NomineesHeaven Below:
Early Pentecostals and American Culture
Grant Wacker Harvard
Missions/Global Affairs11 NomineesNo Other Gods Before Me?:
Evangelicals and the Challenge of World Relgions
John G. Stackhouse Jr., ed.Baker Academic
Spirituality24 NomineesGrowing Pains:
Learning to Love My Father's Faith
Randall Balmer Brazos
Theology/Ethics46 NomineesWith the Grain of the Universe:
The Church's Witness and Natural Theology
Stanley Hauerwas Brazos
Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere
To order any of these books click on the book covers above or visit Christianbook.com.
Also appearing on our site today:
No Longer Left BehindAn insider's look at how Christian books are agented, acquired, packaged, branded, and sold in today's marketplace.
Christianity Today reviews of books listed above include:
God's Peculiar PeopleHistorian Grant Wacker explains in Heaven Below why Pentecostals survived and even flourished. (March 18, 2002)
The Upscaling of an EvangelicalIn Growing Pains, Randall Balmer returns to his father's faith—with qualifications and hesitations. (Jan. 22, 2002)
The Virtue of UnoriginalityThe old kind of Christian is the best hope for church renewal. (Paril 4, 2002)
Christianity Today sister publication Christian HistoryreviewedHeaven Below in August. An excerpt from the book is available on our site.
Christianity Today columnist Andy Crouch reviewedA New Kind of Christian for Christianity Today's sister publication Books & Culture.
See our earlier book awards for 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, and 1997, as well as our Books of the Twentieth Century.
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association also makes its recommendations of the best books of the year.
For other coverage or reviews, see our Books archive.
