Graceful Reading : Theology and Narrative in the Works of John Bunyan

## Abstract Bunyan’s theology is not obsessed with a forbidding Calvinist doctrine of predestination. Rather, his is a comfortable doctrine, in which the believer is encouraged to accept salvation through the more accommodating terms of Bunyan’s covenant theology. Bunyan’s narrative style is informed by this doctrine, and his major works (with particular focus on Grace Abounding and The Pilgrim’s Progress) reveal a profound sensitivity to narrative and reading practices, with reading itself instrumental to spiritual instruction. The ‘graceful reading’ of the book’s title thus encompasses a Bunyan for whom grace rather than predestination is most important, as well as a Bunyan whose narrative style tests the reader by presenting narratives that must be read for something other than ‘story’ alone. As commentators tend to divorce the ‘literary’ aspects of Bunyan’s works from their Calvinism, this book suggests a more constructive way of reading his narrative and doctrinal writings, by integrating literary interpretation with their theology and by viewing them in the context of late seventeenth-century Nonconformist culture, as well as against the narrative strategies of postmodernist fiction. Graceful Reading Offers A New Way Of Understanding Bunyan's Theology And His Narrative Art, Examining And Reassessing The Complex And Interdependent Relationship Between Them. Michael Davies Begins By Proposing That Bunyan's Theology Is Far From Obsessed With The Forbidding Calvinist Doctrine Of Predestination And Its Corollary Tendency Towards Painful Introspection. Bunyan's Is, Rather, A Comfortable Doctrine, In Which The Believer Is Encouraged To Accept Salvation Through The Far More Assuring Terms Of Bunyan's Covenant Theology - Those Of Faith And Grace. The Book Then Reassesses How Bunyan's Narrative Style Is Informed By This Theology. Works Such As Grace Abounding And The Pilgrim's Progress Reveal A Profound Sensitivity To Narrative Forms And Reading Practices, As They Aim To Inculcate In Their Readers A Self-consciousness About Reading Itself Which Is Instrumental In The Very Process Of Spiritual Instruction, In Seeing 'things Unseen'. This Is A Study, Therefore, Which Asserts A Radically Different Way Of Reading Bunyan's Writings, Both Through The Terms Of Seventeenth-century Covenant Theology, And Through Some Distinctly 'postmodernist' Ideas About Narrative Practice.--book Jacket. A Comfortable Doctrine: John Bunyan's Theology Of Grace -- Bunyan's Exceeding Maze: Doctoring And Doctrine In Grace Abounding To The Chief Of Sinners -- Of Things Seen And Unseen: Graceful Reading And Narrative Practice In Grace Abounding -- Into An Allegory: Method, Metaphor, And The Apology Of The Pilgrim's Progress -- 'sweet Fiction And Sweet Truth': Theology And Narrative In The Pilgrim's Progress -- First Among Sequels: John Bunyan's Other Allegories -- Postscript: The Legacy Of The Pilgrim's Progress. Michael Davies. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [356]-383) And Index. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Contents 12 List of Illustrations 14 A Note on Texts and Abbreviations 16 Introduction 18 1. A Comfortable Doctrine: John Bunyan's Theology of Grace 34 2. Bunyan's Exceeding Maze: Doctoring and Doctrine in Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners 98 3. Of Things Seen and Unseen: Graceful Reading and Narrative Practice in Grace Abounding 134 4. Into an Allegory: Method, Metaphor, and the Apology of The Pilgrim's Progress 192 5. ‘Sweet Fiction and Sweet Truth’: Theology and Narrative in The Pilgrim's Progress 240 6. First Among Sequels: John Bunyan's Other Allegories 309 Postscript: The Legacy of The Pilgrim's Progress 362 Bibliography 373 Index 402 A 402 B 402 C 403 D 405 E 405 F 405 G 405 H 406 I 406 J 406 K 406 L 406 M 406 N 407 O 407 P 407 Q 409 R 409 S 409 T 410 U 410 V 410 W 410 Graceful Reading offers a new way of understanding Bunyan's theology and his narrative art, examining and reassessing the complex and interdependent relationship between them. Michael Davies begins by proposing that Bunyan's theology is far from obsessed with the forbidding Calvinist doctrine of predestination and its corollary tendency towards painful introspection. Bunyan's is, rather, a comfortable doctrine, in which the believer is encouraged to accept salvation through the far more assuring terms of Bunyan's covenant theology - those of faith and grace. The book then reassesses how Bunyan's narrative style is informed by this theology. Works such as Grace Abounding and The Pilgrim's Progress reveal a profound sensitivity to narrative forms and reading practices, as they aim to inculcate in their readers a self-consciousness about reading itself which is instrumental in the very process of spiritual instruction, in seeing 'things unseen'. This is a study, therefore, which asserts a radically different way of reading of Bunyan's writings, both through the terms of seventeenth-century covenant theology, and through some distinctly 'postmodernist' ideas about narrative practice. Contents......Page 12 List of Illustrations......Page 14 A Note on Texts and Abbreviations......Page 16 Introduction......Page 18 1. A Comfortable Doctrine: John Bunyan's Theology of Grace......Page 34 2. Bunyan's Exceeding Maze: Doctoring and Doctrine in Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners......Page 98 3. Of Things Seen and Unseen: Graceful Reading and Narrative Practice in Grace Abounding......Page 134 4. Into an Allegory: Method, Metaphor, and the Apology of The Pilgrim's Progress......Page 192 5. ‘Sweet Fiction and Sweet Truth’: Theology and Narrative in The Pilgrim's Progress......Page 240 6. First Among Sequels: John Bunyan's Other Allegories......Page 309 Postscript: The Legacy of The Pilgrim's Progress......Page 362 Bibliography......Page 373 B......Page 402 C......Page 403 G......Page 405 M......Page 406 P......Page 407 S......Page 409 W......Page 410 Graceful Reading is a study of the writings of the seventeeth-century preacher John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress. It reassesses the relationship between Bunyan's theology and his narrative style, redefining them both according to a more specific understanding of seventeenth-century 'Calvinism', and a more 'postmodernist' understanding of narrative. Graceful Reading is a study of the writings of the 17th-century preacher John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress . The book reassesses the relationship between Bunyan's theology and his narrative style, redefining them both according to a more specific understanding of 17th-century "Calvinism", and a more "postmodernist" understanding of narrative. This text offers a new way of understanding Bunyan's theology and his narrative art. It rejects the traditional view of Calvinist introspection generally associated with Bunyon and describes how his narrative style is informed by a theology of salvation through faith and grace