Pro | Charles | Barrett | A minister. |
| James | McNally | A reverend. |
| Mary N. Louise | McNally | James McNally's wife. Aka: Nan |
| Lily | Barrett | Charles Barrett's wife. |
| | | Part One 1953-1962 |
1 | Eileen | | A librarian. |
| Marilyn | | Eileen's co-worker. |
| Miriam | | Lily's aunt. |
| Richard | | Miriam's husband. |
| Tom | Adams | One of Charles's teachers. |
| Ava | | Lily's mother. |
| George | | Lily's father. |
2 | Ellen | | Nan's mother. |
| Phillip | | Alice's brother. |
| Alice | | James's mother |
| Christian | | Nan's father's friend. |
3 | Father | Martin | A priest. |
| Ruth | | A Biblical figure. |
4 | Bill | | James's roommate. |
| Jeffries | | Bill's acquaintance. |
| Emmeline | Waters | English department dean's daughter. |
| Millie | | Bill's date. |
| Carol | | Nan's roommate. |
5 | Rosemary | | Lily's Roommate. |
| Noah | | Biblical figure. |
| Cassandra | | Lily's aunt. |
| Henry David | Thoreau | American essayist. |
6 | Alfie | | James' brother. |
8 | Henry | | James and Nan's landlord. |
| Lucinda | | Henry's wife. |
| Harold | Evans | A pastor. |
| Mrs. | Evans | Harold's wife. |
| Dean | | James' friend. |
9 | Evelyn | | Harold Evans' rotating associate. |
| Leonora | | Arthur's wife. |
| Arthur | | A book collector. |
| Queen Anne | | Queen of Great Britain. |
| | | Part Two 1963-1965 |
10 | Sebastian | Taft | A minister from Connecticut. |
| Alan | Oxman | Chairman of the Search committee. |
| Betsy | Bailey | Member of the Search committee. |
| Jane | Atlas | Charles and James' secretary. |
| Harry Emerson | Fosdick | Former minister of the Third Presbyterian. |
11 | Audrey | Hepburn | British actress. |
12 | Adam | Clayton | One of the church members. |
| Don | Fergus | One of the church members. |
| Dr. | Rose | A church organist. |
| Anne | Hammet | One of the children's choir. |
| Tommy | Ahlers | One of the
children's choir. |
| Brenda | Eads | One of the
children's choir. |
| Hillary | | Brenda's sister. |
| Peter | | Tommy Ahlers' brother. |
13 | Mrs. | Abbot | A church member. |
| David | Elliott | A new South Wales's minister. |
15 | Cain | | Biblical figure; son of Adam and Eve. |
| Abel | | Biblical figure; Cain's brother. |
| Jacob | | Biblical figure; son of Isaac and Rebekah. |
| Esau | | Biblical figure; Jacob's brother. |
| | | Part Three 1966-1970 |
16 | Malcolm X | | American minister. |
| Martin Luther | King Jr. | American minister and activist. |
| Dennis | Price | Marcus' acquaintance. |
| Marcus | | Jane Atlas's replacement. |
17 | Benjamin | | Charles and Lily's son. Aka: Bip. |
| William | | Benjamin's twin brother. |
20 | Madeline | Foster | A doctor. |
| Annelise | Winny | Dr. Foster's student. |
| Chris | Hemsworth | Australian actor. |
| Vera | | American actress. |
21 | Spook | | Proposed name of James and Nan's baby if a boy. |
| Spookette | | Proposed name of James and Nan's baby if a girl. |
| Moses | | A prophet. |
22 | Louise | | James and Nan's daughter. |
Epi | Laura | | Bip's wife. |