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Your King Has Come - Indelible Grace
What’s So Special About Pilgrim’s Progress
Posted by Brian Thornton on November 13, 2009
Sitting on my desk as I write this is a book that may well become one of my most treasured earthly possessions. It is a new edition of the classic allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, recently published by Crossway Books. I must confess here that I have as of this moment not yet read Bunyan’s great work all the way through. In my own progress of watching Christian’s progress, I am just now at the place where Christian meets up with Faithful after passing through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
If you have read Pilgrim’s Progress before, you may be wondering what the need is for yet another edition of this story. Well, Crossway’s desire with this new publication is to reach a new generation of readers with Bunyan’s clever tale that, I believe, no Christian should go to heaven without first reading. Yes, the story is the same as in other editions (though only ever so slightly updated when appropriate to remove any archaic or difficult wording), but there are some other features that have me loving this particular version. First, it is a hardback edition. Second, it has thirty new paintings created especially for this edition, and they are magnificent. Third, throughout the book there are notations to the specific Scriptures from which Bunyan is pulling truth. And fourth, there is a whole section in the back filled with editor’s notes that further explain the many details of what Christian encounters on his journey. In a nutshell, this is not only a great edition of Pilgrim’s Progress, but it is also a wonderful resource of biblical truth.
Finally, the thing that I perhaps like most of all about this book is that I am not only reading it myself, but I am also reading it aloud to my family. What a joy it is to be the voice of this great and godly story to my wife and kids. I love reading it out loud! The only thing I have to be careful of is getting too involved in the story and becoming a bit emotional as Christian goes on his journey. But hey, a little emotion about the things of God is not bad, is it? I sure hope not. Please consider acquiring this new edition, if not for you, then perhaps for your family. You won’t be disappointed.
Chip said
We finished reading it as a family about a year ago (on the recommendation of you, Jeff, and Jeremy)…I started with the original language (I actually had to pre-read the chapter in order to make sure I didn’t jumble it) until someone kindly informed me that there was a ‘modern’ English version (much easier to read). That said, I was amazed at how well David (then 5) was able to follow the old English version – we will be reading through it again using the old-English sometime soon.
Brian Thornton said
Well, then art thou blessed!
RFT said
Thanks for this. I was not aware of this new work. Just ordered one from WTS bookstore (for $16.24).
JackW said
I have a version on my Kindle and on my iTouch I have the audio version by Max Mclean (a modern version) as well as on my Olive Tree application. I just started reading Pictures from Pilgrims’ Progress by C. H. Spurgeon and already learned something new that I had not thought about before. Spurgeon says he read it a least a hundred times. Me, maybe four. 23% off Olive Tree products right now.
Brian Thornton said
Les,
You won’t be disappointed.
Jack,
I have the audio version with Max McLean as well. His voice is so good on something like this. My kids are really enjoying this version with the paintings.