"Get everything you can out of your time reading the classics with the Christian Guides to the Classics Series!
Leland Ryken provides a clear pathway to understanding the "Great Works" through this engaging series of short guidebooks. Beginning with "why the classics matter" and "the nature and function of literature," readers will find a helpful path to reading and analyzing influential works in the Western canon.
Each book:
Includes an introduction to the author and work
Explains the cultural context
Incorporates published criticism
Defines key literary terms
Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
Lists resources for further study
Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview.
In this volume, Ryken guides readers through Dickens's quintessential coming-of-age novel, Great Expectations. Exploring perennial themes such as love, justice, and heroism, this book stands as the preeminent example of Dickens's unrivaled ability to conjure realistic characters and palpable settings."
"We've all heard about the classics and assume they're great. Some of us have even read them on our own. But for those of us who remain a bit intimidated or simply want to get more out of our reading, Crossway's Christian Guides to the Classics are here to help.
In these short guidebooks, popular professor, author, and literary expert Leland Ryken takes you through some of the greatest literature in history while answering your questions along the way.
Each book:
- Includes an introduction to the author and work
- Explains the cultural context
- Incorporates published criticism
- Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
- Defines key literary terms
- Lists resources for further study
- Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview
This guide opens up Homer's The Odyssey and highlights the universal themes of endurance and longing for rest as displayed in this epic tale of a man trying to find his way home."
"Get everything you can out of your time reading the classics with the Christian Guides to the Classics Series!
Leland Ryken provides a clear pathway to understanding the "Great Works" through this engaging series of short guidebooks. Beginning with "why the classics matter" and "the nature and function of literature," readers will find a helpful path to reading and analyzing influential works in the Western canon.
Each book:
Includes an introduction to the author and work
Explains the cultural context
Incorporates published criticism
Defines key literary terms
Contains discussion questions at the end of each unit of the text
Lists resources for further study
Evaluates the classic text from a Christian worldview.
This volume leads readers through John Bunyan's classic Christian allegory, The Pilgrim's Progress, offering insights into the nature of faith, the reality of temptation, and the glory of salvation."
"Every hymn begins its life as a poem—and we can give our favorite hymns fresh life by returning to their poetic roots. This anthology of several centuries' worth of great hymns invites us to experience these works as devotional poetry—to slow down and savor their well-turned phrases and evocative language. English professor Leland Ryken provides some historical background for each hymn, but his focus is on literary analysis. Combined with relevant Scripture texts, the result is a wonderfully devotional and poetic study of the Christian faith."
"In order to understand, appreciate, and faithfully preach the word of God, pastors must discern the literary nature of the Bible. Instead of just acknowledging the various genres of Scripture, pastors and teachers should allow these genres to influence how the text is approached and communicated. In The Beauty and Power of Biblical Exposition, they will learn how to both read and preach the Bible as a literary anthology.
To accomplish this, Douglas Sean O'Donnell and Leland Ryken teach pastors how to faithfully preach while keeping the original authors' intentions in mind, helping them grow in their craft and love for God's word. They explain how to read 6 genres—including narratives, parables, epistles, poetry, proverbs, and visionary writings—for the purpose of captivating congregations with the richness of Scripture."
"'Ryken's Worldly Saints offers a fine introduction to seventeenth-century Puritanism in its English and American contexts. The work is rich in quotations from Puritan worthies and is ideally suited to general readers who have not delved widely into Puritan literature. It will also be a source of information and inspiration to those who seek a clearer understanding of the Puritan roots of American Christianity.' -Harry Stout, Yale University
'...the typical Puritans were not wild men, fierce and freaky, religious fanatics and social extremists, but sober, conscientious, and cultured citizens, persons of principle, determined and disciplined excelling in the domestic virtues, and with no obvious shortcomings save a tendency to run to words when saying anything important, whether to God or to a man. At last the record has been put straight.' -J.I. Packer, Regent College
'Worldly Saints provides a revealing treasury of primary and secondary evidence for understanding the Puritans, who they were, what they believed, and how they acted. This is a book of value and interest for scholars and students, clergy and laity alike.' -Roland Mushat Frye, University of Pennsylvania
'A very persuasive...most interesting book...stuffed with quotations from Puritan sources, almost to the point of making it a mini-anthology.' -Publishers Weekly 'With Worldly Saints, Christians of all persuasions have a tool that provides ready access to the vast treasures of Puritan thought.' -Christianity Today
'Ryken writes with a vigor and enthusiasm that makes delightful reading-never a dull moment.' -Fides et Historia 'Worldly Saints provides a valuable picture of Puritan life and values. It should be useful for general readers as well as for students of history and literature.' -Christianity and Literature
Accompanying images and further reading are included in the audiobook companion PDF download."
"A Christian Perspective on the Joys of Reading
In today's technology-driven culture, reading has become a lost art. With smartphones offering information at the tap of a finger, reading a book is often seen as a tedious and outdated activity. Christians are not immune to this problem, as many find it hard to read books—even the Bible—consistently and attentively. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading addresses these timely issues by exploring the importance of reading generally as well as studying the Bible as literature, giving practical suggestions along the way. In this helpful guide, Leland Ryken and Glenda Faye Mathes encourage a new generation of readers to overcome the notion of reading as a duty and learn to see it as a delight."
"For the last 60 years, J. I. Packer has exerted a steady and remarkable influence on evangelical theology and practice. His many books, articles, and lectures have shaped entire generations of Christians, helping elevate their view of God and enliven their love for God. In this new biography, well-known scholar Leland Ryken provides readers with a compelling overview of Packer’s interesting life and influential legacy. Exploring his childhood, college days, theological education, and professional life in both England and America, this volume combines detailed facts with personal anecdotes so as to paint a holistic portrait of the man himself. Finally, Ryken identifies lifelong themes evident in Packer’s life, ministry, and writings that shed light on his enduring significance for Christians today."
