Fearless Pilgrim: A Biography of John Bunyan
By Faith Cook
Like his Lord and Saviour it could be said of John Bunyan that he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering. He was a man who survived two periods of imprisonment in Bedford prison, simply for preaching for the gospel. Faith Cook (the author of a number of popular Christian biographies) has turned to this famous Puritan for her new work.
There are three things which are always necessary in a good biography and Faith Cook achieves all three in her exceptional work.
Firstly you get to know the man. Personally, through his own writings you get to know Bunyan both prior to his conversion, and afterwards. His first encounter and ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ is recounted in detail and you get a real sense of his passion and devotion to his Saviour along with the reality of the intense difficulties he faced as a result of his faith. You get to know his love for his family (for his first and second wife, his blind daughter who died young, and his sons who caused difficulty and heartache for him as they grew up). His adult friendships are referred to, not least with the famous theologian John Owen. Overall Cook successfully portrays John Bunyan as a real man, not an unreal “saint”.
Secondly you get to understand the context in which he lived. These were turbulent times when non Anglicans (dissenters) were imprisoned and persecuted, in our own country! Faith Cook’s historical writing is both academically rigorous, quoting key sources, but also written in such a way that the times come to life. This is not a book that will be off putting to those whose eyes glazed over in history lessons at school!
Thirdly you get to know his work. As you would expect there is an emphasis on Bunyan as a preacher of the gospel and as a writer. It is Cook’s chapters on Bunyan’s writings that are particularly strong – each of his major books are outlined, with highlights quoted, and an understanding is given of why he wrote what he wrote. This is particularly insightful when she covers the writing of the classic “Pilgrims Progress”, to which she devotes around 50 pages showing how Bunyan’s life experiences contributed to his writing of that famous allegory. The biography makes you hungry for reading the works of man himself, and sends you back to those you have already read with fresh understandings of the author.
Although it is not a short book (450+ pages) Faith Cook has a fast paced and gripping style which leaves you determined to keep reading. She is not uncritical of Bunyan, as she shows how he is a man of his times in some of his opinions, and which of his writings were least successful. And yet you are left with a feeling of overwhelming gratitude to God for a life well lived, and praise of the One who saved him and kept him going through many sufferings to glory.
FOR FURTHER READING
Bunyan – Pilgrims Progress, Grace Abounding To The Chief Of Sinners
Faith Cook – Troubled Journey
Kelly Capic (Ed) - A Devoted Life (Introduction to Puritan Literature)
The Shadow of the Cross: Studies in Self-denial
By Walter J. Chantry
We're going to get together to discuss the book on Saturday 15th November. We might even experiment in reading a chapter a week and commenting on it on here.