Thursdays with Jesus (TWJ)

Thursdays with Jesus is a book discussion group that meets each Thursday from 10:30am-noon. The group meets online with an 'in person' option the first Thursday of each month. Join us on Zoom each week for a great discussion!

TWJ Book List

The following books have been suggested for consideration for our next read:

The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land (Aziz Abu Sarah, Maoz Inon, 2026) (Julia R)
Abundance: How We Build a Better Future (Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, 2025) (Brian W)
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks From the Stone Age to AI (Yuval N. Harari, 2024) (Brian W)
Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus (Elaine Pagels, 2025) (Merry M)
Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, 2017) (Brian W)
Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America From the Culture of Contempt (Arthur C. Brooks, 2019)
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism (Naomi Klein, 2007) (Brian W)
Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist (Eli Saslow, 2018) (Brian W)
Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus (Robin Meyers, 2009) (Merry M)
God And Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now (John Dominic Crossan, 2009, rev. 2020) (Brian W)
Render Unto Caesar: The Struggle Over Christ and Culture in the New Testament (John Dominic Crossan, 2022) (Brian W)
Beyond Contempt: How Liberals Can Communicate Across the Great Divide (Erica Etelson, 2019) (Elizabeth M)
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life (Dacher Keltner, 2024) (Merry M)
The Empathic God: A Clinical Theology of At-Onement (Frank Woggon, 2024) (Julia R)
Talking to My Daughter About the Economy: Or, How Capitalism Works--and How It Fails (Yanis Varoufakis, 2018) (Jean H)
Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind (Roger Walsh, 2000) (Jack W)
Daughters of Miriam: Women Prophets in Ancient Israel (Wilda Gafney, 2008) (Karen P)

Previous Reads

The following are books we've recently read together

How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (David Brooks, 2023) (February 2026)
The Gospel of John (October 2025)
The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage (Richard Rohr, 2025) (June 2025)
The Gospel of Matthew (December 2024)
Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife (Bart D. Ehrman, 2020) (May 2024)
The Gospel of Mark (February 2024)
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion (Greg Boyle, 2011) (December 2023)
Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage (Anne Lamott, 2021) (September 2023)
Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, 2020) (June 2023)
Pastrix: The Cranky Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint (Nadia Bolz-Weber, 2013) (April 2023)
How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee (Bart D. Ehrman, 2014) (January 2023)
Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life (Henri J.M. Nouwen • 2013) (November 2022)
Do I Stay Christian: A Guide for Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned (Brian C. McLaren • 2022) (July 2022)
Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way and Presence (Diana Butler Bass • 2021) (April 2022)
After Jesus Before Christianity: A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements (Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, Hal Taussig, Westar Institute • 2021) (November 2021)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (Atul Gawande • 2014) (September 2021)
Unveiling Empire: Reading Revelation Then and Now (Wes Howard-Brook, Anthony Gwyther • 1999) (July 2021)
Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People (Nadia Bolz-Weber • 2015) (February 2021)
The Greatest Prayer: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of the Lord's Prayer (John Dominic Crossan • 2011) (December 2020)
Humankind: A Hopeful History (Rutger Bregman, Erica Moore, Elizabeth Manton • 2020) (July 2020)
The Common Good (Robert B. Reich • 2019) (April 2020)
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner • 2011) (January 2020)
Unbelievable: Why Neither Ancient Creeds Nor the Reformation Can Produce a Living Faith Today (John Shelby Spong • 2018) (October 2019)
Inspired: Slaying Gians, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again (Rachel Held Evans • 2018) (August 2019)
Finding Your Emotional Balance: A Guide for Women (Merry Noel Miller • 2015) (June 2019)
Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs (Johann Hari • 2016) (April 2019)
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life (Karen Armstrong • 2011) (February 2019)
Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (Richard Rohr • 2011) (January 2019)
Grateful: The Subversive Practice of Giving Thanks (Diana Butler Bass • 2018) (October 2018)
The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels (Jon Meachum • 2018) (August 2018)
What You're Getting Wrong About Appalachia (Elizabeth Catte • 2018) (July 2018)
The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church's Conservative Icon (John Dominic Crossan, Marcus Borg • 2009) (May 2018)
The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus' Final Days in Jerusalem (Marcus J. Borg, John Dominic Crossan • 2007) (March 2018)
Moral Combat: How Sex Divided American Christians and Fractured American Politics (R. Marie Griffith • 2017) (January 2018)
The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus' Birth (Marcus J. Borg, John Dominic Crossan • 2009) (December 2017)
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Robert Putnam • 2001) (September 2017)
Parables from the Back Side: Bible Stories with a Twist (J. Ellsworth Kalas • 1998) (June 2017)
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (J.D. Vance • 2016) (April 2017)
Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (Richard Rohr • 2016) (November 2016)
A Letter to My Anxious Christian Friends: From Fear to Faith in Unsettled Times (David P. Gushee • 2016) (September 2016)

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