Review of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress

Mike Leake

Author: John Bunyan

Pages: 400 pages

Publisher: Oxford University

Price: 7.46

Genre: Classics/Christian Allegory

Quick Summary:

Certainly you have already heard of The Pilgrim’s Progress. It was written in 1678 by tinker-turned pastor-turned prisoner John Bunyan. The Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of the Christian life based in part on Bunyan’s own Christian experience. It is an exciting tale that is jam packed with Scripture and biblical theology.

What I Liked:

There are many instances in which Bunyan puts a face on a dearly held Christian truth. Rather than talking about sanctification in the abstract he causes the reader to see it and feel it. He introduces vices and virtues as characters that allows us to see their true nature. To really “get” this book causes the Christian life to come alive and rather than being stale and abstract it is lively and vivid.

What I Disliked:

It’d take a prideful fool to critique a bestseller since 1678. I may be a prideful fool in certain instances but I know that if there is a “dislike” in this book it’s probably more a reflection of my own dull heart and mind than it is of Bunyan. With that being said this book was a really tough read for me. I think it has to do with the fact that I had to read it in a small window of time for one of my classes, but it is also that I do not do very well with allegory. My mind just does not work that way. It was a stretch and I almost wish I had time to read it more slowly (I intend to make time to do this) or read it with a companion.

Should You Buy It?

Absolutely. It’s a Christian classic and it is worth the labor. It is a tough read because you have to sift through the language and the allegory but it is well worth it. Be sure to read an original like the Oxford edition because many others take out the great theology that undergirds this work. It’s under ten bucks and worth the effort.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars because it’s a classic (but 4 out of 5 for my own personal enjoyment)

Rise of the Pharisees: Keeping the Keys

Mike Leake

I am convinced that Pharisaism is alive and well (or perhaps dead but still causing a stink).  I fear that one place it happily takes up residence is in my own heart.  To try to detect Pharisaism in the corridors of my heart (whether in the hidden recesses or obvious for all to see) I thought it wise to study Matthew 23.  I hope to post a series of reflections on each of these woes.  I want to consider where I struggle with Pharisaism and perhaps suggest where it could be stinking up the church.  Today we will consider…

Keeping the Keys, Shutting the Door

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”  Matthew 23:13

For the most part I am not guilty of what Jesus is condemning here.  The fundamental thing being addressed in this passage is rejecting Jesus and encouraging others to do the same.  The Pharisees vigorously opposed Jesus and his message and distorted it with their own competing claims.  This shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s face.  They refused to enter themselves and by their example they discouraged broken and downtrodden people from coming to their much needed redeemer. 

I’m not guilty of intentionally encouraging people to reject Jesus.  But there is something about the Pharisee’s heart that can be present in mine: a keeper of the keys mentality.  This mentality stands at the gate of heaven with a set of keys and assumes it has the responsibility to decide who goes in and who stays out. 

This is where it gets confusing.  If I read Matthew 16 correctly all those that stand in line with the apostolic message of the gospel do hold keys to the kingdom.  Part of the role of the church is to decide, as best we can, who is in and who is out.  This is what church membership and church discipline is.  (Before you decide to disagree read The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love and then come back to me).  We have to be careful not to reject this “keeper of the keys” thing outright.

However, there is a heart attitude that I sometimes see in myself that is Pharisaical.  It’s the attitude that has a long list of what is required to truly be called a Christian and acts with an ungracious spirit towards those that don’t fully match the list.  It’s a heart that has certain levels of spirituality based upon certain doctrines held.  The “majors” on the list are all of the things that I hold dear and the “minors” are all the things that I don’t care to address in my own life. 

Theological Triage

This is not a simple issue.  Dr. Mohler engages this issue when he calls for Theological Triage and Christian Maturity. His central thesis is that there are some things that are essential for being a Christian, some things are essential for being in the same local church, and some things are differences that can be held by those in the same local body. 

In my opinion, this is a helpful way of thinking, though some have disagreed.  A Keeper of the Keys mentality makes third-tier issues first-tier issues and refuses to fellowship with those of a different theological bent. 

I have to be honest and say I am still working through these issues.  I am growing in learning to place the non-essentials in their proper perspective.  There are third-tier issues that I hold strongly and I think that they have an impact on first-tier and second-tier issues.  So, it is tough for me sometimes to make certain that a majority of my passion lies in first-tier issues instead of being relegated to third-tier. 

I have to ask myself am I more passionate about Calvinism (third-tier) or that Jesus alone saves (first-tier)?  Calvinism will get blog traffic, generate attention, and sell books.  The Trinity probably won’t generate much attention.  And at the end of the day that, I think, garnering attention is the motivation behind the keeper of the keys mentality.  It is rooted in a deep desire to be noticed, to stand out, to look like an authority, to have it all together. 

Do I reserve my greatest amount of effort and passion for the “main things” or am I most passionate about the “differences” that really come down to no more than pride?

Review of The Reformation of the Church by Iain Murray

Mike Leake

Author: ed. Iain Murray

Pages: 416 pages

Publisher: Banner of Truth

Price: 17.00/used ~3.00

Genre: Church History/Biography

Quick Summary:

The subtitle of this work tells the story: A collection of Reformed and Puritan documents on Church Issues. The Reformation had an impact on more than just the doctrine of justification. The implications of the Reformation where felt all throughout Christendom on matters of church issues as well. During the 16th and 17th century ecclesiology was a hot-button issue. It was, in part, what divided Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others. It was, in part, what drove the Puritans. Iain Murray hopes in this volume to recover some of these issues and teach lessons for the church today.

What I Liked:

Iain Murray is probably my favorite biographer/historian. He writes in a compelling fashion that makes you feel as if you are there with the people in the story and are forced to make some of the decisions that they are forced to make. It may seem foolish that people would go to prison over preaching attire but to many of these Reformers the gospel was at stake in manners of ecclesiology. That which Murray has compiled helped me realize a side to the Reformation that I have never considered before.

Murray’s notes are helpful and he also draws from sources that most people are unfamiliar with. This book is a great learning experience, especially for a Southern Baptist like myself.

What I Disliked:

I would love to see an updated version of this. Not much has changed since its first publication in 1965. I also wonder if it would also be possible to have a “reader’s digest version” of this great work. I love to read and am decently trained in reading literature from this time period, yet it was often difficult for me to wade through. There is so much great information in this book and lots to consider but I think it gets lost in the wordiness. There is, sadly, a reason why few people have heard of this work by such a great like Iain Murray.

Should You Buy It?

If you like history, you like Reformation, and you are fairly experienced in reading the Puritans then you will enjoy this book. You can get it used for around 3.00 at Amazon . It’s worth a shot. Just reading the section on church unity would be worth the 3 bucks. It caused me to think deeply on issues I’ve never thought about. But if you are not accustomed to reading literature from this time period this is probably not the place to start. There are other great books on ecclesiology (check out anything by 9Marks) that sum up some of these issues without the 17th century wording.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Review of Who Are the Puritans by Erroll Hulse

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Author: Erroll Hulse

Pages: 224 pages

Publisher: Evangelical Press

Price: 10.45

Genre: Church History/Biography

Quick Summary:

The intention of this book is to “introduce modern Christians to the finest theological inheritance ever” (back cover). He not only tells their story he also tells us why we need the Puritans today. This 224 page gem is divided into three sections. In the first section Hulse tells the story of the Puritans. In the second section we are introduced to the lives of key Puritans. The final section is eleven short chapters explaining how the Puritans would benefit us today.

There are also six helpful appendices; some dispelling myth, some trying to place the Puritans in relation to other movements, and some further highlighting their influence.

What I Liked:

The book looks fun. There are pictures throughout, fun little quips in “handwriting”, maps, and well marked off sections. Its style is simple yet conveys the needed information. This may actually be a more helpful introduction than Beeke’s Meet the Puritans and Packer’s A Quest for Godliness, so long as you only want an introduction.

I think the three sections are brilliant. It is helpful in an introduction to the Puritans to remind readers that we need their wisdom today. Hulse excels in the third section—much like Packer—in reminding us we need these guys for the problems we face today.

What I Disliked:

There is so much information to cram into a small space. Because of that it doesn’t read quite as compelling as the story really is. At times it feels more like reading an encyclopedia than a book. Its layout is not conducive to making it a reference work but it sometimes feels like reading a reference. It is helpful as introduction and I think for a first exposure to the Puritans it would stir up enough interest that someone would want to pick up more from the Puritans.

Should You Buy It?

You can usually pick it up for around 5 bucks used or 10 brand new at Amazon, for that reason it may be well worth an add to your library. If you are not familiar at all with the Puritans this is a fun place to start. If you are already convinced of the need to read the Puritans this book may not be helpful for you. If you want a better reference to the Puritans then check out Meet the Puritans. But if you want a helpful introduction this is one of the better ones available.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars