The Vanishing Church
How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us
Ryan P. Burge
Brazos Press, 216 pages | Published January 13, 2026
Professor Ryan Burge is known for solid research and analysis of the American religious landscape. Here, he tackles the current polarization in the pews, tracing its history through surveys, to show that it’s a recent phenomenon and reflection of our current political climate.
The Vanishing Church is chock full of data, carefully presented in prose as well as charts, accompanied by a narrative that’s never dry. Burge writes as a moderate Baptist who deeply loves the church and yet has had to pastor churches through closure, which enables him to treat the data with both urgency and gentleness. He makes a compelling case that the moderate church, specifically mainline denominations – like the PC(USA) – is worth fighting for.
Climate Justice, Climate Hope
Building a Moral Economy
Michael Malcom and abby mohaupt
Fortress Press, 132 pages | Published October 14, 2025
Pastors and activists Michael Malcom and abby mohaupt approach the impacts of climate change from a unique angle — that of the moral economy, in which people live out the biblical call to care for one another. They draw heavily on the story of Ruth and Boaz, explaining practices (like gleaning) that prevent exploitation, and lifting Boaz’s incorporation of Ruth and Naomi into his familial community as a model for covenantal living today.
For such a challenging topic, Climate Justice, Climate Hope reads like a curious conversation, filled with humorous asides. It covers familiar territory, such as environmental racism and divestment, in fresh ways, differentiating between fossil-fueled capitalism (predatory) and faithful capitalism (businesses where people/planet/profit coexist).
Dead Man Walking
Graphic Edition
Helen Prejean/Script by Rose Vines, Catherine Anyango Grunewald, illustrator
Random House, 304 pages | Published October 28, 2025
A nun’s work as spiritual counselor to a death row inmate seems an unlikely topic for a graphic novel, yet this new take on Sister Helen Prejean brings fresh urgency to the question of the death penalty. Dead Man Walking: Graphic Edition handles the stories of two death row inmates and their brutal crimes with candor and tenderness, as Prejean counsels them to take responsibility and lean into Jesus’ love. The graphic edition fuses Prejean’s personal religious awakening (from a young nun whose only interest in the poor was to pray for them to social justice advocate) with our country’s growing concern that the death penalty is inconsistently applied across racial and socio-economic groups. The authors deftly explain landmark legislation, Supreme Court cases, and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that surrounds death penalty cases. The book is an excellent companion to Prejean’s earlier writing and to the popular film of the same name, but it also stands alone to introduce older teens and others to this story.
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