Atonement, Justice and Peace: The Message of the Cross and the Mission of the Church by Darrin W. Snyder Belousek (Eerdmans, 2012, $55) offers a comprehensive and critical examination of penal substitution, the most widely accepted evangelical Protestant theory of atonement, and presents a biblically grounded, theologically orthodox alternative.

Go to Church, Change the World: Christian Community as Calling by Gerald J. Mast (Herald Press, 2012, $13.99) asserts that “going to church”—not just personal virtue or ethics—is at the heart of Christian vocation. Drawing on Anabaptist life and conviction, the book outlines Christ’s call to all believers to be the church, whether gathered for worship or scattered for service.

Forming Christian Habits in Post Christendom: The Legacy of Alan and Eleanor Kreider, edited by James R. Krabill and Stuart Murray (Herald Press, 2011, $22.99), brings together contributors, all affected by the Kreiders’ ministry, who form a global, multivoiced choir. The writers celebrate the lifelong contribution the Kreiders have made to forming the Christian habits necessary for living faithfully in the world where Christendom is unraveling.

After We’re Gone: A Christian Perspective on Estate and Life Planning for Families that Include a Dependent Member with a Disability by Duane Ruth-Heffelbower (Herald Press, 2012, $8.99) introduces options and resources for the Christian family and faith community as they interact with the legal system to make provisions for the ongoing care of loved ones with disabilities. This is a thorough revision of the 1987 edition.

Supportive Care in the Congregation: Providing a Congregational Network of Care for Persons with Significant Disabilities by Dean Preheim-Bartel, Aldred Neufeldt, Paul Leichty and Christine Guth (Herald Press, 2012, $8.99) is thoroughly revised and updated from a previous edition. An expanded chapter on theology looks at the Anabaptist roots of the book’s vision. Three new chapters present complementary ministries and movements that have emerged since the book’s first edition.
Living into Focus: Choosing What Matters in an Age of Distractions by Arthur Boers (Brazos Press, 2012, $17.99) offers a critical look at the isolating effects of modern life that have eroded the centralizing, focusing activities that people used to do together. It suggests ways to make our life healthier and more rewarding by presenting specific individual and communal practices that help us focus on what really matters. These practices—such as shared meals, gardening, hospitality, walking, prayer and reading aloud—bring our lives into focus and build community.