Your next summer reads 

Trevor suggests some books for the coming months, some of the best of what he’s read in 2026.

A book for those who are looking for thought-provoking theology:

God’s Homecoming by Tom Wright.
This is the latest work from one of the most respected, and certainly the most prolific, New Testament scholars of the last 50 years. Tom Wright is best known as the author of The New Testament for Everyone series, a collection of accessible and insightful commentaries on every book from Matthew to Revelation. One of his greatest gifts is his skill in making us rethink the assumptions that many of us may have made about the Bible since the days when they were drilled into us in Sunday School. God’s Homecoming provides a fresh examination of a crucial subject, God’s plans for the world when his new creation is finally and fully ushered in. Wright explains that our future hope does not consist of a disembodied life in heaven, but rather that God’s heaven will come to a renewed earth. The book finishes with helpful exploration of the implications of this theology for how we worship and pray, as well as how we share the gospel.

A book for those who are looking for practical advice on living as a Christian in 2026:

The Body Teaches the Soul by Justin Whitmel Earley.
Justin Whitmel Earley is an American author, who offers a different perspective to most Christian writers. Instead of leading a church, he manages a business law practice in Richmond, Virginia, an experience which means his books have a healthy realism about the pressures most of us face in our working lives. As its title suggests, The Body Teaches the Soul explores the relationship between our physical bodies and our faith, offering practical advice on issues we don’t often talk about in church, but have a significant impact on our spiritual health. Topics covered include the importance of sleep, exercise and what we eat. The book is divided into ten relatively short chapters, meaning it can be read and reflected upon at a pace that will suit most of us.

A book for those who are wondering where God is in difficult times:

Luminous Dark by Alain Emerson.
Those of us who use the Lectio 365 devotional app may be familiar with Alain Emerson, a leader of Emmanuel Church in Lurgan and also a trustee of 24/7 Prayer Ireland. Published almost 10 years ago, Luminous Dark tells the story of the Alain Emerson’s first wife, who died from cancer at the age of just 23. Given the subject matter, it’s a painful read in places but also one of the most honest explorations of suffering (both theologically and practically) that I’ve read in recent years.