(RNS) — In a year marked by political violence and collective unease, writers on religion and spirituality offered reflections on faith where it is most contested — in national histories and in communities shaped by conflict and loss — and where it is most intimate: in marriages and families, in spiritual practices and in the body itself.
The books that RNS covered this year, along with several honorable mentions, reflect not only what people believed in 2025, but how those beliefs shaped lives, institutions, news and culture. Some of the titles challenged long-held assumptions or explored spirituality beyond congregational walls, including some broader cultural shifts that have made organized religion feel increasingly, as one author put it, “obsolete.” Together, they offered readers tools for understanding the history, power and costs involved in holding religious ideals.
At the same time, 2025’s standout religion and spirituality books did not abandon hope. Whether through theology emerging from Palestinian Christian communities or personal narratives of spiritual awakening, these works suggest that faith remains a source of creativity, resistance and renewal.
“Awake” by Jen Hatmaker
Jen Hatmaker married at 19, and for 26 years her life seemed an enviable evangelical Christian success story: along with hosting a home renovation TV show, she had a thriving career as an author and women’s ministry leader. She shared her home with a husband who …