The Singer - (IVP Signature Collection) by Calvin Miller (Paperback)

About the Book

In this timeless classic now available in the IVP Signature Collection, Calvin Miller retells the story of Jesus through an allegorical poem about a Singer whose song could not be silenced. Since it was first published in 1975, The Singer has offered believers and seekers the world over a deeply personal encounter with the gospel.

Book Synopsis

Over 400,000 Copies in Print!

"In the beginning was the song of love."

In this timeless poetic reimagining of the gospel story, Calvin Miller tells the story of a Singer whose song could not be silenced. Since it was first published in 1975, The Singer has helped thousands of readers discover the life of Christ in a fresh way.

The Singer, this first book in Miller's beloved trilogy, quickly became a favorite of pastors, artists, students, teachers, evangelists, and readers of all sorts when it was originally published in 1975. This book has left an indelible impression on Christian literature and offered believers and seekers the world over a deeply personal encounter with the gospel.

About This Edition

With a foreword by former InterVarsity Press publisher Jeffrey Crosby and an updated interior design, The Singer is now available as part of the IVP Signature Collection, which features special editions of iconic books in celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of InterVarsity Press. For deeper study, get the companion Bible study guide, including eight sessions that explore the characters in the text.

Review Quotes

"The Singer is one of those rare books that cannot have enough good said about it. It absolutely sings to us of the greatness and goodness of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

--Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline

"The Singer refreshes the old story with new insights and deep emotions. . . . My heart was moved; my mind was stretched; my soul was blessed."

--Leith Anderson, author of The Jesus Revolution

"The Singer was a groundbreaking book, and I'm delighted to see its reintroduction."

--Philip Yancey, author of The Jesus I Never Knew

"The Singer was my first Calvin Miller book. I was hooked. Each page seemed to explode with a fresh combination of poetic energy and gospel aliveness. Every book I've read since (and I think I've read them all) deepens my appreciation."

--Eugene H. Peterson, translator of The Message

"The Singer was not simply a book for me. It was an event. It was the first demonstration in our time that the gospel could be newly presented to the world at the level of the imagination. It deserves to be called the first true Christian classic of our generation."

--Michael Card, author and recording artist

"For decades The Singer has done the one thing most necessary: to make Jesus himself accessible and attractive in ways that stick in the mind and soul, so that he can do his work of renewing the life of God in the individual. Calvin Miller's great gift is to sing Jesus powerfully, to the blessing of our generation and those to come."

--Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy

"Has The Singer impacted my life? You might say that. Though it has been a quarter of a century, I can remember where I was when I received it (in a parked car on a college campus). I remember the weather (bright spring afternoon). And I remember the joy, as the prose and passion of Miller's heart came alive. Within weeks the book was dog-eared and well worn. Through it Miller showed more than a fresh way to work with words; he showed a fresh way to look at Christ. To him, for that, I am eternally grateful. Has The Singer impacted my life? I suppose you could say that."

--Max Lucado, author of Unshakable Hope

"It is no surprise to me that Calvin Miller's The Singer has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many over the past twenty-five years. When I first read it (in manuscript), I knew at once that this was a story/song for the ages, with its vivid details and its skillful knots and weavings of profound truth into words. And as a poet, my heart was gladdened to know that nonreaders of poetry were being welcomed into this poetic masterpiece, were entering and reading it with delight!"

--Luci Shaw, author of Thumbprint in the Clay

"We read The Singer together soon after it first came out. It was more than a breath of fresh air--it led us into a new dimension in our understanding of the reality of Jesus Christ and of all that he can mean to us."

--Dr. Paul and Margaret Brand

"When I was a young questor, I found in a university bookstore a trilogy of books that impacted my life so deeply that--twenty-five years later--I find myself still quoting lines and discussing concepts of truth from them. Literature like The Singer Trilogy will live--like Milton's Paradise Lost and James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones. The Singer must never be allowed to be out of print. Every generation needs to read it."

--Gloria Gaither, recording artist

About the Author

Calvin Miller (1936-2012) was a pastor, professor, and storyteller. He wrote more than forty books and was best known for The Singer Trilogy, a mythic retelling of the New Testament story.