Naming God: Addressing the divine in philosophy, theology and scripture by Janet Soskice (Cambridge University Press, £30 (£27); 978-1-108-83446-9).

“Soskice argues that contemporary understandings of divinity could be transformed by a return to a venerable analogical tradition of divine naming. These ancient titles — drawn from scripture — were chanted and sung, crafted and invoked (in polyphony and plainsong) as they were woven into the worship of the faithful. However, during the sixteenth century Descartes moved from ‘naming’ to ‘defining’ God via a series of metaphysical attributes. This made God a thing among things: a being amongst beings. For the author, reclaiming divine naming is not only overdue. It can also re-energize the relationship between philosophy and religious tradition.” 


Small Miracles by Anne Booth (Vintage, £8.99 (£8.09); 978-1-529-11487-4). New in paperback.

“In the summer of 1995, three nuns play the lottery to save their failing convent and set off on an adventure to Italy in search of a miracle. A joyful, heart-warming story of friendship, community, faith and love.” 


What to Believe? Twelve brief lessons in radical theology by John. D. Caputo (Columbia University Press, £22 (£19.80); 978-0-231-21095-9).

“If you no longer ‘believe in God,’ the Supreme Being of classical theology, or you never did in the first place, is there anything you still ought to believe, anything you should cherish unconditionally, no matter what? In this lively and accessible book, addressed to believers, ‘recovering’ believers, disbelievers, nonbelievers, and ‘nones’ alike-to anyone in search of what they really do believe-the acclaimed philosopher and theologian John D. Caputo seeks out what there is to believe, with or without religion.” 

Selected by Frank Nugent, of the Church House Bookshop, which operates the Church Times Bookshop.