Baker Publishing Group is pleased to announce that nine titles across its imprints— Baker Academic, Brazos Press, Lexham Press (acquired), Revell and Bethany House—were selected as winners, finalists, or Award of Merit recipients Christianity Today 2025 Book Awards.

Each year, Christianity Today’s panel of editors, theologians, pastors, scholars, and writers evaluate hundreds of submissions across multiple categories. Baker Publishing Group celebrates the authors and editors whose work contributes meaningfully to conversations in the church and the world.

"We at Baker Publishing Group are honored by the recognition our titles have received this year in the Christianity Today Book Awards. It’s a testament to the work and dedication of the team here at BPG and to the authors we’re honored to work with.” says, Jesse Myers, President and CEO, Baker Publishing Group, “We have titles represented from Baker Academic, Brazos, Revell, and Bethany House as well as Lexham Press whose titles and authors we were pleased to welcome to BPG this year."

Baker Publishing Group Honorees

Award of Merit —Book of the Year; and 

Winner— Apologetics & Evangelism 

The Body God Gives: A Biblical Response to Transgender Theory 

by Robert S. Smith (Lexham Academic)

Robert S. Smith argues that God intends a person's gender to be grounded in the reality of his or her biological sex—the body God has given.

Winner — Biblical Studies 

Jesus and the Law of Moses: The Gospels and the Restoration of Israel within First-Century Judaism

by Paul T. Sloan (Baker Academic) 

This book explores the Synoptic Gospels’ depiction of Jesus as an authoritative teacher who heralds Israel’s restoration and participates in intra-Jewish debate about how to keep the Law.

Winner — Bible & Devotional

Reading the Psalms as Scripture

by James M. Hamilton Jr. and Matthew Damico (Lexham Press)

A richly coherent and accessible guide showing how the Psalms function as Scripture and how readers can engage them devotionally and theologically.

Finalists — Fiction

From the Valley We Rise

by Elizabeth Musser (Bethany House)

A moving, character-driven story of hope, resilience, and faith.

The Light on Horn Island

by Valerie Fraser Luesse (Revell)

A lyrical Southern novel blending mystery, beauty, and redemption against the backdrop of the Gulf Coast.

Finalist — Christian Living & Spiritual Formation

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

by David Zahl (Brazos Press)

A timely call to rediscover grace amid cultural exhaustion, anxiety, and endless striving.

Award of Merit — Theology (Academic)

Contesting the Body of Christ: Ecclesiology’s Revolutionary Century

by Myles Werntz (Baker Academic)

A sweeping historical and theological account of how the 20th century reshaped Christian understandings of the church.

Finalist-Theology Academic

Joining Creation’s Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness

by Brian Brock (Baker Academic)

Winner — Theology (Popular)

The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse

by Miroslav Volf (Brazos Press)

An internationally renowned theologian argues that rather than improving us as individuals and as a society, our ambition to be better than others actually diminishes us. 

Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.