Biographies

"Did they tell you stories about the saints of old,
stories about their faith?
Stories like that make a boy grow bold,
stories like that make a man walk straight..."

Rich Mullins, Boy Like Me, Man Like You

Stories about people have a way of affecting us in ways other stories can't. The Bible is primarily stories about people, and it is through these multiple biographies that we understand human nature, the history of redemption, and even to a great extent God Himself. The purpose behind any other biography is largely the same—to help us understand what it means to be human from the examples (sometimes even the bad examples) of those who have preceded us.

The biographies we have chosen for this section represent those of great leaders in history, social and military heroes, and Christian saints past and present who struggled to conform their lives to Christ's perfect example. We have avoided for the most part biographies of history's villains and chronic immoralists, not because they aren't interesting but because they don't represent lives worthy of imitation. We've also decided not to focus on athletes, actors, and celebrities, unless they've made important contributions outside their fields. That's not to say everyone found here was above reproach or even a Christian, but they all demonstrated real human virtues for which they are remembered.

Biographies are also useful for better understanding of a given historical period. While history books can provide good overviews of a period or events, the intimate detail of a good biography can better illustrate a time period and what it was like to be alive then. This also serves to demonstrate the universality of human nature, that people will behave basically the same during any given period and in any given place. Sometimes we get the impression that people of the past, especially people like missionaries and ministers, were somehow more pious than we are—the personal view offered by a good biography dispels this myth and offers encouragement that not even the best men and women are any closer to perfection than we are.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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55 Items found Print
Active Filters: Saints & Reformers, Church History, New Books & Materials
Athanasius
by Peter Leithart
from Baker Academics
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$27.99
Bible Smuggler
by Louise Vernon
from Herald Press
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$10.99
Bruchko
by Bruce Olson
from Charisma House
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Calvin and the Calvinists
by Paul Helm
from Banner of Truth Trust
Biography for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.50
Church History ABCs
by Ned Bustard, Stephen J. Nichols
from Crossway Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$16.99
Early Church
by George Hodges
from Yesterday's Classics
for 8th-12th grade
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$13.95
For God and His People
by J. H. Merle D'Aubigne
from Bob Jones University Press
Biography for 9th-12th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$13.00
God's Troubadour
by Sophie Jewett
from Yesterday's Classics
for 2nd-5th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.95
Here I Stand
by Roland H. Bainton
from Meridian Book
Biography for 8th-12th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.00 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Irenaeus of Lyons
Heroes of the Faith
by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$14.00
John Calvin
Christian Biographies for Young Readers
by Simonetta Carr
1st edition from Reformation Heritage Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$18.00
John Calvin, Genius of Geneva
Reformation Trail Series #07
by Lawrence Penning
from Inheritance Publications
Biography for 6th-9th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.95
John Knox
by Simonetta Carr
from Reformation Heritage Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$18.00
John Knox: Stalwart Courage
by Douglas Wilson, foreword by George Grant
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.95
Katherine Parr
by Brandon G. Withrow
from P&R Publishing
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$13.99 $6.50 (2 in stock)
Kitty, My Rib
by E. Jane Mall
from Concordia Publishing House
Biography for 7th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.00 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Life of John Calvin
by Theodore Beza
3rd edition from Back Home Industries
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.00
Life of John Knox
by Thomas McCrie
from Back Home Industries
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.00 $12.00 (2 in stock)
Luther
by Frederick Nohl
from Concordia Publishing House
for 5th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.99 $7.50 (4 in stock)
Luther by Those Who Knew Him
Reformation Trail Series #20
by Elizabeth R. Charles
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Reformation Trail Series (Location: FIC-WH06)
$19.95
Luther the Leader
by Virgil Robinson
from A. B. Publishing, Inc.
Biography for 5th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.95 $4.00 (4 in stock)
Man Who Laid the Egg
by Louise Vernon
from Herald Press
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$10.99
Martin Luther
by J. A. Morrison
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
Biography for 7th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.50
Martin Luther
by Paul L. Maier
1st edition from Concordia Publishing House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99
Martin Luther
by J. A. Morrison
3rd edition from Christian Liberty Press
Biography for 7th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$11.75
Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings
by Martin Luther
from Anchor Books
Biography for 11th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$20.00
Martin Luther: The Man and His Work
Reformation Trail Series #19
by Arthur C. McGiffert
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Reformation Trail Series (Location: FIC-WH06)
$19.95
Mighty Weakness of John Knox
Long Line of Godly Men Profiles
by Douglas Bond
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.00
Morning Star of the Reformation
by Andy Thomson
from CreateSpace
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$12.99
Pages from Church History
by Stephen J. Nichols
from P&R Publishing
Church History Reference for 10th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$15.99
Pierre Viret
by Jean-Marc Berthoud
1st edition
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.50
Polycarp of Smyrna
Heroes of the Faith
by Sinclair B. Ferguson
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$10.00
Prince and Heretic
Prince of Orange Nassau Volume 1
by Marjorie Bowen
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.95
River of Grace
by Joyce McPherson
2nd edition from Greenleaf Press
Biography for 5th-9th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.95 $7.00 (2 in stock)
Saint Patrick
by Jonathan Rogers
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 7th-Adult
in Christian Encounters (Location: BIO-CE)
$12.00
Saints and Heroes 1
by George Hodges
from Living Book Press
Biography Anthology for 5th-8th grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$7.64
Saints and Heroes 2
by George Hodges
from Living Book Press
Biography Anthology for 5th-8th grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$7.64
Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages
by George Hodges
from Yesterday's Classics
Biographies for 5th-8th grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$11.95
Saints and Heroes to the End of the Middle Ages
by George Hodges
from Yesterday's Classics
Biography Anthology for 5th-8th grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$11.95
Scots Worthies
by John Howie
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 11th-Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$33.00
Seven Men
by Eric Metaxas
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 8th-Adult
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$16.99
Something Beautiful for God
Lives of Faith
by Malcolm Muggeridge
from HarperCollins
Biography for
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
St. Francis
Christian Encounters
by Robert West
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 10th-Adult
in Christian Encounters (Location: BIO-CE)
$12.00
Stories of the Saints
by Carey Wallace, Illustrated by Nick Thornborrow
from Workman Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$26.95
The Thunder
by Douglas Bond
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.99
This Was John Calvin
by Thea Van Halsema
from IDEA Ministries
Biography for 7th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$8.00 $5.00 (2 in stock)
This Was John Calvin
by Thea Van Halsema
from Inheritance Publications
Biography for 7th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$11.95
Three Men Came to Heidelberg
by Thea Van Halsema
from IDEA Ministries
Biography for 7th-9th grade
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$7.95
Through Gates of Splendor
by Elisabeth Elliot
from Tyndale House
Biography for 8th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Through Gates of Splendor
by Elisabeth Elliot
40th Anniversary from Tyndale House
Missionary Biography for 8th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Thunderstorm in Church
by Louise Vernon
from Herald Press
Biography for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$10.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Trial and Triumph
by Richard Hannula
from Canon Press
Biography for 5th-9th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$21.99
Triumph of Truth
by J. H. Merle D'Aubigne
from Bob Jones University Press
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.99
Who in the World Was the Secretive Printer?
by Robert Beckham & Jed Mickle
from Well-Trained Mind Press
Picture Book Biography for 1st-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.50
William, by the Grace of God
Prince of Orange Nassau Volume 2
by Marjorie Bowen
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.95