Classic Christian Literature – A Simply Annotated List

Introduction: This is an attempt to list generally the best in classic (and soon to be?) Christian books & authors. The annotation simply gives one word or phrase for the overall theme of the book so that readers can find particular selections for that aspect where God is either speaking in their lives, or where they need some direction; whether from Holy Spirit (circuit judge in the brain) prompting or some other conviction or “leading”, including a word from trusted friend(s). I heartily recommend the collections from Renovare; Devotional Classics, Spiritual Classics, Longing For God and 25 Books Every Christian Should Read. Time spent in those publications is invaluable to personal formation, but I realize many of my friends and loved ones do not have the luxury I currently have in this season of geezerdom.

So, in no particular order:

 The Imitation of Christ – “humility” [My personal favorite, and I also prefer the Tylenda translation with foreword by Sally Cuneen.]
 On The Incarnation – who & why of Jesus, apologetics (defense of the faith)
 Confessions – struggling with faith, autobiographical
 The Sayings of the Desert Fathers – humility & discipline
 The Rule of St. Benedict – humility & discipline
 The Divine Comedy – the journey in poetry
 The Cloud of Unknowning – contemplative prayer
 Revelations of Divine Love – divine knowledge of God
 The Philokalia – comtemplative life & total surrender
 Institutes of the Christian Religion – foundation of reformed theology
 The Interior Castle – aka Mansions, contemplative journey & knowledge
 Dark Night of the Soul – spiritual desert/depression
 Pensees – apologetics from a mathematician
 The Pilgrim’s Progress – allegorical journey steeped in Scripture
 The Practice of the Presence of God – Presence & simplicity
 A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life – practical daily living with Jesus
 The Way of the Pilgrim – interior life, prayer as Presence
 The Brothers Karamazov – theology in allegory
 Orthodoxy – apologetics and journey
 Poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins – faith in poetry
 The Cost of Discipleship – total submission
 A Testament of Devotion – interior life in the midst of the world
 The Seven Story Mountain – spiritual autobiography (see Confessions also)
 Mere Christianity – apologetics, classic and transformational
 The Return of the Prodigal Son – biographical, relational, theological in allegory