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 1307

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Tags Italian Literature, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Christian literature

The Inferno is the first book of Dante Alighieri’s great medieval epic, The Divine Comedy: a monument of world literature. Written between 1308 and 1320, the three-part poem charts Dante’s transformative journey through Hell and Purgatory to Heaven itself. The poem’s form—terza rima, an endlessly circling pattern of interweaving triple rhymes—reflects its major theme: the wisdom, power, and love of the trinitarian Christian God. Like every book of the Comedy, Inferno ends with the word... Read Dante's Inferno Summary


Publication year 1583

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

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


Publication year 1633

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Restoration


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 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Military / War, History: World, Christian literature

Hitler’s Daughter is a historical fiction middle-grade novel written by Jackie French. It is part of the Hitler trilogy and was originally published in 1999. Jackie French is an Australian author, environmental activist, and historian, and her books have won over 60 awards internationally. Hitler’s Daughter was named a Blue Ribbon Book and a Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Younger Readers. It was also adapted into a play. The... Read Hitler's Daughter Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help


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 1973

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Christian literature, Theology, Religion / Spirituality


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 1939

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags Christian literature, Theology, Religion / Spirituality