Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English

Read the original but have this edition handy!

I pride myself on throughness, but find myself distracted by the old 17th century English in the early edition...forgive my candor...maybe I am dumb.The loss of content in the modern translation is unavoidable and sad.The book is easily five stars but this translation must out of necessity be three.

The journey of Christian is well known as is the persecution of Bunyon at the hands of the Church of England. The book came to Bunyon as a dream while in a political prison for fourteen years.I have had similar message dreams in my Christian walk during times of distress so I had empathy with the book.The place names describe spiritual conditions and the names of the characters describe human characteristics. The Low Country of Conceit was a difficult passage for Hopeful and Christian who are reminded of Psalm 17:4 because of their disobedience in taking the easy way.

The puzzle presented to me by the journey is how the burden of sin is released at a wicket gate...the narrow way... described by Luke and yet many of the "saved" are ultimately lost since they wind up in Hell after entering the wicket gate...scary.-[[ASIN:0393311503 Darwin: The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist]]

The book has had a seminal effect on english literature. Pilgrim's Progress was favorably compared by George Orwell, a secularist, in referencing another book he was reviewing. I have often wondered if the journey format of Pilgrim's Progress had a subliminal effect on the culture of modern literature.

Was the pilgrim's journey to the Celestial City part of a continued pathway to the Land of Oz and the Emerald City years later? Was Dorothy a secular archtype of Christian?. The impact of this book on the Church; however, is beyond doubt. [[ASIN:B00086UDJE Pathway to the stars]]

An excellent novel! Although written hundreds of years ago, it is still highly relevant today for those who seek to truly live the Christian life. The author John Bunyan does an excellent job in showing the challenges and hardships of living a life dedicated to God by going down the straight and narrow path that leads to everlasting life. Timeless for the ages!

Quick easy read. Describes a Christian's walk with God to Heaven's gates. Includes many pitfalls we have all encountered or have been warned against. I could have included a few more from my personal life. 8^)

Understandable English. We used it in our morning men's group and it was a delight. No problems amongst us multi-generational folks.

Great insight into spiritual matters. Allegories are as true today as they were in the 1600's.

I've heard about John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" since early childhood and have vague recollections of watching a semi-terrifying filmstrip version of the story in our church basement. But I was glad when our Classic Christian Book Club decided to read and discuss what is commonly described as the 2nd-most influential book in the history of Christianity, behind only the Bible.

I would say that it largely lived up to its billing. I had the mixed-bad experience of reading a modernized version ("Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English, retold by James H. Thomas), written in current language, without the obvious linguistic disconnect inherent in a 350-year-old work of literature but also somewhat detached from Bunyan's original work. In this format, I was left at the mercy of the reteller, trusting that he retold the story faithfully, in the same spirit of the original.

There is no doubt that "Pilgrim's Progress" is a compelling story that has understandably captured the hearts and minds of its readers for centuries. Bunyan uses a fascinating combination of theological rigor and clever creativity to bring the vices and virtues and temptations and joys of the human experience to life, through the allegorical device of personifying literally hundreds of things we encounter each day. To be sure, there is a limit to the effectiveness of that device, as I regularly found myself struggling with the fact that none of these attributes exist in isolation from the others. Calling a character Faithful or Hopeful or Ignorance presents the potential to misunderstand any of us as if we could be fully identified by any one descriptor. While this is clearly not true, an overly simplistic engagement with the narrative could convince the reader otherwise.

But that limitation of Bunyan's approach is secondary, in my view, to the great value of presenting complicated and nuanced ideas and ideals in such engaging ways. Bunyan covers a lot of theological ground to help his readers consider pitfalls we may avoid with care and offers a compelling vision of the Christian life that God desires for each of us. The consequences of sin and disobedience were ugly and painful. The imagery of the scene of entering the Celestial City was simply beautiful and caused a genuine and unexpected emotional response within me.

And I deeply appreciated several aspects of the pilgrimage that were further clarified in Part Two, Christiana's journey. I loved that her journey was more communal, as an expanding group of imperfect pilgrims were added to her posse along the way. And I thought it was really important (even a potential corrective to my concern from Christian's journey that each character was fully good or fully bad, based on the single trait that gave them their name) that various characters were blessed to enter the city, though they were weak and broken, a reflection of God's faithfulness, not their internal worthiness.

I'm glad that I finally read "Pilgrim's Progress." It's legitimately a history-shaping, genre-defining work of art, a timeless contribution to our reflections on God, humanity, sin, salvation, and eternity. While I may not agree with every sliver of Bunyan's theology, his insight and creativity have given us a wonderful gift to prompt ongoing celebration of the journey we are invited to undertake, for God's glory and for our joy. I hope to read it again, and I heartily recommend it to all who are willing to learn from Christian and Christiana on their respective journeys from darkness to light.

One of the best books on earth!

Considering the author is John Bunyan and was written hundreds of years ago, this version is easy to read and understand. I recommend it.

This is an absolute read for any one in any stage of Christianity. If you even think you could be or want to be, it is a must read. This is the most sold book second only to the Holy Bible. It dates about half a cenury after the reformation, so John Bunyan got to know his bible. My gripe with this particular translation is that some words are lost and or changed for the worse. He reads his book and carries his book in this version. The original version he reads his book and carries his roll which is meant to represent his assurance of faith. The book he reads is his Bible. Charles Spurgeon read this book over a hundred times, I am in it for maybe 4 and counting... (buy 3 or 4 and give them out)

UNFAIR you are showing a wonderful book, which I have read and thouroughly enjoyed so I orderd (I thought) another one for my son. I was VERY disappointed when I saw what book had been sent me. It WAS NOT "Pilgrim Progress in todays English" which is the book that I was under the impression I had ordered. The one I received was the 'COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED EDITION". The one I thought I would be getting is "In todays English". NO WAY can my young adult student begin to understand this language! I was very disappointed, but the cost of returning it would have been more than what I paid for the book in the first place.