Book Review: John Bunyan. Pilgrim's Progress (Free Kindle Edition)

I have just now completed the Pilgrim's Progress for the third time and have loved it more with each reading. This small allegory is a classic piece of Puritan literature and a devotional masterpiece.

In this allegory, Bunyan traces Christian (representing all true believers who follow Jesus Christ) from the City of Destruction all the way to the Celestial City. After experiencing the weight of the burden of his sin, Christian is converted when the weight of his guilt falls off upon seeing the cross and the empty tomb. With the help of his allegorical sojourners--Evangelist, Help, Faithful, and Hopeful--the protagonist is able to persevere through unimaginable trials.

Christian endures the Slough of Despond, the Valley of Humiliation, fights off the foul demon Apollyon, watches Faithful's martyrdom, and survives imprisonment at Doubting Castle despite the tortures of the Giant Despair.

Throughout the work, Bunyan, himself an imprisoned Puritan during times of severe religious persecution, is instructing Christians on the great doctrines of the Christian religion: perseverance, true faith, the means of grace, spiritual warfare and more.

I found that the Kindle Edition was laid out well, the search features worked adequately, and the page enumeration was available in addition to location numbers for academic citations. Though some may find the original language archaic (King James-ish), my prayer is that this masterpiece will be rediscovered by another generation of modern pilgrims.

Matthew Everhard
Senior Pastor, Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Book Review: J.I. Packer. A Quest for Godliness.

I cannot imagine anyone more qualified to write on the Puritan vision for godliness than one of the eminent theologians of our day, the revered J.I. Packer. With lucidity and skill, Packer takes the reader through a brief history of the Puritan life and purpose. And yet this work is not strictly an historical work. Much of the genius of this book is in Packer's ability to take the reader into the inner workings of the Puritan mind.

Like a expert mechanic, Packer opens up the hood and shows the student the "engine" and its component parts within the Puritan worldview. Subjects such as the conscience, revivalism, preaching and the sermon, spiritual gifts, the Lord's Day, and marriage and family are all addressed with thorough documentation.

One of the special features of this work are the copious quotations from the original source writings themselves. In each and every chapter, Packer brings the reader into a close-encounter with the very men he calls the "Redwoods" of Christian theology. (Foremost among them are Owen and Baxter, over whose works Packer demonstrates thoroughgoing mastery). New readers in this field will find that, having completed this book, they have already met a few of the Puritans first-hand.

Rev. Matthew Everhard, Pastor, Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Brooksville Florida.

Wisdom on Steroids: Conversations with J. I. Packer (Video)

This is a rare treat.  Seasoned writer, theologian and professor, J.I. Packer answers questions covering the topics of sanctification, the mortification of sin, preaching and even gives advice to writers.  Sit for a while and glean what you can.

Wisdom on Steroids: Conversations with J. I. Packer