Thursday, August 31, 2023

It is the 31st of August, 2023. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

Recently, there was something of a storm online (and despite my respite from most forms of social media) this one came to my attention. Two well-known, moderate evangelicals were discussing Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan when one of them claimed to not particularly care for the book. Holy cow, you would have thought he said a bad curse or insulted mothers and babies and denied his faith. The response was a little humorous in a cringy way and shed light onto the mega-celebrity and even shibboleth role of Bunyan for many in today’s evangelical world.

And today, being the anniversary of the death of Bunyan in 1688, let’s look at his life and famous works. You might remember that a few weeks ago, on the Weekend Edition, I listed the Pilgrim's Progress as the most important theological text written in the 17th century. I stand by that- it has been translated into over 200 languages, is often regarded as the second best-selling book of all time (behind the Bible) influenced Christians across traditions, and serves as a landmark in the history of the novel- straight prose like this of a fictional sort were uncommon- it is, along with 1605’s Don Quixote and 1719’s Robinson Crusoe the earliest and most famous forms of this new literature. Is it any good? I don’t know- that’s up to you.

Bunyan was born in 1628, just north of London. He said of his family, it was “poverty, not piety” that marked his home. He learned how to tinker from his father as well as a healthy personal dictionary of swear words. But he also read. As a child, he read the Bible and the Puritans (despite his parents being nominally Anglican) and had a working knowledge of the dissenting tradition. This was enough to lead him to join the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. He was discharged in 1647 and, by 1649, was married. His first child was born blind, and his conscience was pricked by his own sin. His father-in-law gave him to works by Puritans, and it led him to a local church where his daughter and three more children, as well as his wife, were baptized. But John was not ready to commit. His own conversion- or long repentance and recognition of his faith came from 1650 to 1655. He was spurred on by, among other things, women he overheard speaking of the ‘new birth” and reading Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians (check out the new translation at 1517.org through the bookshop). He became involved in John Gifford’s dissenting church and was baptized and licensed to preach. His first publications were anti-Quaker tracts. His first wife died, and John was remarried in 1659. Within a year, he was arrested and put on trial for illegal preaching (you needed a license to preach from the state- something he did not believe necessary). He was imprisoned for 12 years- he could have been released if he promised not to preach, but he couldn’t give such an assurance. His prison term was relatively light- he was allowed to leave (he had two children during his imprisonment). He made lace and shoelaces to earn a living for his family and wrote. It was in prison that he wrote his autobiography “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners” and began The Pilgrim’s Progress.

He was something of a minor celebrity- the Puritan John Owen often visited him in prison, and when he was released, he could command gatherings in the thousands to hear him preach. Pilgrim's Progress was published in 1678, his “The Life and Death of Mr. Badman” in 1680, and another allegorical tale, “The Holy War,” in 1682. The Second part of Pilgrim's Progress, now with the character’s family in tow, was published in 1684.  

Contemporary criticism of the work notwithstanding, Pilgrim's Progress was especially well received in the coming decades- Samuel Johnson, Ben Franklin, and others considered it amongst their favorite works (despite them having very different theologies). The allegory is straightforward- the characters have names like “Goodwill,” “Hypocrisy,” and “Atheist.” The Christian life is depicted as difficult, and the main character is filled with considerable angst- and for some, their experience is not the same, and the book might seem off-putting or foreign. Nevertheless, there are few books with the reach and significance that of this tinker’s son- tortured soul, imprisoned preacher, and author. John Bunyan would catch pneumonia while traveling to preach. He died on the 31st of August in 1688. Born in 1628, he was 59 years old.

 

The last word for today is from Bunyan himself- the poem “The Pilgrim.”

Who would true Valour see

Let him come hither;

One here will Constant be,

Come Wind, come Weather.

There's no Discouragement,

Shall make him once Relent,

His first avow'd Intent,

To be a Pilgrim.

 

Who so beset him round,

With dismal Storys,

Do but themselves Confound;

His Strength the more is.

No Lyon can him fright,

He'l with a Gyant Fight,

But he will have a right,

To be a Pilgrim.

 

Hobgoblin, nor foul Fiend,

Can daunt his Spirit:

He knows, he at the end,

Shall Life Inherit.

Then Fancies fly away,

He'l fear not what men say,

He'l labour Night and Day,

To be a Pilgrim.  

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 31st of August 2023, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org. 

The show is produced by a man who likes the works of Bunyan but never understood the need for the big blue ox. He is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who won’t tell you his opinion of the Pilgrims’ Progress but will heartily recommend Trader Joe's Chili and lime rolled tortilla chips- mmm boy… I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be OK.