Pastors in the Classics - (Paperback)

About the Book

This one-of-a-kind resource introduces pastors and seminarians to wisdom found in literary classics that can shape their ministries today.

Book Synopsis

Throughout the history of English literature, church ministers have figured prominently in novels, plays, morality tales, and even poetry. Pastors in the Classics is a unique, unprecedented collection of relevant literary masterpieces in which the pastor's experience is a major part of the story.

Part 1 is a reader's guide to twelve important classics written over four centuries and covering seven different nationalities. Each chapter not only describes and interprets the work in question, it also highlights a specific feature of pastoral ministry explored in the work. Part 2 is a handbook that defines the canon of literary masterpieces that deal with the pastor's experience, offering reading suggestions for both ministers and lovers of literature.

From the familiar (The Canterbury Tales; Cry, the Beloved Country; and The Scarlet Letter) to the lesser-known (Silence, Witch Wood) to the surprising (A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man), this collection uncovers the good, the bad, and the ugly ways in which pastors have been presented to the reading public for the past half millennium.

From the Back Cover

Discover wisdom for today in the literary classics of the past

Throughout the history of English literature, clergy have figured prominently in novels, plays, morality tales, and even poetry. Pastors in the Classics is a unique exploration of literary masterpieces in which the pastor's experience is a major part of the story. This collection uncovers the good, the bad, and the ugly ways in which pastors have been presented to the reading public for the past half millennium, and how pastors today can glean wisdom from those who have gone before. Whether you are a pastor or a lover of great literature, you will find insight, humor, and grace within these pages.

"Whether you are new to ministry or a veteran, the books discussed in this guide can help you better understand yourself and your calling beyond what you may have learned from textbooks and lectures. I highly recommend it."--Warren W. Wiersbe, author; former pastor, Moody Church

"Here is an ideal guide to find in the classics the deepest, most relevant, emotionally gripping wisdom to preach to oneself. May God use it to revive many of us, remind us of the height from which we have fallen, and restore us to our first love."--Gordon P. Hugenberger, senior minister, Park Street Church, Boston

"A splendid and unique guide to the portraits of pastoral ministry found in the great works of Western literature. The useful information provided here will be enlightening, and the insightful commentary appreciated by anyone who has ever pastored a flock."--Devin Brown, department of English, Asbury University; author of Inside Narnia

"The authors invite us into literary worlds replete with stories of pastors who preach and suffer, who sin and repent, who fail in small and spectacular ways, who stand always in need of grace. If we accept the invitation to enter these tales, we will emerge challenged and encouraged, our hearts returned to love of God and neighbor."--Susan Felch, professor of English, Calvin College

Leland Ryken is a professor of English at Wheaton College and author or editor of some three dozen books, including Words of Delight: A Literary Introduction to the Bible.

Philip Ryken is the president of Wheaton College. He is the author or editor of more than thirty books and was formerly senior minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

Todd Wilson is the senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois.

About the Author

Leland Ryken (PhD, University of Oregon) is the Clyde S. Kilby Professor of English at Wheaton College and author or editor of more than thirty books, as well as many articles. He is also a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and lives in Illinois.

Philip Ryken (DPhil, University of Oxford, England) is president of Wheaton College. He was formerly senior minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the author or editor of more than twenty books and lives with his family in Illinois.

Todd Wilson (PhD, Cambridge University) is senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois, and lives with his family in Illinois.