John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, who is probably best known for writing ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’.
Bunyan was born in 1628 in Elstow, a small town near Bedford, and because his family was poor, he received little in the way of a formal education and was practically illiterate when he gave up school at an early age.
When he was sixteen, Bunyan joined the Parliamentary army where he first came into contact with new ideas about religion and politics. He left the army two years later and married Elizabeth, who encouraged him to learn to read and write. Bunyan learnt to read using religious books and what he read began to change him.
John Bunyan - Open Air Preaching
After leaving the army, Bunyan became a tinker. This job involved travelling around Bedfordshire repairing pots and pans. While in these villages, Bunyan, who was a Puritan, gave talks on his religious beliefs. In 1653 he joined a congregational church in Bedford and in 1655, he went into ministry where he became a tremendous preacher with an avid following.
John Bunyan in jail
However his life was to change when Charles II took to the throne. Charles and his Parliament promised religious freedom but only for the established church of England and attempted to stop Puritans preaching in public. Towards the end of 1660, Bunyan was arrested and jailed for three months. He was told that if he promised not to preach any more, he would then be released otherwise he would be banished from England. He refused to accept these terms and spent a further six years in jail. Although he was then released for a short time Bunyan was soon jailed for a further six years.
During this time Bunyan studied the Bible. He also wrote at least twelve books whilst he was in jail. The best known of his books is ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’,which tells the story of a man called Christian who goes on a pilgrimage and has a series of exciting adventures.
‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ was one of the first books to be produced for a mass audience and was sold in very large numbers. It had universal appeal and over the years has been translated into over a hundred different languages.
When Bunyan was eventually released from jail he became a pastor in a church at Bedford. The political climate had changed and he was able to preach openly and for over fifteen years this is what he did until his death in August 1688.