Christian Literature

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