Phoebe: A story by Paula Gooder (Hodder & Stoughton, £8.99 (£8.10); 978-1-444-79174-7). New in paperback 

“Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. His letter was arguably his theological masterpiece, and has continued to shape Christian faith ever since. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, the deacon of the church at Cenchreae; in writing to the church that almost surely met in her home, Paul refers to her both as a deacon and as a helper or patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman?”

Joseph: A story of love, hate, slavery, power, and forgiveness by John Lennox (Crossway, £14.99 (£13.50); 978-1-4335-6293-8).

“In this thoughtful and devotional book, scholar John Lennox emphasises the major themes present in Joseph’s story―such as suffering, temptation, forgiveness, faith, and God’s sovereignty―and applies them to readers at a personal level. This detailed look at Joseph’s life in its broader context will invite us into a deeper trust of God in the face of suffering and hardship.”

The Book of Exodus: A biography by Joel Baden (Princeton, £21 (£18.90); 978-0-691-16954-5).

“Baden draws a distinction between the Exodus story and the book itself, which is one of the most multifaceted in the Bible, containing poems, law codes, rituals, and architectural plans. He shows how Exodus brings together an array of oral and written traditions from the ancient Middle East, and how it came to be ritualised in the Passover Seder and the Eucharist.”

Into the Foothills of Transformation by Donald Eadie (Wild Goose, £9.99 (£9); 978-1-84952-647-0). 

“Shortly after becoming Chairman of the Birmingham District of the Methodist Church, Donald Eadie was told that he had a degenerative disc disease. Following three major spinal operations, he was forced to retire, and to face the letting go of identity and role, feelings of marginalisation and abandonment – living with the death of the old life, and not being able to imagine a new one with meaning and purpose. . . 

“Into the Foothills of Transformation is a collection of Donald’s reflections and journal writings, and letters, prayers and poems.”

Zen Wisdom for Christians by Christopher Collingwood (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, £13.99 (£12.60); 978-1-78592-572-6).

“In this book, Anglican priest and Zen teacher Christopher Collingwood sets out how Zen can return Christians to their roots with renewed energy, and allow others to consider Christianity in a new and more favourable light.”

Selected by Frank Nugent, of the Church House Bookshop, which operates the Church Times Bookshop.