John Bunyan writes The Pilgrim’s Progress to assert his beliefs about proper Christianity. Throughout his novel, Bunyan constantly uses his characters’ actions and words to show readers what he believes to be the correct version of Christianity. He publishes The Pilgrim’s Progress during the Protestant Revolution, a time when people start to think for themselves and choose their own beliefs. Consequently, Bunyan’s novel judges non-Lutheran faiths and glorifies his beliefs in what may be an attempt to convert more people to Lutheranism. He also speaks against the corruption he sees everywhere in the Catholic Church. Bunyan clearly displays his religious beliefs in The Pilgrim’s Progress. The Pilgrim’s Progress argues mainly against Catholicism.
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He believes that the Catholic Church does not care about saving people; its officials only care about money and influence. He constantly attacks false believers, saying, “I have heard many cry out against Sin in the Pulpit, who yet can abide it well enough in the Heart, House, and Conversation” (95). He also says, “There is so little of this faithful dealing with men now a days, and that makes Religion so stink in the nostrils of many as it doth” (99). In addition, he strongly opposes the Catholic belief of Penance, which requires sinners to do good deeds to repay their sins. Because of the Church’s tendency to sell indulgences to reduce people’s time in Purgatory, Bunyan does not believe that believers should have to repay their sins; instead, faith alone will save true believers. He uses Hopeful’s failed period of using actions to repay his sins as an allegory for Penance. Hopeful remembers his Penance, saying “Yes, and fled from, not only my Sins, but sinful company, too… as Praying, Reading, weeping for Sin, speaking Truth to my neighbors, etc… but at last my Trouble came tumbling over me again” (157). Bunyan also protests the wealth of Church officials; Villains in his story are almost always high class. Despair and Diffidence, the giants who imprison Christian and Hopeful, are rich enough to own a castle, and Apollyon, the demon Christian slays in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, is the Prince of the City of Destruction. By-ends meets his demise because he could not resist the temptation of the deadly silver mine. The people at Vanity Fair, who kill Faithful for his religion, care only about money and material goods. In addition, Faithful says, “but few of the Mighty, Rich, or Wise were ever of my opinion” (86). Bunyan voices his protests to the Catholic Church’s
He believes that the Catholic Church does not care about saving people; its officials only care about money and influence. He constantly attacks false believers, saying, “I have heard many cry out against Sin in the Pulpit, who yet can abide it well enough in the Heart, House, and Conversation” (95). He also says, “There is so little of this faithful dealing with men now a days, and that makes Religion so stink in the nostrils of many as it doth” (99). In addition, he strongly opposes the Catholic belief of Penance, which requires sinners to do good deeds to repay their sins. Because of the Church’s tendency to sell indulgences to reduce people’s time in Purgatory, Bunyan does not believe that believers should have to repay their sins; instead, faith alone will save true believers. He uses Hopeful’s failed period of using actions to repay his sins as an allegory for Penance. Hopeful remembers his Penance, saying “Yes, and fled from, not only my Sins, but sinful company, too… as Praying, Reading, weeping for Sin, speaking Truth to my neighbors, etc… but at last my Trouble came tumbling over me again” (157). Bunyan also protests the wealth of Church officials; Villains in his story are almost always high class. Despair and Diffidence, the giants who imprison Christian and Hopeful, are rich enough to own a castle, and Apollyon, the demon Christian slays in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, is the Prince of the City of Destruction. By-ends meets his demise because he could not resist the temptation of the deadly silver mine. The people at Vanity Fair, who kill Faithful for his religion, care only about money and material goods. In addition, Faithful says, “but few of the Mighty, Rich, or Wise were ever of my opinion” (86). Bunyan voices his protests to the Catholic Church’s