Christianity Readings for Educators
- Bass, Diana Butler. A People’s History of Christianity.
- Chadwick, Owen, A History of Christianity.
- MacCulloch, Diarmaid, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years.
- McGuckin, John Anthony, The Path of Christianity: The First Thousand Years.
- Woodhead, Linda, Christianity: A Very Short Introduction.
Christianity Readings for Classroom
Below are two short religious literacy text sets sorted by grades K-3 and 4-5. These can be used in the classroom to engage students in understanding lived religions. Please note that teachers should carefully read and review texts before using them in the classroom to ensure alignment with curricular goals.
Grades K-3
Bullard, Lisa, and Holli Conger. My Religion, Your Religion. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2015. This book provides a multi-perspective story on four major religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.
Rylant, Cynthia. Creation. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books, 2016. This book tells the story of creation from a Judeo-Christian perspective.
Wilson, Anne. Noah’s Ark. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2002. This book retells the story of Noah and the flood.
Muth, Jon J. The Three Questions: Based on a Story by Leo Tolstoy. New York, NY: Scholastic, 2002. A Leo Tolstoy story about Nikolai asking three very important questions in life. What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?
Grades 4-5
Ajmera, Maya, Magda Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon. Faith. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2009. Photographs document how children around the world celebrate their faith traditions.
Bortzer, Etan, and Robbie Marantz. What Is God? Willowdale, ON: Firefly Juvenile, 2002. This text provides a comparative introduction in text and colorful pictures to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and their sacred texts.
Buller, Laura. A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World’s Religions – Seen through the Eyes of Children. London, England: DK Publication, 2006. A comprehensive informational text provides plenty of pictures that detail the major and even some of the world’s more minor faith traditions.
George, Charles. What Makes Me Amish? Farmington Mills, MI: Kidhaven Press, 2004. This text discusses the origins, beliefs, praxis, and celebrations of the Amish.
_____________. What Makes Me a Mormon? San Diego, CA: KidHaven Press, 2005. This text provides core beliefs, rituals, holidays, and challenges to Mormonism.
Glossop, Jennifer, and John Mantha. The Kids Book of World Religions. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2013. An informative text details the major faith traditions of the world.
Goble, Paul. Song of Creation. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2004. Adapted from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, this story invites readers to see God in creation.
Hamilton, Virginia, and Barry Moser. In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988. Stories about the origins of life from around the world.
Marsico, Katie. Christianity. Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Publishing, 2017. This text, which is part of the Global Citizens: World Religions series, describes Christianity through text and pictures.
Osborne, Mary Pope. One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship. New York, NY: Knopf, 1996. A non-fiction story uses photographs to detail seven major faith traditions today.
Polacco, Patricia. The Trees of the Dancing Goats. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2011. Jewish and Christian families work together to celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas.
__________. Christmas Tapestry. New York, NY: Philomel Books, 2002. This touching story is about two families and two faiths (Christian and Jewish) during the holiday season.
Woog, Adam. What Makes Me a Protestant? San Diego, CA: KidHaven Press, 2005. This text provides core beliefs, rituals, holidays, and challenges to Protestant Christian traditions.