Religion & Spirituality

In this collection we've gathered fiction and nonfiction texts that address humanity's age-old search for meaning and purpose within a higher power.

Publication year 1961

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Satire, Religion / Spirituality, Post Modernism


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1678

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community

Tags Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Religion / Spirituality

The Pilgrim’s Progress was written by John Bunyan and published in 1678. The work is a religious allegory that is among the most famous works of English literature; many critics also consider it the first English example of the novel genre. Like Christian, the main character in Part 1, Bunyan’s path to Christianity was a journey. After rejecting religion early in his life, Bunyan devoted himself to God and became a Puritan. He believed the... Read The Pilgrim's Progress Summary


Publication year 1933

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery

Tags Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Psychology


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Disability

Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Race / Racism, Disability, Anthropology, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Religion / Spirituality, Class, Politics / Government, Poverty, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World

Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory (originally published in 1940) recounts the tragic story of the whisky priest. His religion has been outlawed, his faith shattered, and his history—like his name—all but erased. He’s relentlessly pursued by the lieutenant, whose secular beliefs are as passionate as others’ spiritual beliefs. The priest’s mere presence endangers those he once served, and he constantly struggles to fulfill his duty to bring comfort and absolution to others at... Read The Power and the Glory Summary


Publication year 1991

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community

Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Mythology, Philosophy

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers, published in 1988, is a nonfiction companion to a six-episode PBS documentary series by the same name. The main text of the book is a transcript of an extensive conversation between comparative mythology expert Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers. Using mythological stories, psychoanalytic theories, and personal anecdotes, Campbell and Moyers examine how world mythologies illuminate the mysteries of human life through shared symbols as... Read The Power of Myth Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 1963

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Science / Nature


Publication year 1872

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, is a Victorian children’s fantasy novel written by George MacDonald. Arthur Hughes and W. B. MacDougall created the accompanying drawings for the original publication, and Jessie Wilcox Smith added new visual art to the story in 1920. In 1992, the novel was adapted into a full-length animated feature film of the same name. This guide utilizes the 2018 Leaves of Gold Press version of the novel... Read The Princess and the Goblin Summary


Publication year 1824

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1905

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Sociology, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is a book written by German historian and sociologist Max Weber in 1905. Weber is often considered to be one of the founders of the discipline of sociology, and The Protestant Ethic is one of his most famous texts. As a work of sociology, the book seeks to analyze broad changes in both the economic and the religious structures of Western European and American societies. Over the... Read The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Summary


Publication year 1958

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags History: U.S., Religion / Spirituality, Colonial America

The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop (1958) is a work of history by Edmund S. Morgan. The Puritan Dilemma is a biographical study of the first governor of colonial Massachusetts, John Winthrop. Morgan examines Winthrop’s work and life, presenting him as a man of high ideals who understood how to lead as a model of moderation and practical flexibility. Though many Puritans chose to withdraw from the world into little cells of self-righteousness... Read The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Inspirational, Self Help

The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren, an American evangelical Christian pastor and author, is a work of Christian literature that offers guidance by means of a 40-day personal, spiritual journey. Warren brings his experience in spiritual leadership to this text, exploring what he identifies as God’s five purposes for human life on Earth. This framework seeks to serve as a blueprint for Christian living in the modern... Read The Purpose Driven Life Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction