BUNYAN GOT IT WRONG
In Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan describes two giants who had once plagued pilgrims but had now become powerless. He describes it in this way - “Now I saw in my dream, that at the end of this valley lay blood, bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of men, even of pilgrims that had gone this way formerly; and while I was musing what should be the reason, I espied a little before me a cave, where two giants, POPE and PAGAN, dwelt in old time; by whose power and tyranny the men whose bones, blood, and ashes, lay there, were cruelly put to death. But by this place Christian went without much danger, whereat I somewhat wondered; but I have learnt since, that PAGAN has been dead many a day; and as for the other, though he be yet alive, he is, by reason of age, and also of the many shrewd brushes that he met with in his younger days, grown so crazy and stiff in his joints, that he can now do little more than sit in his cave's mouth, grinning at pilgrims as they go by, and biting his nails because he cannot come at them.”
Bunyan is thinking about Roman Catholicism and Islam. He drew the conclusion that both of them had lost their power and posed little real threat to the true Christian. His reasons were drawn from his theological position and also his understanding of the days in which he lived. The graphic description of the harm and damage done by Pope and Pagan is dramatically accurate. But now we see that his conclusion about their loss of power was seriously wrong.
The current visit of the Pope demonstrates that Rome still has much influence in the world. The massive attention given to the visit by the Media shows us just what significance Rome carries in the public view. The Vatican is a member of the European Union and so commands full status as a nation. But at the same time Rome is the centre of a major world religion. Catholicism wields great influence with many people, and in these Ecumenical days that influence goes very widely.
In addition, this week the Conservative Party chairman Baroness Warsi, who is a Muslim, has insisted that the coalition Government not only “does God” but that faith groups should have a greater role in public services under the auspices of David Cameron’s Big Society. She claimed that the Labour government had seen religion as “essentially a rather quaint relic of our pre-industrial history. They were also too suspicious of faith’s potential for contributing to society - behind every faith-based charity, they sensed the whiff of conversion and exclusivity.” That environment had encouraged the “rise of a new kind of intellectual, who dines out on free flowing media and sustains a vocabulary of secularist intolerance”. Her analysis is very interesting and deserves some thought.
In some ways we have a great deal in common with both Rome and Islam. Indeed on ethical and moral issues they take an outspoken public line which the Evangelical world is in no place to take. On issues such as teenage morality, abortion, the value of life, homosexuality and so on they make reference to the values laid down in Scripture. The common association with Abraham is seen. But there are great differences between us – even on these ethical matters.
So Bunyan saw them as devoid of any great threat to the Christian pilgrim in his day because of their sad condition. Today we must recognise that they pose a threat. We must be clear about that. There are many areas where we disagree but essentially there are three great subjects that sum up our differences – the absolute authority of the Bible as the sole revelation of God; the Person and Work of Jesus Christ; and the way to be saved and made right with God. Of course, as a Non-conformist of Baptist persuasion I would also differ on the relationship between Church and State, but that is a lesser matter than the three stated.
The significant point is that neither Rome nor Islam can bring any one to God. They have no full and final answer to sin because they do not have a salvation that is complete and finished. They are both powerful expressions of human religion which sees our works and efforts as being instrumental in our salvation. They have no true doctrine of free grace. They bring man-made religion to lost souls and thereby they deceive people and lead them to a lost eternity in Hell. They are dangerous threats to the spiritual well-being of multitudes. There is one other area of great difference that flows from the absence of a true doctrine of grace. That is that they would deny people freedom of thought if they could. That is their sober history and in some places their present behaviour.
So let us take notice of Bunyan’s error. He was a great man and we only note his mistake for our learning. May we not be lulled into believing that these two powerful enemies of the Truth are powerless. Let us be informed about them, and eager to share those who follow them, in a gracious and compassionate way, the Gospel of Divine love. In this way they may be delivered from darkness and come into the glorious light of Jesus Christ. Let us also pray that God will be pleased so to bless His truth in our day that many will be delivered not just from false religion but from sin’s dreadful sway.
Roger Hitchings
18/09/2010