Library of Religious Biography Series

This series of original biographies delves into the lives of pivotal religious figures across American and British history. Each volume, authored by leading historians and recognized experts, connects its subject's life to the broader cultural and religious contexts of their era. These meticulously researched yet accessible narratives are crafted to be both studied and enjoyed. The collection highlights individuals whose connection to religion might not be immediately apparent.

Recommended Reading Order

Damning Words
Gerd Hartmann
279 pages
10 hours of reading
4.1(16)Add rating
Recounts a famously outspoken agnostic's surprising relationship with Christianity H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) was a reporter, literary critic, editor, author--and a famous American agnostic. From his role in the Scopes Trial to his advocacy of science and reason in public life, Mencken is generally regarded as one of the fiercest critics of Christianity in his day. In this biography D. G. Hart presents a provocative, iconoclastic perspective on Mencken's life. Even as Mencken vividly debunked American religious ideals, says Hart, it was Christianity that largely framed his ideas, career, and fame. Mencken's relationship to the Christian faith was at once antagonistic and symbiotic. Using plenty of Mencken's own words, Damning Words superbly portrays an influential figure in twentieth-century America and, at the same time, casts telling new light on his era.
The First American Evangelical
Ricky Kennedy
168 pages
6 hours of reading
4.0(28)Add rating
An accurate, sympathetic account of influential colonial Christian leader Cotton MatherCotton Mather (1663-1728) was America's most famous pastor and scholar at the beginning of the eighteenth century. People today generally associate him with the infamous Salem witch trials, but in this new biography Rick Kennedy tells a bigger Mather, he says, was the very first American evangelical.A fresh retelling of Cotton Mather's life, this biography corrects misconceptions and focuses on how he sought to promote, socially and intellectually, a biblical lifestyle. As older Puritan hopes in New England were giving way to a broader and shallower Protestantism, Mather led a populist, Bible-oriented movement that embraced the new century — the beginning of a dynamic evangelical tradition that eventually became a major force in American culture.Incorporating the latest scholarly research but written for a popular audience, The First American Evangelical brings Cotton Mather and his world to life in a way that helps readers understand both the Puritanism in which he grew up and the evangelicalism he pioneered.
Emily Dickinson and the Art of Belief
Roger Lundin
4.0(87)Add rating
Paying special attention to her experience of faith, Lundin relates Dickinson's life -- as it can be charted through her poems and letters -- to nineteenth-century American political, social, religious, and intellectual history. --From publisher description.
Thomas Merton and the Monastic Vision
Lawrence S. Cunningham
244 pages
9 hours of reading
4.1(31)Add rating
Focusing on Thomas Merton's monastic journey, this biography by Lawrence Cunningham delves into his evolution into a contemporary spiritual leader. It offers insights into Merton's life after "Seven Storey Mountain," highlighting his profound spiritual development and influence.
Emblem of Faith Untouched
Leslie Williams
208 pages
8 hours of reading
4.2(53)Add rating
Relates one of the most remarkable lives in the tumultuous English Reformation Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) was the first Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, the author of the Book of Common Prayer, and a central figure in the English Protestant Reformation. Few theologians have led such an eventful life: Cranmer helped Henry VIII break with the pope, pressed his vision of the Reformation through the reign of Edward VI, was forced to recant under Queen Mary, and then dramatically withdrew his recantations before being burned alive. This lively biography by Leslie Williams narrates Cranmer's life from the beginning, through his education and history with the monarchy, to his ecclesiastical trials and eventual martyrdom. Williams portrays Cranmer's ongoing struggle to reconcile his two central loyalties--allegiance to the crown and fidelity to the Reformation faith--as she tells his fascinating life story.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
A Spiritual Life
Nancy Koester
392 pages
14 hours of reading
Harriet Beecher Stowe's profound Christian faith is a central theme in this biography, which explores her journey from evangelical Calvinism to Anglican spirituality. The author, Nancy Koester, meticulously examines Stowe's writings and personal struggles, particularly her grief, to reveal how her beliefs fueled her passionate anti-slavery activism. Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin not only made her a celebrity but also significantly impacted the abolitionist movement, while simultaneously drawing fierce criticism from pro-slavery advocates.
Francis Schaeffer and the Shaping of Evangelical America
Barry Hankins
290 pages
11 hours of reading
3.9(68)Add rating
The biography delves into the life of Francis Schaeffer, a pivotal figure in shaping modern evangelical thought during the 1960s and '70s. It explores his evolution from a fundamentalist pastor to a revered mentor and cultural critic, emphasizing his role in encouraging evangelicals to engage with contemporary society. Barry Hankins utilizes primary sources and interviews to present a nuanced portrait of Schaeffer, highlighting his complexities and flaws while acknowledging his significant impact on American evangelicalism and culture.
Sworn on the Altar of God
Edwin S. Gausdad
246 pages
9 hours of reading
3.8(44)Add rating
This biography, part of the acclaimed Library of Religious Biography, treats the religious significance of Thomas Jefferson, first by examining Jefferson's steady dedication to the cause of religious liberty, and second, by exploring Jefferson's private effort to reform the nature of religion.