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Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

Luther's propositions or points of disputation regarding indulgences. The sale and traffic of indulgences – grants of 'remission' of the temporal punishment due to sin – had become increasingly common and notorious, especially so for Luther in the person of the Dominican monk Johannes Tetzel. Luther's main concern is with the idea of purchasing forgiveness in place of genuine repentance before God. In attacking indulgences, he also condemned the worldliness of the Church, its interest in money, and the claims of power for the papacy. According to legend, the Reformation began with the Theses being posted on the door of Wittenberg Castle Church, October 31, 1517. They were soon translated into German and circulated widely.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

This treatise, written in 1520, originated as an intended sermon by Luther in his occasional duties as pastor of Wittenberg (where he taught at the University). In part it was instigated by George Spalatin, court preacher of Prince Frederick the Elector of Saxony, and was finally dedicated to the prince's brother. An emphasis on good works and cultivation of morality was always appealing to rulers, but Luther was also responding to concerns and accusations that his doctrine of justification by faith resulted in neglect and devaluing of good works and consequent morality. In this treatise, Luther attempts to describe the essence of good works in terms of faithfully obeying and fulfilling the commandments of God.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

One of two catechisms written by Luther and published in 1529, the fruit of more than ten years of work and exposition – especially his writings on the Ten Commandments and the Lord's prayer.

    By 1524, in the wake of the reformation movement and its budding evangelical schools, Luther saw the need for ministers and congregations to have handbooks defining the essentials of Christianity. Originally written in German, these catechisms were soon translated into Latin for wider use. The initial outline of the catechism is as follows:

1. The Ten Commandments
2. The Creed
3. The Lord's Prayer
4. Baptism
5. Sacrament of the Altar (Lord's Supper)

    A section on Confession was later added to the Small Catechism. Luther's catechism proved immensely popular, and remains a staple of the Lutheran Tradition.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

One of two catechisms written by Luther and published in 1529, the fruit of more than ten years of work and exposition – especially his writings on the Ten Commandments and the Lord's prayer.

    By 1524, in the wake of the reformation movement and its budding evangelical schools, Luther saw the need for ministers and congregations to have handbooks defining the essentials of Christianity. Originally written in German, these catechisms were soon translated into Latin for wider use.

    This smaller catechism is particularly useful for children. The initial outline of the catechism is as follows:

1. The Ten Commandments
2. The Creed
3. The Lord's Prayer
4. Baptism
5. Sacrament of the Altar (Lord's Supper)

    A section on Confession was later added to the Small Catechism. Luther's catechisms proved immensely popular, and remains a staple of the Lutheran Tradition.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

This letter was written in 1530 to Wenceslas Link, a supporter of Luther and the Reformation movement, principally to address a question on the translation of Romans 3:28 in Luther’s German version of the New Testament. Link was a theologian – initially an Augustinian monk and prior – and a protestant preacher at Nuremburg after 1525. The controversy surrounding the translation of Romans 3:28, centers on the word sola, “alone, only” – "We hold that the human will be justified without the works of the law but only by faith." Some theologians and scholars of the Established Church had impugned Luther’s translation, and here the Reformer provides a detailed defense.

    This letter demonstrates two central aspects of Luther’s life and thought:

• The emphasis on Scripture as the source of authoritative truth and doctrine
• The fundamental doctrine of justification by faith alone

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

These articles, named after a town in Germany, were written by Luther in response to a Council called by the pope (to be held at Mantua, but which did not convene until 1545 at Trent) as a concise summary of Protestant theology and issues of faith for which no concessions could be made. It was written at a time of illness for Luther, and has almost the character of a last testament of faith. In 1537 at Smalcald (or Schmalkald), princes and theologians assembled to affirm and subscribe the articles. It is written in three parts:

1. "Lofty articles of the divine majesty"
2. Articles on the work of Christ and redemption
3. Miscellaneous matters (sacraments, ordination, clerical marriage, monastic vows, etc.)

The last parts dealt with issues and doctrines much in dispute, especially Part 2 which encapsulated the non-negotiable teaching of justification by faith in Christ. The articles were published by Luther in 1538 and became part of the Book of Concord (1580).

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a leader of the Protestant Reformation and namesake of the Lutheran Tradition. He was born in Eisleben and was well-educated before entering the University of Erfurt. It was there that, rather than pursue an advanced law degree, Luther became an Augustinian monk. Between 1505 and 1512 he studied and lectured in theology, punctuated by achievement of his Doctorate at Wittenberg. By 1517 Luther was realizing in full the doctrine of justification by faith, as declared by the apostle Paul and Augustine. His publication of 95 theses against indulgences sparked protest throughout Germany, forcing Luther to defend his theology in disputations at Heidelberg and Leipzig. His treatises of 1520 brought him into greater conflict with the papacy, and he was excommunicated. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, he continued to define and uphold his theology, seeking to reform the Church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture and the Pauline doctrine of justification.

This preface to Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is part of Luther’s German translation of the Bible, which was begun in 1521, with the complete New Testament published the following year. The New Testament prefaces appeared in this 1522 edition. The preface to Romans begins thus: “This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel.” Luther proceeds to summarize the epistle – its terminology and thought, treating it throughout as central to Christian faith and life. Indeed Paul’s Roman epistle was fundamental to Luther’s belief – his extensive lectures were recorded and published, providing a powerful and influential source of exegesis. This preface, in its own right, is a significant and concise Commentary of the book that is, and has remained, the cornerstone of Protestant doctrine.

These are the margin notes of the Geneva Bible, first published complete in 1599. With the rise of Queen Mary Tudor in 1553, many English Protestants fled to Europe and a number of them settled in Geneva. Supported by John Calvin, John Knox, and the Genevan Church, an independent English Bible version was created. The New Testament was translated largely by William Whittingham – a revision of Tyndale's 1534 version – and published in 1557; the complete Bible was published in 1560. It was dedicated to Elizabeth I, sister of Queen Mary, who herself became queen in 1558, restoring Protestantism to England. This version became extremely popular in England – the Soldier's Pocket Bible of Cromwell's army was derived from it. It was also the Bible of the Puritan party, including those who emigrated to America. The margin notes were written by leading Protestants such as John Calvin, John Knox, Miles Coverdale, William Whittingham, Theodore Beza, and others.

Flavius Josephus (c. 37-100 A.D.) is an important Jewish historian whose writings present one of the best sources for the period of the New Testament. The details of his life are to be found almost exclusively from his autobiography, Life of Flavius Josephus. Born in Jerusalem, apparently of priestly and noble lineage, well educated, he joined the sect of Pharisees as a youth. He was allowed to plead the case of the Jews in the imperial city by the procurator Felix – only to be shipwrecked before he arrived. As the revolt against Rome began in earnest, Josephus joined the Zealots, acting as a military commander in the Jewish War (66-70 A.D.). In defeat, he saved himself and was apprehended by the Romans, gradually entering into the confidence and good graces of the Emperor Vespasian. With the Emperor Titus, Josephus acted as envoy and mediator between the Jews and Romans. He returned with Titus

Composed between 75 and 79 A.D. this important chronicle of the war between Rome and the Jews of Palestine (66-70 A.D.) was originally written in Syrian Aramaic and preserved in a Greek translation by Josephus himself. Its central theme is "The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem". Written in 7 books, the first being a summary account from the conquest of Antiochus Epiphanes in 170 B.C. up to Herod the Great, the second describing events from Herod's time to the beginning of the War in 66 A.D.; the last 5 books narrate in detail the revolt in Galilee, war in Judea, the siege and fall of Jerusalem, and the aftermath of the rebellion. After the writing of this work, Josephus was honored at Rome, and his book was accepted into the Palatine library. Overall, the Jewish War is indispensable for an understanding and description of that momentous conflict which took place in Palestine and Jerusalem at the end of the New Testament period.

Flavius Josephus (c. 37-100 A.D.) is an important Jewish historian whose writings present one of the best sources for the period of the New Testament. The details of his life are to be found almost exclusively from his autobiography, Life of Flavius Josephus. Born in Jerusalem, apparently of priestly and noble lineage, well educated, he joined the sect of Pharisees as a youth. He was allowed to plead the case of the Jews in the imperial city by the procurator Felix – only to be shipwrecked before he arrived. As the revolt against Rome began in earnest, Josephus joined the Zealots, acting as a military commander in the Jewish War (66-70 A.D.). In defeat, he saved himself and was apprehended by the Romans, gradually entering into the confidence and good graces of the Emperor Vespasian. With the Emperor Titus, Josephus acted as envoy and mediator between the Jews and Romans. He returned with Titus

Probably composed 93-94 A.D. the Antiquities remains an important account of Jewish history in the Roman period. Written in Rome, in the Greek language, it represents an attempt, at least in part, to present a noble portrait of the Jews – Josephus' own people – to educated Greeks and Romans. The work is divided into 20 books: the first 11 books are a summary of the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) up to the time of the Captivity, including the reign of Cyrus; the remaining books narrate events in three major periods – [1] The Hellenistic Age, [2] Herod's reign, [3] From the death of Herod until the beginning of the Jewish War (66 A.D.). Much in the last 9 books remains of great interest to historians and students of the Bible in its portrayal of the Intertestamental and New Testament periods in Palestine. The Maccabees and Herodians are described at length; New Testament events and persons (including John the Baptist and James, the brother of Jesus) are also mentioned.

Flavius Josephus (c. 37-100 A.D.) is an important Jewish historian whose writings present one of the best sources for the period of the New Testament. The details of his life are to be found almost exclusively from his autobiography, Life of Flavius Josephus. Born in Jerusalem, apparently of priestly and noble lineage, well educated, he joined the sect of Pharisees as a youth. He was allowed to plead the case of the Jews in the imperial city by the procurator Felix – only to be shipwrecked before he arrived. As the revolt against Rome began in earnest, Josephus joined the Zealots, acting as a military commander in the Jewish War (66-70 A.D.). In defeat, he saved himself and was apprehended by the Romans, gradually entering into the confidence and good graces of the Emperor Vespasian. With the Emperor Titus, Josephus acted as envoy and mediator between the Jews and Romans. He returned with Titus

The Life is Josephus' autobiography, written sometime before 97 A.D., and was appended to his Antiquities. Its main purpose is to vindicate Josephus against Justus of Tiberias (a contemporary and fellow historian of the Jewish War), and so distorts certain events. However, it remains the only source of information for Josephus' life, and can be viewed as an interesting supplement to the Jewish War.

John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) was one of the founders of the Plymouth Brethren (“Darbyites”), and an influential writer and scholar. Born in London, he studied at Dublin before becoming a lawyer in 1825. He soon gave up practicing law for the ministry, and by 1827 he began to participate in new groups of like-minded “Brethren” – first at Dublin, then Plymouth, which became namesake of a movement. After 1838, Darby was in Lausanne, where his lectures and studies attracted followers and spawned numerous congregations. In the face of persecution, he returned to England in 1845, and worked with the English Brethren. He traveled in Germany and abroad, writing extensively. His greatest literary contributions were as a scholar and textual critic. He translated the Bible into German (1854, 1869) and French (1859, 1878-80), wrote a critique of the Revised NT (1881), and produced the voluminous Synopsis of the Bible (1857-67). He also wrote many hymns, which are still used among the Brethren.

This English translation was begun by Darby well before his death in 1882 – the New Testament was already complete (published in 1884, based upon his 1871 edition). Darby had earlier translated the Bible into German (1854, 1869) and French (1859, 1878-80), and was actively involved in issues and matters of textual criticism. Some of these issues are discussed in the prefaces to the 1871 and 1884 editions. The entire Bible was published in 1890. Darby was largely critical of the Revised Version of the New Testament, having published his Letters on the Revised New Testament in 1881. These criticisms appear to some extent also in the prefaces, as a testament to his scholarship and devotion to the Biblical text.

John Calvin (1509-1564) was a leading figure of the Reformation, and an important theologian of the Reformed Church, fundamental in shaping doctrine. Born in Noyon, he was initially educated as a cathedral canon before studying for the priesthood at Paris. He studied law at Orleans and Bourges before becoming a Protestant. Controversy surrounding the Reformation forced Calvin to travel throughout Italy, Switzerland and France, with time spent in Geneva, Basle and Strasbourg. In Strasbourg Calvin ministered for three years before returning to Geneva in 1541, where he lived the rest of his life, writing and preaching, as effective leader of the Reformed Church. His most important works are his Commentaries and the Institutes.

This short “treatise” is taken from Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion – his magnum opus and a fundamental theological text of the Reformed Tradition. The first edition of the Institutes was a short work of six chapters, published in 1536; by the fifth and final edition in 1559 it had been greatly revised and enlarged (79 chapters), reflecting Calvin’s mature thought and theological understanding. Divided into four books, it is effectively a “systematic” Theology, moving from:

1. God the Creator
2. God the Redeemer in Christ
3. The mode of obtaining the Grace of Christ
4. The Holy Catholic Church

    This treatise comprises chapters 6-10 of Book Three (“The Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. The Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It.”) “The Christian Life” focuses on, in turn, the Scriptural testimony, self-denial, bearing the Cross of Christ, medita

John Calvin (1509-1564) was a leading figure of the Reformation, and an important theologian of the Reformed Church, fundamental in shaping doctrine. Born in Noyon, he was initially educated as a cathedral canon before studying for the priesthood at Paris. He studied law at Orleans and Bourges before becoming a Protestant. Controversy surrounding the Reformation forced Calvin to travel throughout Italy, Switzerland and France, with time spent in Geneva, Basle and Strasbourg. In Strasbourg Calvin ministered for three years before returning to Geneva in 1541, where he lived the rest of his life, writing and preaching, as effective leader of the Reformed Church. His most important works are his Commentaries and the Institutes.

This short “treatise” is taken from Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion – his magnum opus and a fundamental theological text of the Reformed Tradition. The first edition of the Institutes was a short work of six chapters, published in 1536; by the fifth and final edition in 1559 it had been greatly revised and enlarged (79 chapters), reflecting Calvin’s mature thought and theological understanding. Divided into four books, it is effectively a “systematic” Theology, moving from:

1. God the Creator
2. God the Redeemer in Christ
3. The mode of obtaining the Grace of Christ
4. The Holy Catholic Church

    This treatise comprises chapter 20 of Book Three (“The Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. The Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It.”). The 52 sections cover important and essential aspects of prayer, including an exposition of the Lord’s Prayer.

Matthew George Easton (1823-1894) was a Scottish Presbyterian pastor and scholar about whom little is generally known beyond his several abiding literary works - his Bible Dictionary and translations of two Biblical commentaries by Franz Delitzsch.

The third edition of this Dictionary was published in 1897. It covers thoroughly the range of Biblical topics – persons, places, the Bible books, and many general or important theological terms (in English). The articles tend to be direct and concise, with frequent Scripture passages cited. It is a valuable and readable dictionary representing the state of Christian scholarship at the end of the 19th century.

Robert Young (1822-1888) was a Presbyterian theologian and scholar of oriental languages in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was educated in private schools and worked as an apprentice in the printing business, with his linguistic studies done purely in his spare time. In 1847 he became a printer and bookseller on his own, publishing books related to the study of the Old Testament and its languages. His best known work is the Analytical Concordance to the Bible (published in 1879); other important writings are his Concise Commentary on the Holy Bible (1865), Contributions to a New Revision... (1881), and Christology of the Targums. He translated and edited both Biblical and Jewish writings. His linguistic knowledge (especially of the Semitic languages) was vast, his scholarship meticulous, and his contributions to Semitic philology and textual criticism significant. In 1862 he published the first edition of his 'literal translation' of the Bible.

This translation of the Bible by Robert Young was first published in 1862. It was intended to be a "strictly literal and idiomatic rendering of the Original Hebrew and Greek Texts", and thereby correcting certain inaccuracies or errors in the Authorized King James English Version - as a scholarly companion to, not in competition with – the revered translation. Young was a Semitic scholar and publisher of books related to the Old Testament, and his insights into the Hebrew language, as well as his critical temperament, render his translation of the Old Testament (with its prefatory linguistic discussions) to be of the greatest value. He published a revised edition in 1887, shortly before his death, treating the Greek New Testament more directly; a third revised edition was published in 1898. In many respects this is an important historical translation.

John Bunyan (1626-1688) a Puritan preacher and author whose writings achieved lasting influence and esteem throughout Protestantism and the English-speaking world. He was born in Elstow, near Bedford, and had only minimal education before joining the Parliamentary army of Cromwell. Bunyan describes his own “dissolute and profligate” youth in his autobiography, Grace Abounding, leading up to his conversion in 1653. He became a Baptist in 1655 and acted as a lay preacher both during and after the Commonwealth; this led to his imprisonment in 1660. He remained in prison, sometimes very loosely, for 12 years until he was finally released in 1672. He wrote extensively and preached, both in his confinement, and afterward as minister of a congregation in Bedford. Bunyan’s colorful spiritual allegories and theological writings appealed greatly to the lower and middle classes in England, in particular, with wonderfully direct and lively imagery expressing Protestant thought and teaching.

This is Bunyan’s supreme work – at once a sublime spiritual allegory and one of the most beloved and widely-read books in the English language. It was composed during Bunyan’s imprisonment at Bedford (1660-1672) and was first published in 1678, gaining immediate popularity. Numerous editions and reprints followed – by now more than fifty editions – and was eventually translated into many different languages. By the 18th century it had spread to Scotland and the American colonies, where its popularity only increased. Its simple archetypal narrative – Pilgrim’s journey from the “wilderness of this world” to the Celestial City – has never ceased to capture the imagination and inspire the soul. Pilgrim’s Progress has achieved the status as a true classic of English literature, even apart from its Christian emphasis – its text and images have been used as the source of many works of art and music (such as the orchestral and vocal settings of Ralph Vaughan Williams).

John Bunyan (1626-1688) a Puritan preacher and author whose writings achieved lasting influence and esteem throughout Protestantism and the English-speaking world. He was born in Elstow, near Bedford, and had only minimal education before joining the Parliamentary army of Cromwell. Bunyan describes his own “dissolute and profligate” youth in his autobiography, Grace Abounding, leading up to his conversion in 1653. He became a Baptist in 1655 and acted as a lay preacher both during and after the Commonwealth; this led to his imprisonment in 1660. He remained in prison, sometimes very loosely, for 12 years until he was finally released in 1672. He wrote extensively and preached, both in his confinement, and afterward as minister of a congregation in Bedford. Bunyan’s colorful spiritual allegories and theological writings appealed greatly to the lower and middle classes in England, in particular, with wonderfully direct and lively imagery expressing Protestant thought and teaching.

This spiritual allegory, first published in 1682, but written some years earlier during Bunyan’s imprisonment at Bedford, is one of Bunyan’s best known and most esteemed works, of his allegories ranking only behind Pilgrim’s Progress. The book’s subtitle is given: (The Holy War) “Made by Shaddai upon Diabolus for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World, or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul.” This creative and powerful telling of ‘spiritual warfare’, the narrative of humanity’s salvation (collectively or individually), has many literary and mythic parallels: the human soul (Man-soul) is a city besieged by the enemy, and must be rescued by the divine hero. However, in this case the archetype is wholly Christian, dramatically narrating the same spiritual conflict presented in Bunyan’s own autobiographical book Grace Abounding.

John Bunyan (1626-1688) a Puritan preacher and author whose writings achieved lasting influence and esteem throughout Protestantism and the English-speaking world. He was born in Elstow, near Bedford, and had only minimal education before joining the Parliamentary army of Cromwell. Bunyan describes his own “dissolute and profligate” youth in his autobiography, Grace Abounding, leading up to his conversion in 1653. He became a Baptist in 1655 and acted as a lay preacher both during and after the Commonwealth; this led to his imprisonment in 1660. He remained in prison, sometimes very loosely, for 12 years until he was finally released in 1672. He wrote extensively and preached, both in his confinement, and afterward as minister of a congregation in Bedford. Bunyan’s colorful spiritual allegories and theological writings appealed greatly to the lower and middle classes in England, in particular, with wonderfully direct and lively imagery expressing Protestant thought and teaching.

“Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners” - this work, written in 1666, has been called Bunyan’s “spiritual autobiography”, and has even been compared with Augustine’s Confessions in its nature and spirit. It is in some respects, the same story as that of the allegorical Pilgrim’s Progress – describing a person’s journey from the profane to the sacred, from his own poor natural life to a new creation in Christ. The brief narrative is in fact devoid of many personal details which might be found in a standard biography; rather the life story is shaped to an archetypal, scriptural, and spiritual framework – always colorful, heartfelt and creative.