Robert McKelvey argues that John Bunyan wrote The Holy War as a warfare allegory symbolizing the salvation history of Scripture from a Calvinistic-covenantal perspective. In this cosmic drama of redemption, the "Histories That Mansoul, and her Wars Anatomize" include the individual-soteric-microcosmic level or ordo salutis unfolding analogous to the redemptive-historical-macrocosmic level or historia salutis. The eternal covenant of redemption provides the foundation for this history of salvation, which progresses from creation to the anticipation of consummation. This scheme finds its roots in the Puritan philosophy of "universal history" which sees all historical events serving God's redemptive purposes. The individual, through union with Christ founded on election, participates in the drama by inclusion within the trans-historical covenant of grace. As a depiction of cosmic war, The Holy War sets forth the enmity between the church and Antichrist, which is representative of the greater battle between Christ and the devil from Genesis to Revelation. As a pastoral guide to persecuted saints, Bunyan retrospectively rehearses the history of redemption to grant comfort. In addition, he prospectively reveals the consummation of redemption to encourage perseverance and instil eschatological hope. This thesis is substantiated contextually through Bunyan's life and writings, historiographically by surveying the history of Holy War interpretation, pre-textually by examining the introduction to the allegory, and textually by analyzing the allegory itself.

The Holy War - John Bunyan - The Holy War Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, to Regain the Metropolis of the World, Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul, is a work of Christian fiction by John Bunyan, first published in 1682. Written as an allegory, it tells the story of a perfect town (Mansoul - Man's soul). Mansoul however is persuaded to rebel and go under the rule of Diablos instead, requiring salvation from Shaddai, the Sovereign of the Universe.

This is another great allegorical story by this gifted writer. Every Christian should thrill again as he or she reads this allegory of their experience. For in the days of our unbelief did we not yield allegiance to the Devil, and did we not seek to avoid looking into the face of Emmanuel? Were we not all children of wrath with the rest of them, by our self-love being held captive by the prince of the power of the air. Eph. 2:1. This book is no classic by accident. It speaks to the soul of every honest saint of God. Despite the fact that its theme is not a popular one, it is so true to Christian experience that it has been printed and reprinted for three centuries. Anyone who has not read it is the poorer for it. For it is a picture of the struggle of the saints against temptation and doubt, against pride and false security, against sloth, etc. We are sinners saved by grace, but the body of death remains (Rom. 7:24). Bunyan (1628-1688) is without doubt the most famous of the Baptists. He is known to have preached to thousands from a hilltop. On one of these occasions John Owen went to hear him, coming away with unstinted praise for the humble, yet powerful, preacher of righteousness.