The Gospel of Luke 

This gospel contains two of the most famous of Jesus’ parables: the Parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25–37) and the Parable of the Prodigal Son (15:11–32).

Paul’s Letter to the Romans

This is the best source for his thought about God, human nature, sin, and salvation.

The “Apostles’ Creed”

According to ancient tradition, the Apostles’ Creed was composed by the apostles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Today, the Creed appears in slightly different forms in the many Christian churches that make use of it in worship. Although scholars cannot assign a definite date to its original form, it is clear that it was composed well before the Nicene Creed.

The Philokalia

This is one of the great texts of the Orthodox tradition. Written by monastic mystics between the fourth and fifteenth centuries, it is the best primary source for the hesychast tradition.

The Little Flowers of Saint Francis

This text is a collection of tales about St. Francis of Assisi, perhaps the most beloved of medieval saints. These stories about Francis’s life, teaching, and miracles have much to say about medieval piety and the qualities Western Christians admired in the saints.

Martin Luther’s “Ninety-Five Theses”

According to tradition, Luther posted his theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg, Germany, thereby sparking the Protestant Reformation.

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