John Bunyan. Thomas Cranmer. John Wycliffe. Martin Luther. Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

All men who we hear about a lot in the church, but often they feel like distant objects of perfection. Sometimes when we hear people talk about men like Jonathan Edwards or John Hus, we assume that their stories aren’t of any value to people other than seminary students. But that’s actually not true.

I’ve had the pleasure to be brought up in such a way that I’m familiar with these names, since I’ve read Christian biographies from a young age. Then a year or two ago I read Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s sermon Overcoming Fear for history class, plus John Bunyan’s autobiography Grace Abounding To the Chief of Sinners.

I had never known much about Dietrich other than his role in World War 2, while I knew John
Bunyan as the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, and nothing more. But reading that sermon
and autobiography were very helpful to me for a number of reasons

I got to know Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a pastor who used the Scriptures to point out and
provide solutions to common struggles we have in the real world (like fear, anxiety and doubt). I still go back and read that sermon, not just when I’ve realized I’m being fearful, but just to hear him so beautifully apply the passages of Jesus and the storm on the Sea of Galilee.

If that reading had never been assigned to me in history class that year, I would have never
known how gifted a preacher Bonhoeffer was, and I wouldn’t have heard his simple, biblical solution to overcoming fear.

By reading Grace Abounding, as with many other autobiographies of great Christian men and women, I got to see the raw struggles Bunyan had throughout his entire life. Before his
conversion, he was a young man who loved sin and ran toward it with all his heart — which all of us can relate to.

After his conversion, he struggled greatly with spiritual warfare and doubting his identity as a saved member of God’s kingdom. He even recounts how certain passages of Scripture were used by the Enemy to condemn him, which he wrestled with for years in doubt and
desperation.

This was especially helpful to me as someone who has dealt with feeling condemnation at certain points in my faith journey, to know that I’m not the only person this has ever happened to. I think this is my favorite Christian biography (or in this case, autobiography), because it brought me such peace and joy to read of how Bunyan persevered through his great trials.

Thomas Cranmer is another man who’s biography who was is very impactful in my life. Out of fear for his life after the trauma of seeing his two friends burnt at the stake, Cranmer recanted his faith during the Catholic persecutions of the 16th century. But his story does not end there. Cranmer withdrew his recantation while being led to the stake — he did not avoid execution even with his recantation— boldly declared his faith in Christ alone, and placed the hand with which he wrote his recantation in the fire ‘to be burned first’.

Cranmer’s story, like the stories of David and Peter, is a reminder to us all that we can be
restored and forgiven if we fall into great sin. We do not have to wallow in our failures and
weaknesses, and we don’t have to wonder if God still loves us and will ever forgive us for our feebleness and sin.

“A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench.” — Isaiah 42:3

“I, even I, am He who comforts you.” — Isaiah 51:12

“I have covered you with the shadow of My hand” — Isaiah 51:16

Reading the teachings and stories of men like Polycarp, Katherine Parr and John Knox
are NOT wastes of time for Christians in the modern age. They have innumerable benefits and can be great encouragements to us in our individual struggles.

These ‘greats’ of the faith were mortal humans like us, and reading about their lives helps us to see that more clearly and in greater detail.

None of us are alone in our weaknesses and strivings!