John Bunyan 
The Holy War 

John Bunyan was a man who felt, above all else, the need to preach the word of God. However during 17th century England it was illegal to preach outside the auspices of the Church of England. His failure to obey this law would land him in the Bedfordshire county jail twice, first for a period of twelve years, and then later for a period of six months. Bunyan could have avoided this harsh sentence if he had simply promised not to continue his preaching, however his faith would not allow him to do so. It was during this incarceration that he would begin composition of his most famous work “The Pilgrim’s Progress”. In 1672 the king issued a declaration of indulgence which allowed for a loosening of restrictions on preaching outside of the English Church, freeing Bunyan from jail and allowing him to pursue his religious endeavors. A prolific author, John Bunyan would write more than sixty titles, expanding many of them into sermons. Amongst these works is the religious allegory “The Holy War”. First published in 1682 it tells the story of the town called Mansoul, whose rule by Shaddai, or the Almighty, is usurped by Diabolus, and of how Shaddai sends his son Emmanuel to reclaim it. This edition includes a biographical afterword.