May 20, 2026

In His Final Book, Robert Wuthnow Looks Left
The Religious Left (NYU Press, June) sees the influential scholar of faith in American public life examine the hits and misses of progressive religious advocacy. It’s his 44th book, and likely his last—but he has an idea for one more. more

Fighting Poverty and a ‘Rogue President’: PW Talks with David Beckmann
In Poverty Abolitionists (Bloomsbury, May), the former leader of Bread for the World aims to spark a movement to confront poverty, a social ill he says “we know how to end.” One key step, he writes, is electing Democrats. more

Dharma Publishing Relaunches
The 51-year-old Buddhist publisher is looking to make a comeback by rebranding and reissuing texts by its founding lama, Tarthang Tulku, as well as adding new commentaries to its catalog. more

Religion Book Deals: May 20, 2026
Among recent religion book deals are a prolific children’s book author’s adult debut, advice for making decisions as Jesus would, guidance for stressed-out women, and more.

IVP Lines Up New Old Testament Commentary
InterVarsity Press’s academic imprint is convening a “multiethnic” group of scholars to put together The Old Testament in Color, tentatively scheduled for 2030. “The volume will build on the groundbreaking foundation” of IVP’s 2024 commentary The New Testament in Color, said editor Rachel Hastings. more

Good Lessons from Bad Actors: PW Talks With Anthony Pinn
In Biblical Outlaws (Yale, June), the secular humanist professor argues that believers and atheists alike should read the Bible from a new perspective—one that finds value in characters who are traditionally vilified, marginalized, or mocked. more

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‘Climate Migration: A Christian Call to Action in a Warming World’ by Chris Doran
Doran, a religion professor at Pepperdine University, outlines in this fiery manifesto a Christian response to the mounting crisis of climate change–driven migration. Though he offers relatively few concrete action items, Doran’s assessment of the current state of the world is urgent and theologically rich, if sometimes mired in jargon. This passionate cri de coeur will be particularly useful to pastors and other faith leaders. more

‘Fish with Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God’ by Janet Kellogg Ray
Christian hostility toward evolutionary theory needlessly isolates believers from the modern world, contends science writer Ray in this lively account. She traces the long path of how Homo sapiens slowly emerged from the universe’s “primordial soup” and rebuts widespread creationist counterarguments, including that the continued existence of monkeys precludes an evolutionary link with humans. It adds up to an energetic and accessible defense of the marriage between science and faith. more

‘Of Mud & Lotuses: Dreaming the Lives of Buddhist Women’ by Paula Arai
Buddhist teacher Arai aims in this unique history to resurrect the oft-ignored legacy of women in Buddhism. Arai offers a refreshingly expansive and wide-ranging corrective to a religious history that has sometimes been shadowed by misogyny, though readers might wish for more immersion in the worlds she conjures. Still, it’s an enlightening perspective on Buddhist tradition with plenty of vital questions for further study. more

‘The Happiness Crisis: How Adversity Can Build a Resilient and Joyful Next Generation’ by Jonathan Eckert
Today’s young people must adopt a fresh perspective toward what it means to live a good life, according to this no-nonsense manifesto. While Eckert is prone to hammering home his main points, his argument is robust, well-explained, and bolstered by ample examples from his 30 years as an educator. Parents, guardians, and teachers will find much to ponder. more

Janet Tamez, a recent graduate of the Pace University Publishing Program, perused books at the exhibit hall at the Protestant Church–owned Publishers Association annual conference April 24 in Hazelwood, Mo.
Photo: Weston Burton, Shady Hill Company

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