Threats and attempts at persuasion from the judge did not affect him, even though imprisonment had great consequences for him and his poor family. He replied simply: "If I get out of jail today, I will preach again tomorrow".*
In this prison, John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim's Progress.
For many, 12 years in prison will be seen as wasted years. But this allegory, one of the most significant works in world history and translated into more than 200 languages, with its poignant description of Christianity, couldns tribulations on the journey to the heavenly city would hardly have achieved its powerful effect if it were not Bunyan's own spiritual autobiography. It is clear to readers throughout the ages that compared to having one's soul saved, everything else is secondary.
That's why we don't get discouraged, because even though vort outer man perishes, yet our inner man is renewed day by day. For would be The light afflictions of this age bring us in excess an eternal weight of glory, for we look not at the visible but at the invisible; for the visible lasts only for a time, the invisible eternally. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
* See Aage Falk Hansen's foreword to Pilgrimsvandringen, J. Free mode Publisher 1967.
Christian Petersen is chief consultant at Efterskoleforeningen and board member of Missionsfonden
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