“America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists” is outstanding; it’s the book most anti-religion pundits don’t 
want you to read.
Once again, it was a delight to speak with Dr. Rodney Stark about this subject. He is one of the leading authorities on the sociology of religion. The Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences and co-director of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, Dr. Stark has broken open for us a wealth of studies, polls, and data that indicate the tremendous benefits organized religion has had on the United States of America. He also presents, in his uniquely authentic style, the dangers of taking this blessing for granted.
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You can find the book here
From the description:
Starting with a historical overview, Stark traces America’s religious roots from the founding of the country up through the present day, showing that religiosity in America has never been consistent, static, or monolithic. Interestingly, he finds that religious practice is now more prevalent than ever in America, despite any claims to the contrary. From here, Stark devotes whole chapters to unpacking the latest research on how religion affects different facets of modern American life, including crime, family life, sexuality, mental and physical health, sophistication, charity, and overall prosperity. The cumulative effect is that when translated into comparisons with western European nations, the United States comes out on top again and again. Thanks in no small part to America’s rich religious culture, the nation has far lower crime rates, much higher levels of charitable giving, better health, stronger marriages, and less suicide, to note only a few of the benefits.
In the final chapter, Stark assesses the financial impact of these religious realities. It turns out that belief benefits the American economy—and all 300 million citizens, believer and nonbeliever alike—by a conservative estimate of $2.6 trillion a year. Despite the atheist outcry against religion, the remarkable conclusion is clear: all Americans, from the most religious among us to our secular neighbors, really ought to count our blessings.
is a deeply moving telling of the life of the German Lutheran theologian and pastor who would face the leviathan of evil known as the Third Reich in Nazi Germany. In reading this work, I was reminded of the young man several years ago in Tiananmenin Square who stood before the tank during the protests. It doesn’t surprise me that Archbishop Chaput would highly recommended this book as well as the “witness” of this Christian man who was a voice for those who could not speak. He did what St. Paul called us all to do…to stand. Eric Metaxas does a great job bringing this biography to life and giving us the greater context
of his witness.
th Eric about William Wilberforce in his book “Amazing Grace” 
with Dr. Thomas Kidd is an important one. Dr. Kidd gives us the life and passionate thought of “Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots”. Patrick Henry gave us the great rallying cry “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”, and yet many of us may not realize that he had huge reservations about the scope of the Constitution, because he feared it could one day seize that liberty and destroy it if allowed to go unchecked….very interesting. I found this to be a fascinating book. Would Patrick Henry’s concern turn out to be a prophetic one? Dr. Thomas Kidd handles his subject well, and presents the time, place and overall personality of Henry with clarity and insight in a very compelling read.
