福音派基督徒为何不读《天路历程》（以及他们应该读的理由）Why Evangelicals Don’t ReadPilgrim’s Progress (And Why They Should)
作者: John R. Muether 译者: Duncan Liang
“最近读了什么新书？”走进改革宗神学院图书馆的读者经常会问这个问题，很想知道应该在他们的阅读书单上加上什么。但是在向他们介绍新书之前，我会提醒他们应当读哪些旧书。在那清单前列的，然而却又是经常被人忽视的，是《天路历程》，到目前为止最畅销的抗罗宗灵修著作，尽管如果你去了大多数基督教书店或教会图书馆以后，你会很难想象这是真的。就算被缩写，出了现代版（我是不推荐这些的），约翰班杨的这部经典也被小说《末日迷踪》，《直奔标杆》实用系列和《雅比斯的祷告》类的祷告手册挤到一边去了。
“Read
any new books lately?” Visitors to the Reformed Theological Seminary library
often ask this, eager to learn what to add to their reading lists. Before
introducing them to what’s new, though, I remind them of what’s old that they
should be reading. High on that list, yet often overlooked, is Pilgrim’s
Progress, the all-time best-selling Protestant devotional book, though that
might be hard to imagine after visiting most Christian bookstores or church
libraries. Even in abridged and modern versions (which I don’t recommend), John
Bunyan’s classic has been crowded out by “left behind” novels, purpose-driven
how-to books, and Jabez-inspired prayer manuals.
为什么会这样？我个人的经历可能会给出一些答案。我读《天路历程》是在大约25年前，对这本灵修经典充满希望，我并没有失望。在经历许多危险，劳苦和网罗之后，基督徒经历了那十字架的奇妙经历，班杨对此是描写得栩栩如生：“我在梦里看见，基督徒正走到十字架前面的时候，他的重负在肩膀上松了开来，忽然从背上落下来，一直滚到墓穴旁边，然后掉进去不 见了。”
Why
is this? My personal experience may shed some light. I first read Pilgrim’s
Progress about 25 years ago, expecting a devotional classic, and I was not
disappointed. After many dangers, toils and snares, Christian comes to that
marvelous experience of the cross that Bunyan describes vividly: “So I saw in
my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from
his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued
to do, till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw
it no more.
这的确是一个振奋人心的故事 – 从毁灭城，经过灰心沼，到基督的十字架，结尾是欢乐的：“这时候基督徒高兴极了，浑身感到无比的轻快，欣然说道，‘因他的痛苦我得到安息，因他的死亡我得到生命。’”而且，它是一气呵称。谁说清教徒的书字句晦涩？我看我那个版本到了第35页，我开始迷糊了：班杨怎样才能吸引我的注意力，让我读完剩下的153页呢？我相信这故事已经结束了，几乎把这本书放到一边去了。
It
was truly an inspirational story – from the City of Destruction through the
Slough of Despond to the Cross of Christ – with a cheerful ending: “Then was
Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, ‘He hath given me
rest by His sorrow, and life by His death.”‘ And: a quick read too! Who claimed
that the Puritans were verbose? I was only on page 35 in my edition when I
became perplexed: How was Bunyan going to command my attention for the next 153
pages? Convinced the story was over, I nearly put the book down.
但是我发现故事还没有完结。基督徒还没有得救。前面还潜伏着浮华市集，怀疑堡垒和死人巷。他将要遇上愚蠢，睡觉和傲慢；形式主义者和虚伪，两面派先生，骗人先生，走回头和很多其他别的人，所有这些都是通过十字架出了毁灭城的。这些同行的人理论上应当和基督徒一样为十字架感到欢喜，但这些是冒牌的天路客，心里充满了危险致命的自以为是。
I
discovered, though, that the story was not over. Christian was not yet saved.
Still ahead lurked Vanity Fair, Doubting Castle and Deadman’s Lane. He would
meet Simple, Sleep and Presumption; Formalist and Hypocrisy; Messrs.
Facing-both-ways, Two-Tongues, Turn-about and many others, all of whom also
came from the City of Destruction through the cross. These were fellow
travelers who presumably had rejoiced at the cross as Christian had. But these
were counterfeit pilgrims filled with dangerous, deadly presumption.
得救是一个旅程
SALVATION IS A JOURNEY
为什么这么难读下去？我的困难，以及对现代读者来说这本书看起来的难以为继，这是和美国福音派基督徒的偏见有关的。具体说，这本书让那些对得救抱着一种决志至上态度，把神的拯救工作减低成为一种眼见壮观，立刻归信经历的人摸不着头脑。班杨描写的基督徒生活不是这样的。拯救所带来的是持续一生的走过生命旷野的旅程，在每一环节都需要归正。基督徒通往天城的旅程在每一个转折点都遇到威胁。他和盼望和忠信作伴，得到支持，但是几乎上了多话和无知的骗。在整个故事中，每次基督徒只要自以为是骄傲起来，他就遇到最大的危险。
Why
was this a struggle to read? My difficulty, and its seeming inaccessibility to
modern readers, owes to American evangelical prejudices. Specifically, the book
makes little sense for those with a decisionalist approach to salvation,
reducing the saving work of God to a spectacular, instantaneous conversion
experience. Bunyan does not describe the Christian life that way. Salvation
entailed a lifelong process of journeying through the wilderness of life, and
conversion was requested at every moment. Christian’s journey to the Celestial
City was threatened at every turn. He was sustained by the company of Hopeful
and Faithful but nearly deceived by Talkative and Ignorance. Throughout the
story Christian was always most vulnerable whenever puffed up with presumption.
走天路是一个贯穿整本圣经的主题，彼得称信徒是“是客旅，是寄居的”（彼前 2:11）。按现在的说法，我们是无家可归的人。作为没有家的人，我们会遇上毁谤(2:12)，要受苦(2:19)，每天受威胁(3:14)
，有火一般的试炼(4:12-14)。类似，保罗不断提醒我们客旅的身份，告诉我们说，我们是天上的国民(腓3:20；西3:1-3)。
Pilgrimage
is a pervasive theme throughout Scripture. Peter addresses believers as “aliens
and strangers” (NIV) or “sojourners and exiles” (ESV) (1 Peter 2:11). In
contemporary parlance, we are homeless. As homeless people, we encounter unjust
accusations (2:12), suffering (2:19), daily insults (3:14) and fiery trials
(4:12-14). Similarly, Paul constantly reminds us of our pilgrim status when
informing us that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20; Colossians
3:1-3).
希伯来书是给天路客的实用手册。它把基督徒牢牢定位在旷野中，把基督徒生活比作是在旧约时旷野中的流浪。在3:7-4:13 这比较是特别明显。神学家Richard Gaffin 这样评论这段经文：
The
letter to the Hebrews is an operating manual for pilgrimage. It locates the
Christian squarely in the desert, likening the Christian life to the wilderness
wandering under the Old Covenant. In 3:7-4:13 the analogy is particularly
compelling. Theologian Richard Gaffin comments on this passage:
旷野中的以色列民和新约下的信徒所处的情形很相似。基督徒得到同样安息的应许(3:11; 4:1)；他们也落在类似的试炼和同样的不信背道的危险中(3:12,19; 4:6)；他们得到劝勉，要同样在信心中坚忍(3:8, 14; 4:1,11)。和旧约时一样，新约中神的百姓是客旅，是过客；和过去一样，他们现在是一群行在路上的子民。
Israel
in the wilderness and believers under the New Covenant are in analogous
situations. Christians receive the same promise of rest (3:11; 4:1); they are
exposed to similar trials and the same danger of unbelief and apostasy
(3:12,19; 4:6); they are exhorted to the same perseverance in faith (3:8, 14;
4:1,11). In New Testament as well as Old Testament times, God’s people are
pilgrims and travelers; now as then, they are a people “on the way.”
让我们拥抱这天路历程
EMBRACE
THE PILGRIMAGE
在希伯来书第11章，作者展开对这些天路客的伟大回顾。他描写这些旧约的圣徒，说他们在世上是客旅，是寄居的， 没有常住的城，靠着对神应许的信心，知道他们的产业比这个世界上的更美。
In
Hebrews 11, the author conducts his great survey of pilgrims. He describes
these Old Testament saints as strangers and pilgrims on earth, with no abiding
city, relying on faith in the promises of God, knowing that their inheritance
was something better than this present world.
在这些新约经文中，写书的人是大大依靠旧约的经文。在那些在旷野中游荡的以色列人身上，我们看到基督徒天路客的身影。旧约天路客的故事是我们的故事，为我们写的，保罗说，“写在经上，正是警戒我们这末世的人”（林前10:11）。
In
these New Testament texts, the writers lean heavily on the Old Testament. In
the desert wandering of the Israelites, we see Christian pilgrimage. The story
of the Old Testament pilgrims is our story, written for us, Paul says, “on whom
the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).
然而，身为天路客，我们不仅仅只是在重复着以色列人的故事。我们发现，与我们的主和救主联合，这是圣经里终极的天路历程。约翰告诉我们，耶稣创造这个世界，但是正是这个世界蔑视他。他要在旷野中受试炼，被他的民拒绝，在这个世界上漂荡，没有枕首的地方。作为一个天路客，耶稣面向耶路撒冷，好让我们面向锡安。要作一位天路客，我们就要效法基督和他的天路历程，拥抱接受十字架的生活。
As
pilgrims, however, we do not merely recapitulate the story of Israel. We find
our identity in union with our Lord and Savior the Bible’s ultimate pilgrim.
Jesus created the world, John tells us, but that very world would despise Him.
He would be tested in the wilderness, suffer rejection by His people, and
wander this earth without a place to lay down His head. As a pilgrim, Jesus set
His face upon Jerusalem so we may set our face upon Zion. To be a pilgrim is to
embrace, in imitation of Christ and His pilgrimage, the life of the cross.
神的天路客们也接受他的供应。在旧约那是旷野中的吗哪。在新约中，彼得愿“恩惠平安”归给那些蒙拣选作寄居的人(彼前
1:1,2)。这个祝福不是社交的礼节，也不是敬虔的情感，它是从基督命定的执事那里来的正式宣告。神喂养属于他的当代天路客，正如他藉着他的恩典喂养古时候属于他的天路客一样。
God’s
pilgrims also accept His provision. In the Old Testament it was manna in the
wilderness. In the New Testament, Peter offers “grace and peace (1 Peter 1:1,2)
to the elect strangers, or exiles. This benediction is no social pleasantry or
pious sentiment. It is an official declaration from Christ’s ordained officer.
God nourishes His modem pilgrims, as He did His ancient pilgrims, through His
grace.
通过牢记我们在旷野中的位置，我们就越来越意识到我们绝望的光景，我们对神供应的需要。蒙恩之道通过神的话语和圣礼，给我们赐下真正的喂养。拒绝这健康的喂养，寻找另外的滋养取而代之，就是宣告我们比神还要有智慧，渴望埃及的食物。
By
remembering our desert location, we increasingly realize our desperate state
and our need for God’s provisions. The means of grace, through the ministry of
the Word and sacrament, offer genuine nourishment. To reject that healthy diet
and seek alternative nourishment is to claim to be wiser than God and yearn for
the diet of Egypt.
走天路是有后果的。持续思想这个主题，这要给我们带来几样益处。第一，这要改变对基督徒生活的普遍误解。美国基督徒－不管是福音派还是主流基督徒－的普遍问题就是想到基督徒生活时超越一切的自信。歌唱信心的伟大诗歌，其中一样好处就是这些诗歌是强调我们的无力和软弱，这些诗歌许多是天路客的诗歌，比如：
Pilgrimage
has consequences. Sustained reflection on this theme will reap several benefits
for us. First it will subvert common misunderstandings of the Christian life.
The besetting problem for American Christians – evangelical or mainline – is an
overwhelming self-confidence that attends our notions of the Christian life.
One advantage to singing the great hymns of the faith is their emphasis on our
weakness and frailty. Many are hymns of pilgrimage, such as:
“永恒之君，求前导，出发时刻已到。此后旌旗所指处，我家便是战壕。”
“Lead
on O King eternal, the day of march has come. Henceforth in fields of conquest,
Thy tents shall be our home.”
软弱的呼求
CRIES
OF WEAKNESS
与希伯来书相回应的是基督徒走天路的呼声。神得胜的子民满足于住在帐幕中，等候一个永远的家。类似地，马丁路德所写的《坚固保障》也是天路客的呼声：“亲戚货财可舍，渺小浮生可丧。”
Echoing
Hebrews 11, this is a claim of pilgrimage. God’s triumphant people are
satisfied to live in tents while awaiting a permanent home. Similarly, Luther’s
“A Mighty Fortress” is the cry of a pilgrim: “Let goods and kindred go, This
mortal life also.”
我们还可以引用其他的诗歌，但是我们不能不提这首威尔士经典诗歌：
We
can cite others, but we must not omit this Welsh classic:
“耶和华，请你带领我走过今世旷野路；
我虽软弱主有权能，
愿主圣手常扶助；
天上吗哪，天上吗哪，
赐我饱足免饥饿。”
“Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold
me with thy powerful hand;
Bread
of heaven,
Feed
me till I want no more.”
再思敬拜
RETHINKING WORSHIP
基督徒走天路，这也要让基督徒生活更谨慎，有更多思考。我们要更加带着批判的态度来思想身边的文化和对世界的爱，对于这些，我们是太容易就走偏路，太容易就离开我们所爱的神。我们要成长，越来越认识和依靠神的恩典，我们要看到他的恩典通过教会传递，在教会中我们领受基督买赎的救恩的好处。而且，这要使我们再次来思想敬拜，什么是我们应当做，我们应当期待得到，什么是我们不应当期待得到的。在参加教会生活上随随便便，或者不断地更换教会，这些是那些在今生的旷野中太过舒适的人的特征。一个有分辨的天路客会培养能力分辨真正的走天路和它的假冒品。为慕道友设计敬拜的教会常常吸引的是消费者，或者那些只是看看的人，而不是真正的天路客。浮华市集上安逸的世人和在锡安山上聚集的天上人很不一样。
Pilgrimage
also should yield more deliberateness and thoughtfulness in the Christian life.
We will reflect more critically on the surrounding culture and the worldliness
for which we are too readily “prone to wander, prone to leave the God we love.”
We will grow in appreciation of and dependence upon God’s grace, and we will see
His grace mediated through the Church, where we receive the benefits of the
redemption purchased by Christ. Moreover, it will make us rethink worship: what
we do and what we should expect (and not expect). Casual church attendance or
impulsive church shopping are characteristics of those too comfortable in the
wilderness of this life. A discerning pilgrim cultivates the ability to
distinguish pilgrimage from its counterfeits. Churches that design worship for
“seekers” often attract shoppers or browsers – not true pilgrims. Worldly
people at home in Vanity Fair are very different from the heavenly people
gathered on Mount Zion.
你最近看了什么旧书？看了《天路历程》吗？班杨在前言中写道，“这本书要让你成为走天路的人。”这要使我们重新定位，看基督徒的生活是一个危险旅程中逐渐的进步，是一个每一步依靠一位满有恩典的神的供应，恐惧战兢，作成得救的工夫的旅程。所以，请你去读，或者再读《天路历程》，只是一定不要到了第35页就停下来。
Read
any old books lately? How about Pilgrim’s Progress? “This book will make a
traveler of thee,” Bunyan wrote in his introduction. It will reorient us to see
the Christian life as one of gradual progress through a dangerous journey – a
sojourn that works out salvation with fear and trembling, relying on the
provisions of a gracious God through every step. So read – or re-read –
Pilgrim’s Progress. Only be sure to continue past page 35.
Reprinted
by permission from Reformed Theological Seminary, Fall 2003
John
R. Muether is Library Director and Associate Professor of Church History at
Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. His most recent book is
“With Reverence and Awe: Returning to the Basics of Reformed Worship” (P&R,
2002), co-authored with D. G. Hart.
