Love Thy Stranger: How Jesus transformed our moral conscience by Bart Ehrman (Oneworld, £22 (£19.80); 978-1-83643-182-4)

“Kindness to strangers is not hardwired in our DNA. Nor was it esteemed by the great canon of ancient Western philosophy – the Greeks and Romans prioritised generosity to your friends and family. When Jesus told his followers to give up everything they owned to the poor, he heralded a moral revolution. The needy, the sick, the outcast were to be cared for – even if they were unknown to you. This was a tough pill to swallow for early Christians, and to this day, many insist Jesus didn’t really mean it. Nonetheless Jesus’ most radical commandment transformed the moral conscience of the West: its legacy lives on in public hospitals, the billions given in charity each year and even government welfare.”

Chaplaincy: The missional frontier, edited by Ian S. Markham and Elizabeth H. Clarke (Wipf & Stock, £18 (£16.20); 979-8-3852-5823-9)

“This book shines a light on chaplaincy as one of the most dynamic frontiers in modern spiritual care, even as religious affiliation declines and traditional ministry spaces contract. Through first-person accounts from chaplains working in corrections, healthcare, education, the military, and more, readers encounter authentic stories of presence, compassion, and resilience. Representing a rich diversity of faiths, backgrounds, and institutional settings, these chaplains serve in moments and places often overlooked by organized religion—where the need for hope, dignity, and justice-minded care is both profound and urgent.”

The Old Testament in 48 Hours by Keith Bodner (Cascade Books, £19 (£17.10); 979-8-3852-3681-7)

“This short volume is designed as a guidebook to accompany the journey of reading the Old Testament, and is targeted to those who need some assistance to get through the thirty-nine books of the Hebrew Bible. With an emphasis on the major events and characters of the storyline, each of the forty-eight chapters provides an overview of each book (or a portion of a book) that includes important summaries and a fresh translation of some key texts. Recognizing that study of the Bible in our present day is becoming more diverse but also more interesting than ever, this volume will help all kinds of readers connect with the overall plot and relevant details of the Old Testament, and prepare them to continue the adventure of biblical studies.”

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