Books · 1988
Just as Oliver Cromwell aimed to bring about the kingdom of God on earth and founded the British Empire, so Bunyan wanted the millennium and got the novel.
— Christopher Hill ‧ A Turbulent, Seditious, and Factious People: John Bunyan and his Church, 1628 - 1688
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker draws a wry parallel between religious ambitions and their claimed worldly results. Cromwell sought a godly kingdom but produced empire; Bunyan wanted the millennium but produced the novel. The comparison suggests that historical consequences can differ sharply from the ideals that inspire action.
Context reviewed