I know—even if you’re interested in expanding your understanding of religion, it’s intimidating to pick up a hefty tome like the Bible and start from scratch. It’s complex, it’s confusing, and what’s more, it’s ancient. But digging through concordances and theological treatises isn’t the only way. Sometimes the simplest (and most manageable) way to learn more about religion is through fiction.

Every great work of fiction addresses something both timely and timeless, drawing inspiration from its own era while remaining universal. Perhaps it wrestles with a profound philosophical question; perhaps its characters represent our ever-present human successes and failures. But throughout human history, the most enduring (and to many, the most important) struggle is the veracity and value of religion.

Nonfiction religious texts are not the only way to learn more about this question. Indeed, the greatest works of literature present complex philosophical questions in the human realm rather than the abstract, making them far more palatable to an ordinary reader. I speak from experience when I say that fiction is oftentimes the most approachable pathway to learning about religion.

If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of religion, I recommend each and every one of the books listed below. Some are explicitly religious books, others are not, but they are all towering defenses of religious ideals.

Home by Marilynne Robinson. Set in rural Iowa in the 1960s, this stunning novel is reminiscent of the best of Wendell Berry’s work: peaceful, introspective, and achingly human. It is the story of a prodigal son’s return to his father, a preacher, who forgives his son although the son cannot forgive himself. This is the best book I read last year; I recommend it to everyone.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It may be surprising that one of Wilde’s novels made this list since he is notorious for his dislike of moral norms in every one of his works. However, Dorian Gray is a powerful metaphor for the effects of sin, portrayed in a painting that slowly becomes more and more disfigured. With Halloween fast approaching, this unsettling gothic novel is a perfect read for autumn.

Perelandra by C.S. Lewis. The second book in Lewis’ Space Trilogy, Perelandra imagines a second Earth, newly created with a parallel Adam and Eve, but where the Fall never takes place. Although it’s a fairly easy read, the thought experiment is mind-boggling.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Although Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg’s musical retelling is now much more familiar to us than the 600-page novel, Les Miserables is worth every page. Spanning the course of 30 years, the story follows Jean Valjean, a repentant criminal on the run from the law while trying to redeem himself for his crimes. Featuring complex villains, heroic sacrifice, and the ever-popular love triangle trope, Les Mis is worth your time.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. As the 2002 winner of the Man Booker Prize, Life of Pi has been hugely popular for a number of years due to its seamless intertwining of religion and zoology (yes, zoology). It is the story of a young boy on a lifeboat who survived a shipwreck alongside a Bengal tiger, but on a deeper level, it is an exhortation to believe in something, no matter what it is. Exciting and thought-provoking, Life of Pi was on my mind for weeks after finishing it.

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene. A “whiskey priest” flees Mexico’s Tabasco state during the persecution of Catholics in the 1930s when Mexico had enacted anti-clerical laws. Tormented by his failures and impending damnation, he struggles to reconcile his sins even as he hopes for martyrdom. This gripping read has been one of the most influential books in my life.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. Witty, dark, and sensitive, this novel deals with the age-old question of why we ought to believe in something. By featuring deeply flawed Christians alongside a few amoral cynics, Waugh portrays the complexity of human morality with both nostalgia and hope.

The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton. Part thriller, part mystery, part allegory, The Man Who Was Thursday is a modern interpretation of the Book of Job, seeking to explain the problem of evil. Thursday’s characters are complex believers and nonbelievers who all nonetheless manage to approach the sublime in their own way.