| 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. |
