The best read religion stories of the year include interviews with David Platt, Beth Moore, and Shannon Harris, a look a Christian fiction through the eyes of ECPA executive director Jeff Crosby, the deaths of two bestselling authors Sarah Young and Tim Keller, and more.
10. Colleen Hoover’s Effect on Christian Romance
Religion publishers discuss the star author’s impact on the category of contemporary Christian romance, with many revealing increased interest in the genre that can be traced to Hoover’s hits.
9. Pastor and Bestselling Author Tim Keller Dies at 72
Rev. Tim Keller, a pioneering pastor of the multi-site megachurch phenomenon and who wrote 28 books on every aspect of Christian life and theology, died on May 19, 2023.
8. Renouncing the American Gospel: PW Talks to David Platt
Megachurch pastor and bestselling author David Platt discussed his new book, Don’t Hold Back, including its critique of Americans for prioritizing “comfort, power, politics, and prosperity” over what he calls “the true Gospel of Jesus.”
7. Lysa TerKeurst Tops in Religion Nonfiction Bestsellers ‘Redeeming Love’ Remains #1
Proverbs 31 Ministry president and bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst landed at #1 in Religion Nonfiction with her book Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, which detailed the author’s divorce. In an interview with PW, TerKeurst described the techniques she uses for self-preservation and why. “Biblically speaking, I discovered that boundaries are not just a good idea, they’re actually God’s idea,” she said.
6. Seeing the Light on Religious Fiction
Jeff Crosby, the executive director of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, is embracing Christian fiction after years as a skeptic, in large part because of the genre’s progress when it comes to adding more diverse voices and a greater range of topics.
5. A Love for Women: PW Talks to Beth Moore
Beth Moore, a Bible teacher whose books have sold over 17.5 million copies since 1994, tells the story of her life in All My Knotted Up Life—the first book since announcing her split from the Southern Baptist denomination in 2021.
4. Jesus Calling Author Sarah Young’s Health is ‘Rapidly Failing’
In August, Thomas Nelson confirmed that Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling—one of the most successful devotionals of all time—was experiencing a health crisis.
3. Religion Page-to-Screen Adaptations in 2023
PW compiled a list of several books with religious themes headed to the silver screen, including ‘Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist,’ ‘Jesus Revolution,’ and ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’
2. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling Author, Dies at 77
One day after PW confirmed the author’s health crisis, Sarah Young, whose 2004 title Jesus Calling is one of the most successful devotionals of all time, died on August 31.
1. A Memoir's Sharp Look at Christian Marriage
PW spoke with author Shannon Harris about purity culture, evangelical Christianity, and her book, The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife. “I wanted to contribute my story to the discussion about churches misusing power and authority,” she said. “I believe women need to share our stories so we can bolster each other's courage. It takes a lot of guts to be the woman you are rather than the woman people want you to be.”
