Stuff Calvinists Like Devoted to what Calvinists Like

#12 Pilgrim’s Progress

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Next to the Bible, the book I value most is John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. --Charles Spurgeon

Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of a Christian's journey (here represented by a character called 'Christian') from the "City of Destruction" to the "Celestial City". Along the way he visits such locations as the Slough of Despond, Vanity Fair, the Doubting Castle, and the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Bunyan, the author, had very little formal education and a humble background. Nonetheless Pilgrim's Progress is considered one of the masterpieces of English literature, and is required reading for Christians who are on the spritual path in a world of temptations.*

Pilgrim's Progress is a right of passage for Calvinist. If you are going to try to make it on to Owen, Luther and others you should master Bunyan first. It is not argued that he loves the lord any less than these men but he leaves behind the technical nature of their writings and gives us a story easy enough to call a children's book but so well crafted it can be studied for years by adults. The original language can be cumbersome to us now and yet amazingly poetic.

It may not be uncommon to see it in original form, modern English and potentially even the children's concise version on a Calvinist shelf. It makes a great stocking stuffer of birthday gift and is less forward than Ryken and Boice's, The Doctrines of Grace.

This book is also a Sunday school teacher's dream. It can be studied for the many aspects of the Christian walk it portrays or simply acted out. A good Calvinist drama production of The Pilgrim's Progress is bound to entertain... and educate.

Here is a map of Christian's Journey

Read or listen to the entire book online here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bunyan/pilgrim.html

*Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/bunyan/index.htm

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