This curated collection includes study guides featuring a broad range of expert analyses on the works of prominent Christian thinkers and writers, from the early philosophical writings of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas to C.S. Lewis’s renowned books on Christianity.
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Inspirational, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help
Publication year 1485
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Creative Nonfiction, Relationships, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Biography, Self Help
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Historical Fiction, Christian literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Published in 2004, Gilead is Marilynne Robinson’s second novel and the first in the Gilead trilogy, which includes Home (2008) and Lila (2014). The story is written as a letter from dying Congregationalist minister John Ames to his young son. The letter is a bittersweet account of John’s life. With a slow, thoughtful pace and intimate tone, John shares past family memories and resolves an old personal grievance with his best friend’s son. As John... Read Gilead Summary
Publication year 90
Genre Scripture, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature
The Gospel of John is the last of the four biblical gospels in the New Testament, each offering a biography of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is traditionally attributed to John, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples and a major leader in the early church, though some scholars dispute that attribution. The Gospel of John, most likely written in the latter decades of the first century CE, is part of the Johannine corpus... Read Gospel of John Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Christian literature, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, British Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Hannah Hurnard’s 1955 novel Hinds’ Feet on High Places is an allegorical portrayal of purgation, progress, and ascent within the spiritual life. Born to Quaker parents, Hurnard struggled with her faith in her youth but experienced a powerful conversion at the age of 19. Inspired, she gained theological training in England and went on to author almost two dozen books over the course of her life, including a sequel to Hinds’ Feet entitled Mountain of... Read Hinds’ Feet on High Places Summary
Publication year 1896
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Poverty, Inspirational, Classic Fiction
In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do by American Minister Charles Monroe Sheldon is a Christian novel that encourages readers to lead their lives according to the compassionate teachings of Jesus Christ. Published in 1896, it was an instant bestseller in the UK and the US. With more than 30 million copies sold, it was one of the best selling American novels of all time.The work is based on Sheldon’s lectures to his congregation in... Read In His Steps Summary
Publication year 1927
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Free verse, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Holidays & Occasions, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Biography, History: World, Christian literature
Publication year 2011
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature
Kisses From Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption, published in 2009, is a Christian memoir that follows the life of Katie Davis as she moves from the suburbs of Nashville to Uganda after high school to care for abandoned and orphaned children. This study guide refers to the 2011 First Howard Books hardcover edition. Kisses From Katie is broken into 21 chapters that linearly tell the story of how Katie moved from Tennessee... Read Kisses from Katie Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Philosophy, Christian literature, Biography, Chinese Literature, Inspirational, Philosophy, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Christian literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
Left Behind (1995) is the first book in the series of the same name. It was co-authored by Tim LaHaye, a minister and prophecy scholar, and Jerry B. Jenkins, an author of mystery novels, biographies, and Christian fiction. The series is a work of speculative Christian fiction based on biblical prophecies related to the so-called “end times.” Its plot opens with “the Rapture,” a cataclysmic event discussed in biblical prophecy in which Jesus returns to... Read Left Behind Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Community
Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Inspirational
Publication year 1952
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Mere Christianity by Clive Staples Lewis (more commonly known as C. S. Lewis) was first published in 1952 as an expansion of some radio talks Lewis gave during World War II. Though Lewis is best known for his children’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia (particularly The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), Mere Christianity is likely Lewis’s most famous work of Christian apologetics—a genre dedicated to addressing various critiques of Christian theology. Lewis was... Read Mere Christianity Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Self Help
Publication year 1946
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Christian literature, Animals, American Literature
Publication year 1935
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Drama, Play: Historical, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T.S. Eliot that portrays the final days of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was assassinated and martyred in 1170. Written in 1935 for the Canterbury Festival, the play explores themes of faith, power, martyrdom, and the conflict between church and state. Many stage performances of the play have been produced, and Murder in the Cathedral has also been adapted for television, film, and opera... Read Murder in the Cathedral Summary
Publication year 1517
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Holidays & Occasions, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality