Independent study program
Reading Library
105 sources, 79 free to read online
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Anonymous (Russian, 19th century), The Way of a Pilgrim (translated by R. M. French)
The story of a Russian wanderer who learns to pray the Jesus Prayer without ceasing. The best known popular book on Orthodox prayer. French’s translation is from the Russian.
Anselm of Canterbury, Cur Deus Homo (Why God Became Man)
Anselm’s classic argument that the incarnation and death of Christ were needed to restore what sin had broken. The source of the ‘satisfaction’ view of the atonement.
Read online in Anselm’s Basic Works (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)
Anselm of Canterbury, Proslogion
Anselm’s short and famous argument for the existence of God. Read the first few chapters slowly.
Athanasius of Alexandria, Life of St. Anthony
The story of Anthony of Egypt that spread the ideal of the desert across the Christian world. Central to the solitary tradition.
Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation of the Word
A short and clear account of why God became man. It is the best first patristic text for a beginner.
Augustine of Hippo, Confessions
Augustine’s account of his restless search for God. Read Book I and then Book VIII, the story of his conversion.
Augustine of Hippo, On the Trinity
The most influential Western treatment of the Trinity. Difficult, so read it after the Cappadocians.
Augustine of Hippo, The City of God
A huge answer to the charge that Christianity caused Rome’s fall. It shapes Western thought on history, politics and the church.
Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit (De Spiritu Sancto)
Basil’s defense of the full divinity of the Holy Spirit and a key text on unwritten tradition.
Basil of Caesarea, The Ascetic Works of Saint Basil (the Long Rules and Short Rules), translated by W. K. L. Clarke
Basil’s answers on how to live the monastic life in community, in the Longer Rules and the Shorter Rules. Clarke’s introduction and notes help a first-time reader. The Rule of Benedict and Orthodox monastic practice both draw on this work.
Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of St. Benedict
The short, sensible rule that shaped Western monastic life. The best model for writing a personal rule of life.
Read online (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)Another translation (Project Gutenberg)
Blaise Pascal, Pensées
Notes toward a defense of Christianity by a great mathematician. Memorable on faith, reason and the human condition.
Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
Short letters and conversations of a lay brother who learned to pray while washing dishes. Ideal for solitary practice.
Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church
The authoritative modern summary of Catholic teaching. Read it to understand what Catholics actually claim, in their own words.
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology
A nineteenth-century Reformed systematic theology in three volumes, freely available.
Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement)
A letter from Rome to Corinth near the end of the first century. An early window into how the churches understood order and authority.
Council of Nicaea (325) and Council of Constantinople (381), The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
The statement of faith confessed by Catholic, Orthodox and most Protestant churches. Learn it line by line before reading anything else on the Trinity.
Council of Trent (1545-1563), Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent
The Catholic response to the Reformation on Scripture, justification and the sacraments. Read it as a Catholic statement of its own position.
Evagrius Ponticus, The Praktikos and On Prayer (in Evagrius of Pontus: The Greek Ascetic Corpus, translated by Robert E. Sinkewicz)
The desert teacher who first set out the eight evil thoughts and a method of pure prayer. His ideas shaped Cassian and later monastic teaching. Some of his speculative theology was condemned later, so read him with a guide. No free English text was verified, so this entry points to library and bookstore catalogs.
First Vatican Council, Decrees of the First Vatican Council (including Pastor Aeternus on papal primacy and infallibility)
The decrees that defined papal primacy and infallibility. Read them with the Orthodox and Protestant objections in view.
Flavius Josephus, The Works of Josephus (Whiston translation): Antiquities of the Jews, The Wars of the Jews, Against Apion, Life
The main Jewish historian of the first century. He describes the Temple, the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes, Roman rule and the war of 66-70, and he mentions John the Baptist, James and Jesus. Passages on Jesus have disputed wording, so read them with a commentary.
Complete works online (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)Antiquities of the Jews (Project Gutenberg)The Wars of the Jews (Project Gutenberg)
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals
Nietzsche’s attack on the origins of Christian morality. Read it in order to answer it fairly.
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Joyful Wisdom (The Gay Science)
The book that contains the famous ‘death of God’ passage. Read it to see what Nietzsche meant by it.
Gregory of Nyssa, Dogmatic Treatises, etc. (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, vol. 5)
A volume of Gregory’s doctrinal writings. The place to meet the Cappadocian way of explaining one God in three persons.
Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Ephesians
One of the seven letters Ignatius wrote on his way to martyrdom. Important in the debate about bishops, church and Eucharist.
Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies
The first great defense of apostolic teaching against Gnostic rivals. Essential for the question of how Scripture and tradition relate.
J. B. Lightfoot, ed., The Apostolic Fathers
The earliest Christian writings after the New Testament, including Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp and the Didache.
James Arminius, The Works of James Arminius
The writings of the Dutch theologian whose followers presented the Remonstrance. The best source for the Arminian side of the debate with Calvinism.
Jewish Publication Society, The Hebrew Bible in English (JPS translation)
A Jewish English translation of the Hebrew Bible, so that Christians read the Scriptures of Judaism as Jews present them.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
The most influential Reformed theology. Book IV is the best statement of the Reformed view of church and sacraments.
John Cassian, The Conferences
Conversations with desert elders about prayer, discernment and the inner life. Core reading for Courses 17 and 20.
John Cassian, The Institutes
Practical instruction for monks, gathered from the Egyptian desert. A rich source for the daily rule.
John Chrysostom, On the Priesthood
A fourth-century dialogue on the weight of the priestly office. Useful for the questions of ordination and church authority.
John of Damascus, An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
The eighth-century summary of Eastern doctrine. A standard way into how Orthodox theology organizes the faith.
John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions
Wesley’s standard sermons on grace, justification and holiness. A clear statement of the Wesleyan view of salvation.
Justin Martyr, The First Apology
A second-century defense of Christianity addressed to the Roman emperor. The model of early Christian reasoning with outsiders.
Karl Marx, A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: Introduction
The essay with Marx’s phrase about religion as the ‘opium of the people’. Read the whole passage in context, not just the phrase.
Leo I (Pope Leo the Great), Letter 28, the Tome of Leo
Leo’s letter on the two natures of Christ, read at the Council of Chalcedon. Essential for understanding the Chalcedonian definition.
Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
A common statement by Lutherans and Catholics that the 16th century condemnations on justification do not apply to the other side’s present teaching. Read it for what it states and for what it leaves open, since many Lutheran and Reformed critics disagree with it.
Read the official text (Lutheran World Federation, PDF)Read online (IARCCUM archive)
Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will
Luther’s reply to Erasmus on free will. A vivid statement of the Reformation view of grace.
Martin Luther, The Small Catechism
Luther’s short teaching on the Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the sacraments.
Origen, On First Principles (De Principiis)
The first systematic Christian theology, with a long discussion of how to interpret Scripture. Some of its ideas were later rejected.
Pachomius, The Rules of Pachomius (English translation by G. H. Schodde, from the Ethiopic)
The oldest rules for common monastic life, from the founder of the Egyptian communal monasteries. This English version translates the Ethiopic collection, not Jerome’s Latin version (c. 404), which is listed in the Fourth Century Christianity catalog. Read it beside the Rule of Benedict.
Read the PDF (Westminster Abbey, Mission, B.C.)Catalog entry for Jerome’s Latin version (Fourth Century Christianity)
Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, vol. 2: The Greek and Latin Creeds
The ancient creeds in the original languages with English translations, plus Catholic and Orthodox documents. Useful when a lesson sends you to a creed text.
Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, vol. 3: The Creeds of the Evangelical Protestant Churches
One volume that collects the major Protestant confessions (Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican and others) so you can compare them side by side.
Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, eds., The Seven Ecumenical Councils (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, vol. 14)
The decrees and canons of Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon with the surrounding history. The primary text for Courses 5, 6 and 9.
Philo of Alexandria, The Works of Philo Judaeus (translated by C. D. Yonge)
A Jewish philosopher of Alexandria who read the Torah with Greek philosophy. His use of the Logos and his allegorical method influenced Clement, Origen and later Christian exegesis.
Qumran community and related Jewish writers, The Dead Sea Scrolls
The oldest surviving manuscripts of books of the Hebrew Bible, along with community rules, commentaries and other writings from before and around the time of Jesus. The official digital library shows high resolution images of the fragments with background articles in English.
Second Council of Orange, The Canons of the Council of Orange, on grace and original sin
The council that endorsed Augustine on the need for grace and rejected both Pelagianism and the semi-Pelagian view that the first step toward faith is ours. Read it beside Augustine, Cassian and the later debates among Catholics, Lutherans, Reformed and Arminians.
Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church)
The Catholic Church’s fullest modern statement on what the church is, on bishops, the laity and the relation to other Christians.
Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics
A sharp early argument about who may interpret Scripture and by what authority. Read it alongside Irenaeus.
The Qur’an, The Qur’an in English translation
The scripture of Islam. Muslims hold that it is properly the Arabic text, so an English translation is an aid to reading. Use a translation that Muslim readers accept.
Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
A quiet devotional classic loved by Christians of every tradition.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae
The great medieval summary of Christian theology. It is long; use the questions assigned in each course rather than reading straight through.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I, Q. 2: The Existence of God
The short section containing the ‘Five Ways’. The standard starting point for classical arguments for God.
Westminster Assembly, The Westminster Confession of Faith
The classic confession of English-speaking Reformed and Presbyterian Protestantism. It is printed in Schaff’s volume of Protestant creeds; use the contents list to find it.
Creeds of Christendom, vol. 3 (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)
Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, The Heidelberg Catechism
A warm, pastoral Reformation catechism. A good short example of how Protestants teach the faith to beginners.
Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World
A short and widely loved Orthodox introduction to the sacramental view of life and worship.
Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction
A clear textbook that surveys doctrine and its history across traditions.
Alvin Plantinga, God, Freedom, and Evil
The short book that set out the free-will defense against the logical problem of evil.
Alvin Plantinga, Warranted Christian Belief
A leading philosopher argues that Christian belief can be rational without being proved by arguments. Advanced.
Benedicta Ward, trans., The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection
The standard English translation of the short sayings of the desert elders. Read a few every day.
Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament
A standard history of how the New Testament canon was formed.
Bruce M. Metzger and Bart D. Ehrman, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration
The standard introduction to New Testament textual criticism, written by one believer and one skeptic.
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
A clear, accessible case for central Christian belief, based on wartime radio talks. A good first book for apologetics.
C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
A short and readable Christian response to the problem of suffering.
David Bentley Hart, The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss
An argument for the classical understanding of God across religious traditions, written by an Orthodox author.
Editors of Hinduism Today (Himalayan Academy), What Is Hinduism?
A broad introduction to Hindu belief, worship and life, written by Hindu monastics. It is written from inside the tradition, from a Shaiva viewpoint, so other Hindus may describe some points differently.
Eleonore Stump, Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering
A sophisticated Thomistic approach to suffering that uses biblical narratives. Advanced.
F. F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?
A short classic defense of the historical reliability of the New Testament. Read it with a critical eye and compare it with newer work.
Fleming Rutledge, The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ
A rich modern study of the cross in Scripture and theology.
G. S. Sidhu, Introduction to Sikhism
A short introduction to Sikh teaching and history, published by a Sikh organization. It is written from inside the tradition, so it shows how Sikhs present their own faith.
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
A widely used guide to reading each biblical genre well. Excellent for Course 1.
Huston Smith, The World’s Religions
A readable survey of major religions. Good as a first book; read it critically.
J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines
A standard account of how Christian doctrine took shape in the first centuries.
Jaroslav Pelikan, The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine (5 volumes)
A major history of how doctrine developed across all three great traditions, to the modern age.
Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity
A standard one-volume or two-volume survey of church history from the apostles to the present.
N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God
A major scholarly argument about what the first Christians meant by resurrection and why they believed it happened. Long and demanding.
Narada Mahathera, Buddhism in a Nutshell
A short Theravada introduction to the life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, karma and rebirth. It is written from inside the tradition by a Buddhist monk, so it shows how a Theravada Buddhist presents his own teaching.
Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses
Argues that the Gospels rest on eyewitness testimony. Important and debated.
Richard Swinburne, The Existence of God
A rigorous cumulative-case argument for God’s existence. Advanced.
Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion
Freud’s argument that religious belief is a wish-fulfilling illusion. A classic text to read and answer.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Augustine of Hippo
A scholarly introduction to Augustine’s philosophy and theology.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Cosmological Argument
Covers the argument from contingency, the kalam argument and the main objections.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Divine Simplicity
Explains a difficult doctrine and its main objections.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Fallacies
A scholarly guide to logical fallacies. Use it to sharpen argument checking.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Fine-Tuning
A careful scholarly treatment of what fine-tuning claims and what it does not show.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Hermeneutics
The history of theories of interpretation, from Scripture to modern philosophy.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Hume on Religion
Introduces Hume’s critique of natural theology and miracles.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Moral Arguments for the Existence of God
Lays out the main moral arguments and the replies to them.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Ontological Arguments
A clear scholarly overview of Anselm, Descartes, Leibniz and Plantinga’s modal version.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Philosophy of History
Raises the questions of how historians know the past, which matter for historical apologetics.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Religion and Science
A careful survey of how science and religion have been related.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Religious Diversity (Pluralism)
Maps the views on how Christianity relates to other religions.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Teleological Arguments for God’s Existence
Design arguments from Aquinas to modern fine-tuning, with objections.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, The Natural Law Tradition in Ethics
A scholarly overview of natural law from Aquinas to the present.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, The Problem of Evil
A full and fair survey of logical and evidential arguments and the main theistic responses.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Thomas Aquinas
A scholarly introduction to Aquinas’s life, method and main arguments.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Trinity
How the doctrine developed and how philosophers have tried to make sense of it.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Virtue Ethics
What virtue ethics is, from Aristotle forward, and how it differs from other theories.
Timothy (Kallistos) Ware, The Orthodox Church
A widely used introduction to Orthodox history, worship and belief written by an Orthodox bishop.
Tracey R. Rich, Judaism 101 (JewFAQ)
A plain-language introduction to Jewish belief, practice, texts and holidays. It is written from inside the tradition, from a traditional Jewish perspective, so it states how Jews describe their own faith.
Vladimir Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church
A classic exposition of Eastern theology as lived and prayed. Advanced.
William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics
A widely read textbook of classical and evidential apologetics.