The Rhetoric of Conversion in English Puritan Writing from Perkins to Milton [Paperback]

This rhetorical study of the persuasive practice of English Puritan preachers and writers demonstrates how they appeal to both reason and imagination in order to persuade their hearers and readers towards conversion, assurance of salvation and godly living. Examining works from a diverse range of preacher-writers such as William Perkins, Richard Sibbes, Richard Baxter and John Bunyan, this book maps out continuities and contrasts in the theory and practice of persuasion.
Tracing the emergence of Puritan allegory as an alternative, imaginative mode of rhetoric, it sheds new light on the paradoxical question of how allegories such as John Bunyan'sThe Pilgrim's Progresscame to be among the most significant contributions of Puritanism to the English literary canon, despite the suspicions of allegory and imagination that were endemic in Puritan culture.
Concluding with reflections on how Milton deploys similar strategies to persuade his readers towards his idiosyncratic brand of godly faith, this book makes an original contribution to current scholarly conversations around the textual culture of Puritanism, the history of rhetoric, and the rhetorical character of theology.

This is a rhetorical reading of English Puritan writing, exploring how Puritan preachers employed appeals to reason and imagination to convert their readers. Examines work from a variety of writers including Milton and Bunyan.David Parryis a member of the Department of English and Film at the University of Exeter, UK.

When he is most in tune with his subject matter, Parry is at his best, and there is clear energy derived from an understanding that faith is upheld by the power of a trained ministry using holy rhetoric. Bunyan Studies

Readable and engaging ... It will benefit a range of general readers interested in literature, church history, and theology. Most importantly, for those who have ears to hear, it will help in the ongoing rekindling of the firel“¹