The Singer: A Classic Retelling of Cosmic Conflict

by Calvin Miller, Jeff Crosby (Foreword by)

Overview

• Over 400,000 Copies in Print

"In the beginning was the song of love."

In this timeless classic, Calvin Miller retells the story of Jesus through an allegorical poem about a Singer whose song could not be silenced. Since it was first published in 1975, The Singer has left an indelible impression on Christian literature and offered believers and seekers the world over a deeply personal encounter with the gospel.

With a new foreword by IVP Publisher Jeffrey Crosby and an updated interior design, The Singer is now available as part of the IVP Signature Collection, which features special editions of iconic books in celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of InterVarsity Press. Now there's also a companion Bible study guide available with eight sessions exploring the characters in the text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830848607
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	10/20/2020
Series:	The IVP Signature Collection
Pages:	120
Sales rank:	1,108,862
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.32(d)

About the Author

Calvin Miller (1936-2012) was a professor at Beeson Divinity School. The beloved author of more than forty books, Miller was also well known as a poet, artist, novelist and speaker. His later works included Preaching (Baker), O Shepherd Where Art Thou? (Broadman Holman) and Conversations with Jesus (Harvest House). He summed up his rule of life in four words: "Time is a gift."

Table of Contents

Table of contents forthcoming

What People are Saying About This

Michael Duduit

"Calvin Miller is the poet laureate of today's evangelical world, and The Singer is among his most remarkable literary works. Miller has something profound to say, and he says it beautifully. The Singer is one of a handful of contemporary Christian works that will still be read a century from now."

Gloria Gaither

"When I was a young questor, I found in a university bookstore a trilogy of books that impacted my life so deeply that—twenty-five years later—I find myself still quoting lines and discussing concepts of truth from them. Literature like The Singer Trilogy will live—like Milton's Paradise Lost and James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones. The Singer must never be allowed to be out of print. Every generation needs to read it."

Philip Yancey

"The Singer was a groundbreaking book, and I'm delighted to see its reintroduction."

Reg Grant

"For twenty-five years the voice of The Singer has echoed through the land, resonating in thousands of hearts and minds. Calvin Miller has discovered in the Singer's voice the mystery of the Deepest Song—that the One who sang the world into being is in the process of singing the world together. And he invites us to sing along."

Jeannette Clift George

"The Singer left an imprint of joy on my life twenty-five years ago. . . . Calvin Miller's work is a definitive illustration of God's ongoing creativity through a believing artist and gives cause for new celebration."

James W. Sire

"A great surprise came when I first read The Singer in manuscript: here was a magnificent, original, poetic, emotionally charged retelling of the greatest story ever told. A joy to read then and to reread now!"

Luci Shaw

"It is no surprise to me that Calvin Miller's The Singer has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many over the past twenty-five years. When I first read it (in manuscript), I knew at once that this was a story/song for the ages, with its vivid details and its skillful knots and weavings of profound truth into words. And as a poet, my heart was gladdened to know that nonreaders of poetry were being welcomed into this poetic masterpiece, were entering and reading it with delight!"

Leith Anderson

"The Singer refreshes the old story with new insights and deep emotions. . . . My heart was moved; my mind was stretched; my soul was blessed."

Donald Joy

"It must be true that poetry—or song—is the required vehicle of intimate communication with or about God! If so, that is part of the power that gripped me when I first opened Calvin Miller's The Singer."

Max Lucado

"Has The Singer impacted my life? You might say that. Though it has been a quarter of a century, I can remember where I was when I received it (in a parked car on a college campus). I remember the weather (bright spring afternoon). And I remember the joy, as the prose and passion of Miller's heart came alive. Within weeks the book was dog-eared and well worn. Through it Miller showed more than a fresh way to work with words; he showed a fresh way to look at Christ. To him, for that, I am eternally grateful. Has The Singer impacted my life? I suppose you could say that."

Kelly Monroe

"Calvin Miller—how beautiful a singer. How timeless, and lovely, a song."

Dallas Willard

"For decades The Singer has done the one thing most necessary: to make Jesus himself accessible and attractive in ways that stick in the mind and soul, so that he can do his work of renewing the life of God in the individual. Calvin Miller's great gift is to sing Jesus powerfully, to the blessing of our generation and those to come."

Richard Foster

"The Singer is one of those rare books that cannot have enough good said about it. It absolutely sings to us of the greatness and goodness of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Michael Card

"The Singer was not simply a book for me. It was an event. It was the first demonstration in our time that the gospel could be newly presented to the world at the level of the imagination. It deserves to be called the first true Christian classic of our generation."

Leonard G. Goss

"When Calvin Miller's narrative poem The Singer arrived in 1975, so distinct in imagination and style, I was amazed at its strangeness, originality, power, and vividness. In form, the Troubadour's story was fine and open and organic—an absolutely brilliant retelling of the Gospels. In the intervening years, as I have come to know Miller as a friend and fellow traveler, I have often been amazed at the range of his knowing and feeling humanity. . . . He is truly a gift from the Earthmaker."

Warren Wiersbe

"The Singer is one of those books that expands my mind, explodes my imagination, and excites my heart. Our Lord becomes so refreshingly real that I see him so personally. The years haven't diminished its power in my life."

Marshall Shelley

"The Singer not only gives a fresh and insightful portrait of Christ the 'Troubador,' it continues to set the pace for books that engage both the imagination and the soul."

Dr. Paul and Margaret Brand

"We read The Singer together soon after it first came out. It was more than a breath of fresh air—it led us into a new dimension in our understanding of the reality of Jesus Christ and of all that he can mean to us."

Leonard Sweet

"The Singer is a classic. It stands as one of the greatest exercises in 'sound theology' in Christian history. Calvin Miller was of 'sound mind' long before the rest of us."

Eugene H. Peterson

"The Singer was my first Calvin Miller book. I was hooked. Each page seemed to explode with a fresh combination of poetic energy and gospel aliveness. Every book I've read since (and I think I've read them all) deepens my appreciation."

Editorial Reviews

"The Singer was not simply a book for me. It was an event. It was the first demonstration in our time that the gospel could be newly presented to the world at the level of the imagination. It deserves to be called the first true Christian classic of our generation."

Michael Card

"A great surprise came when I first read The Singer in manuscript: here was a magnificent, original, poetic, emotionally charged retelling of the greatest story ever told. A joy to read then and to reread now!"

James W. Sire

"The Singer was a groundbreaking book, and I'm delighted to see its reintroduction."

Philip Yancey

"The Singer is one of those books that expands my mind, explodes my imagination, and excites my heart. Our Lord becomes so refreshingly real that I see him so personally. The years haven't diminished its power in my life."

Warren Wiersbe

"Has The Singer impacted my life? You might say that. Though it has been a quarter of a century, I can remember where I was when I received it (in a parked car on a college campus). I remember the weather (bright spring afternoon). And I remember the joy, as the prose and passion of Miller's heart came alive. Within weeks the book was dog-eared and well worn. Through it Miller showed more than a fresh way to work with words; he showed a fresh way to look at Christ. To him, for that, I am eternally grateful. Has The Singer impacted my life? I suppose you could say that."

Max Lucado

"The Singer refreshes the old story with new insights and deep emotions. . . . My heart was moved; my mind was stretched; my soul was blessed."

Leith Anderson

"The Singer left an imprint of joy on my life twenty-five years ago. . . . Calvin Miller's work is a definitive illustration of God's ongoing creativity through a believing artist and gives cause for new celebration."

Jeannette Clift George

"The Singer is a classic. It stands as one of the greatest exercises in 'sound theology' in Christian history. Calvin Miller was of 'sound mind' long before the rest of us."

Leonard Sweet

"The Singer is one of those rare books that cannot have enough good said about it. It absolutely sings to us of the greatness and goodness of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Richard Foster

"The Singer not only gives a fresh and insightful portrait of Christ the 'Troubador,' it continues to set the pace for books that engage both the imagination and the soul."

Marshall Shelley

"The Singer was my first Calvin Miller book. I was hooked. Each page seemed to explode with a fresh combination of poetic energy and gospel aliveness. Every book I've read since (and I think I've read them all) deepens my appreciation."

Eugene H. Peterson

"It is no surprise to me that Calvin Miller's The Singer has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many over the past twenty-five years. When I first read it (in manuscript), I knew at once that this was a story/song for the ages, with its vivid details and its skillful knots and weavings of profound truth into words. And as a poet, my heart was gladdened to know that nonreaders of poetry were being welcomed into this poetic masterpiece, were entering and reading it with delight!"

Luci Shaw

"For decades The Singer has done the one thing most necessary: to make Jesus himself accessible and attractive in ways that stick in the mind and soul, so that he can do his work of renewing the life of God in the individual. Calvin Miller's great gift is to sing Jesus powerfully, to the blessing of our generation and those to come."

Dallas Willard

"For twenty-five years the voice of The Singer has echoed through the land, resonating in thousands of hearts and minds. Calvin Miller has discovered in the Singer's voice the mystery of the Deepest Song—that the One who sang the world into being is in the process of singing the world together. And he invites us to sing along."

Reg Grant

"When Calvin Miller's narrative poem The Singer arrived in 1975, so distinct in imagination and style, I was amazed at its strangeness, originality, power, and vividness. In form, the Troubadour's story was fine and open and organic—an absolutely brilliant retelling of the Gospels. In the intervening years, as I have come to know Miller as a friend and fellow traveler, I have often been amazed at the range of his knowing and feeling humanity. . . . He is truly a gift from the Earthmaker."

Leonard G. Goss

"When I was a young questor, I found in a university bookstore a trilogy of books that impacted my life so deeply that—twenty-five years later—I find myself still quoting lines and discussing concepts of truth from them. Literature like The Singer Trilogy will live—like Milton's Paradise Lost and James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones. The Singer must never be allowed to be out of print. Every generation needs to read it."

Gloria Gaither

"It must be true that poetry—or song—is the required vehicle of intimate communication with or about God! If so, that is part of the power that gripped me when I first opened Calvin Miller's The Singer."

Donald Joy

"We read The Singer together soon after it first came out. It was more than a breath of fresh air—it led us into a new dimension in our understanding of the reality of Jesus Christ and of all that he can mean to us."

Dr. Paul and Margaret Brand

"Calvin Miller is the poet laureate of today's evangelical world, and The Singer is among his most remarkable literary works. Miller has something profound to say, and he says it beautifully. The Singer is one of a handful of contemporary Christian works that will still be read a century from now."

Michael Duduit

"The Singer is a classic. It stands as one of the greatest exercises in 'sound theology' in Christian history. Calvin Miller was of 'sound mind' long before the rest of us."

--Leonard Sweet, author of SoulTsunami

"The Singer is one of those books that expands my mind, explodes my imagination, and excites my heart. Our Lord becomes so refreshingly real that I see him so personally. The years haven't diminished its power in my life."

--Warren Wiersbe, author of Preaching and Teaching with Imagination

"The Singer is one of those rare books that cannot have enough good said about it. It absolutely sings to us of the greatness and goodness of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

--Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline

"The Singer left an imprint of joy on my life twenty-five years ago. . . . Calvin Miller's work is a definitive illustration of God's ongoing creativity through a believing artist and gives cause for new celebration."

--Jeannette Clift George, author of John, His Story

"The Singer not only gives a fresh and insightful portrait of Christ the 'Troubador, ' it continues to set the pace for books that engage both the imagination and the soul."

--Marshall Shelley, former editor of Leadership Journal

"The Singer refreshes the old story with new insights and deep emotions. . . . My heart was moved; my mind was stretched; my soul was blessed."

--Leith Anderson, author of The Jesus Revolution

"The Singer was a groundbreaking book, and I'm delighted to see its reintroduction."

--Philip Yancey, author of The Jesus I Never Knew

"The Singer was my first Calvin Miller book. I was hooked. Each page seemed to explode with a fresh combination of poetic energy and gospel aliveness. Every book I've read since (and I think I've read them all) deepens my appreciation."

--Eugene H. Peterson, translator of The Message

"The Singer was not simply a book for me. It was an event. It was the first demonstration in our time that the gospel could be newly presented to the world at the level of the imagination. It deserves to be called the first true Christian classic of our generation."

--Michael Card, author and recording artist

"A great surprise came when I first read The Singer in manuscript: here was a magnificent, original, poetic, emotionally charged retelling of the greatest story ever told. A joy to read then and to reread now!"

--James W. Sire, author of The Universe Next Door

"Calvin Miller is the poet laureate of today's evangelical world, and The Singer is among his most remarkable literary works. Miller has something profound to say, and he says it beautifully. The Singer is one of a handful of contemporary Christian works that will still be read a century from now."

--Michael Duduit, editor of Preaching

"For decades The Singer has done the one thing most necessary: to make Jesus himself accessible and attractive in ways that stick in the mind and soul, so that he can do his work of renewing the life of God in the individual. Calvin Miller's great gift is to sing Jesus powerfully, to the blessing of our generation and those to come."

--Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy

"For twenty-five years the voice of The Singer has echoed through the land, resonating in thousands of hearts and minds. Calvin Miller has discovered in the Singer's voice the mystery of the Deepest Song--that the One who sang the world into being is in the process of singing the world together. And he invites us to sing along."

--Reg Grant, author of Storm

"Has The Singer impacted my life? You might say that. Though it has been a quarter of a century, I can remember where I was when I received it (in a parked car on a college campus). I remember the weather (bright spring afternoon). And I remember the joy, as the prose and passion of Miller's heart came alive. Within weeks the book was dog-eared and well worn. Through it Miller showed more than a fresh way to work with words; he showed a fresh way to look at Christ. To him, for that, I am eternally grateful. Has The Singer impacted my life? I suppose you could say that."

--Max Lucado, author of Unshakable Hope

"It is no surprise to me that Calvin Miller's The Singer has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many over the past twenty-five years. When I first read it (in manuscript), I knew at once that this was a story/song for the ages, with its vivid details and its skillful knots and weavings of profound truth into words. And as a poet, my heart was gladdened to know that nonreaders of poetry were being welcomed into this poetic masterpiece, were entering and reading it with delight!"

--Luci Shaw, author of Thumbprint in the Clay

"It must be true that poetry--or song--is the required vehicle of intimate communication with or about God! If so, that is part of the power that gripped me when I first opened Calvin Miller's The Singer."

--Donald Joy, Asbury Theological Seminary

"We read The Singer together soon after it first came out. It was more than a breath of fresh air--it led us into a new dimension in our understanding of the reality of Jesus Christ and of all that he can mean to us."

--Dr. Paul and Margaret Brand

"When Calvin Miller's narrative poem The Singer arrived in 1975, so distinct in imagination and style, I was amazed at its strangeness, originality, power, and vividness. In form, the Troubadour's story was fine and open and organic--an absolutely brilliant retelling of the Gospels. In the intervening years, as I have come to know Miller as a friend and fellow traveler, I have often been amazed at the range of his knowing and feeling humanity. . . . He is truly a gift from the Earthmaker."

--Leonard G. Goss, editor, Broadman & Holman

"When I was a young questor, I found in a university bookstore a trilogy of books that impacted my life so deeply that--twenty-five years later--I find myself still quoting lines and discussing concepts of truth from them. Literature like The Singer Trilogy will live--like Milton's Paradise Lost and James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones. The Singer must never be allowed to be out of print. Every generation needs to read it."

--Gloria Gaither, recording artist

From the Publisher

"Calvin Miller--how beautiful a singer. How timeless, and lovely, a song."

Kelly Monroe