Anthologies of Classic Christian Texts
Bettenson, Henry, ed. Documents of the Christian Church, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963.)*
Dupre, Louis and James A. Wiseman, eds. Light from Light: An Anthology of Christian Mysticism. (New York: Paulist, 2001.)*
Foster, Richard J. and Emilie Griffen, eds. Spiritual Classics. (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 2000.)*
Foster, Richard J. and James Bryan Smith, eds. Devotional Classics. (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.)*
Lane, Tony, ed. The Lion Christian Classics Collection. (Oxford: Lion Publishing, 2004.)+
McGrath, Alister E. Christian Literature: An Anthology. (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2001.)
Richardson, Cyril C. Early Christian Fathers. (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1953.)*
Rowell, Geoffrey; Kenneth Stevenson, and Rowan Williams, eds. Love’s Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.)*
Series of Classic Christian Texts for those who want more than a taste but aren’t sure where to look
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Oden, Thomas C. gen. ed. Published by IVP.
Ancient Christian Writers. Many of the lesser-known texts and authors in complete English editions for the first time. The Newman Press.
Cistercian Studies Series. Many of the texts in this series are the ancient and mediaeval sources for monasticism and monastic spirituality, part of the Catholic movement within religious orders to return to the sources post-Vatican II. Cistercian Publications.
Cistercian Texts. What it says. Mediaeval sources for the Cistercian movement. Cistercian Publications.
Classics of Western Spirituality. Published by Paulist. Some aren’t Christian, but most are.
The Early Church Fathers. This comprises the three series The Ante-Nicene Fathers and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers I & II. Hendrickson, 1994.
Loyola Classics is a series of classic Catholic novels published by the Loyola Press; I have Helena and Mr. Blue from this series, and it is definitely worth a perusal.
The Library of Christian Classics. This 26-volume set covers from early church fathers (the volume I own) through Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Reformation.
The Parker Society published a series of 54 of the foundational texts of the English Reformation.
The Popular Patristics Series. Published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, this series of 33 volumes offers Eastern Patristic writers in readable, affordable English translations.
Modern Books from the Classic Christian Perspective/About Classic Christianity/Drawing on the Deep Well of Classic Christian Thought (Chiefly Protestant)
Foster, Richard J. Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home.*
—. The Celebration of Discipline.*
Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early Church.*
Hall, Christopher A. Ancient & Postmodern Christianity: Paleo-orthodoxy in the 21st Century. (as editor)+
—. Learning Theology with the Church Fathers.*
—. Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers.*
Humphrey, Edith M. Intimacy and Ecstasy, When the Holy Spirit Meets the Human Spirit.*
Husbands, Mark and Jeffrey P. Greenman, eds. Ancient Faith for the Church’s Future. IVP.+
Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity.*$
Oden, Thomas C. The Rebirth of Orthodoxy. HarperCollins, 2002.+
De Waal, Esther. Seeking God, the Way of St. Benedict.*
Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines.*
Lives of Those Who Have Gone Before
St. Augustine of Hippo. Confessions. The classic journey of the soul to God.*$
Butler’s Lives of the Saints
The Dictionary of Christian Biography
Early Christian Lives. Penguin Classics; patristic accounts of the lives of Sts. Antony, Paul of Thebes, Hilarion, Malchus, Martin of Tours, Benedict.*$
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.$
Lives of the Saints. Penguin Classics; mediaeval accounts of the lives of Sts. Brendan, Cuthbert, Wilfrid.*$
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. My preferred reference for the lives of saints.*
There are also series of missionary biographies and various biographies of individuals.
Christian History
Brown, Peter. The Rise of Western Christendom. Brown is a Late Antique scholar, and this work covers the Church in that period. It is newer than many on this list and recommended from a scholarly perspective.+
Cavill, Paul. Anglo-Saxon Christianity.*
Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. A classic work covering the patristic period, well-written from an orthodox perspective.*
Fletcher, Richard. The Barbarian Conversion.*
Frend, W.H.C. The Early Church.*
—. The Rise of Christianity.
The Pelican History of the Church.
Vos, Howard F. Exploring Church History. This was my first church history book and is an excellent resource, especially for starting into the issues at hand. Readable and not overly long.*
Williams, Charles. The Descent of the Dove, A History of the Spirit in the Church. Unlike anything else in this list; well worth the read for its insights into the intellectual currents of Christianity.+
Eastern Orthodox Resources
Behr, John. Formation of Christian Theology Volume 2: The Nicene Faith, parts 1 & 2. SVS Press, 2004.
Carlton, Clark. The Faith: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church. Worth a look, although you may find yourself not fitting his description of “Protestant.”+
—. The Way.
The Orthodox Study Bible.+ The entire Bible is out now, not just the NT, with a new translation of the Septuagint.
The Philokalia. There is a multi-volume English translation of the complete Philokalia. There are also anthologies of selections from throughout this work, chiefly ones on prayer.+$
Schmemann, Alexander. For the Life of the World.+
Ware, Kallistos (Timothy). The Orthodox Way.
Ware, Timothy (Kallistos). The Orthodox Church.*
The Way of a Pilgrim.+$ Excellent book available in various English translations. I lost my first copy and gave away my second. Someday I’ll get a third.
Zizioulas, John D. Being As Communion. Every Orthodox person I meet recommends it.
Roman Catholic Resources NB: With many thanks to Jeremy Johnson (books marked with # are his recommendations)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church*
Chesterton, GK. Orthodoxy.*$
—. St. Francis of Assisi.*$
—. St. Thomas Aquinas.$
Hahn, Scott. The Lamb’s Supper. Available as both book and DVD.#
Howard, Thomas. On Being Catholic. #
Knox, Ronald. What Catholics Believe. #$
Merton, Thomas. The Inner Experience.*
—. The Seven Storey Mountain.*$
Ratzinger, Joseph. (Benedict XVI) Introduction to Christianity. #
—. Jesus of Nazareth.
Talbot, John Michael. The Music of Creation.*
—. The Lessons of St. Francis.*
—. Any of his CDs, my favourites being The Regathering, Meditations from Solitude, and the one that is all music from the Mass.
—. His blog (see link below).
Wilken, Robert Louis. Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God. #
Online Resources
Texts
The Christian Classics Ethereal Library
The Cyber Hymnal
Early Christian Writings
Historic Church Documents at reformed.org
The Internet Medieval Sourcebook (not strictly Christian, but some good stuff is here)
The Oremus Hymnal
The St. Pachomius Library (Eastern Orthodox)
The Tertullian Project (about Tertullian with his works, life, and links to other Fathers)
First Things, A Journal of Religion, Culture, and Public Life.
Anglican Mainstream, “Anglo-Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox, Charismatic”
Hyperekperissou
The Internet Monk, “Dispatches from the Post-Evangelical Wilderness”
Ancient Faith Radio
Monachos, “Orthodoxy Christianity Through Patristic and Monastic Studies” (also includes Patristic texts); note that occasionally this site goes offline for a couple of days.
Orthodox Saints and Feasts
Classically Christian 