The famous poet George Herbert left behind prestigious careers at Cambridge University and in Parliament to become a country pastor. In this 17th-century work, he encouraged and exhorted other rural pastors. For hundreds of years, The Country Parson was widely used by pastors, but today it is largely forgotten. We think it deserves to be reclaimed. What comes through most clearly in this work is Herbert’s conviction of the importance and value of rural ministry, his sensitivity to local culture (including ways it can be affirmed and ways in which it must be challenged) and his love for country people.
Read Stephen Witmer’s TGC article on The Country Parson here.