The Pilgrim's Progress

First published in 1678, ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ is a Christian allegory and an influential literary model by John Bunyan, an English writer, and Puritan preacher. It has remained perhaps the best-loved and most-read of devotional fiction.

It is a captivating allegory of man’s religious journey in search of salvation and follows the pilgrim as he travels an obstacle-filled road to the Celestial City. Along the way, he is confronted by monsters and spiritual terrors, among them Worldly Wiseman, Giant Despair, and the demons of the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

In plain yet effective and moving language, this adventure reveals John Bunyan's intense grasp of the Scriptures. Penned while in prison for refusing to compromise the gospel—it is a guide for the journey from death to life. The times have changed, but the landmarks and adversaries are very much the same.

JOHN BUNYAN (1628-1688) was a Puritan preacher and writer in England. Bunyan had very little schooling. He followed his father in the tinker's trade, and served in the parliamentary army from 1644 to 1647. In 1655, Bunyan became a deacon and began preaching. He experienced marked success from the start and was the pastor of the Bedford church.

Bunyan is the author of The Pilgrim's Progress which he wrote in 1676 while imprisoned for preaching without a license. His numerous other titles include Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and Holy War.