April 2 - A Man Called Christian

April 2 – A man called Christian

One of the treasured of Christianity’s classics is “The Pilgrim’s Progress” written by John Bunyan.

The author was a simple man, with nothing more than a grammar school education. His father was a tinker, pushing his cart down the roads of England, fixing metal pots in homes along the way. John began as a tinker, but was soon conscripted into Cromwell’s army.

After he left, he married a woman who tried to help him reform his life. He had his ups and downs, much like anyone who tries to live rightly, but fails miserably. He and Mary were so both so poor, that her entire dowry consisted of two books. They had no household items at all, not even flatware or dishware.

In 1653, he was baptized by a Baptist pastor and soon began to dive into the scripture. He read the Bible and Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs” as well as Mary’s two books over and over. He laid his old life aside when he was completely convicted of God’s assurance of grace. He then became a traveling preacher, but would not refuse communion to anyone based on their denomination.

Though King Charles II had promised freedom of religion, the Anglican Church was truly the only acceptable church in England and anyone who believed differently was punished. John spent 11 years in jail for his preaching without permission. In 1672, a Declaration of Indulgence was made and granted leniency to non-Anglicans.

John was released from jail, called as a pastor to another church and received a license to preach. But, in 1675, he was again jailed and this time while there, wrote “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” This little book struck a chord with many Christians as they recognized themselves in the actions of the lead character who travels from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.

A man who was never considered a scholar wrote several other books, but “The Pilgrim’s Progress” was his most famous and has touched many lives. He died in 1688, just months before a new ruler would bring religious tolerance back to England.