Lessons from Jonathan Edwards
Back in 2004, I heard Dr. George Marsden give a speech at Wheaton on his recent biography of Jonathan Edwards. I finally decided to go ahead and purchase the paperback version of this text last summer, and started reading it during the winter break. Though I'd never read such an intimidating (500+ pages!) biography before, I don't think my life will ever be the same.
In college, I originally learned about Edwards as the preacher of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". However, there is a lot more to Edwards than one sermon. He experienced much pain in his life, yet contributed even more to American evangelicalism. Rather than give a summary of Jonathan Edwards: A Life, I'll list 12 lessons from his life that I think we can all learn from:
1. Never forget your mortality.
2. Always keep learning.
3. When in doubt, stick to the Bible.
4. Focus on issues, rather than personalities, when dealing with contentious issues.
5. Cultivate a strong family life that earns the respect of both spouse and children.
6. When faced with a major career choice, submit it first to trustworthy fellow believers.
7. Exhibit Christian hospitality to those who come into your life.
8. Befriend and mentor younger men of God.
9. Allow emotions to be a part of the Christian experience.
10. Show cultural sensitivity in missions outreach.
11. Stay abreast of the latest societal trends.
12. Regardless of life circumstances, keep looking to the Cross!
posted by Tim at
4/15/2009 07:28:00 AM
2 Comments:
Hey, Tim! I read this bio a couple of years ago and it may be the best bio I've ever read. Fantastic.
Here's my review of it:
A couple of years ago I read Iain Murray's biography of Jonathan Edwards. It was well written, but for some reason I did not find Edwards to be an overly-exciting object of study. In fact, I sometimes struggle with the fact that I am not a big Edwards reader. I ordered the 2-Volume works a few years ago, only to send them back after I got them in the mail. I decided that I didn't want to read anything that would require a magnifying glass (and I have perfect vision). What little of have actually read of Edwards has not done much for me. Perhaps I am just not intellectual enough for such a heavyweight as Edwards. Give me Lloyd-Jones all day long over Edwards.
So what would bring me to tackle Marsden's bio of Edwards? First, too many of my contemporary theological influences adore Edwards, including John Piper. Second, I figured that maybe I'm missing out on something, or maybe Edwards deserved a second look. After attending the Desiring God Conference this past October, I picked up the MP3 CD of the Edwards conference from 2003. As I listened to one speaker after another either recommend or make reference to Marsden's work, I decided to order a copy for myself. I was not disappointed.
Marsden does an incredible job of interpreting Edwards in his context. Near the end of the book (p. 502), Marsden explains the goal of his approach to Edwards:
One of my hopes is that this book may help bridge the gap between the Edwards of the students of American culture and the Edwards of the theologians. Historians of American culture, thought, and literature are primarily concerned to understand Edwards in relation to subsequent times. Theologians are concerned to appropriate aspects of Edwards' thought for their own times. As biographer attempting to understand Edwards first as an eighteenth-century figure, I have been working most directly as a culltural historian. Yet I have been doing this always with an eye on the theological question, taking his thought seriously as part of the larger Christian tradition.
Marsden's Jonathan Edwards has garnered so many recommendations because he succeeds in accomplishing his goal. I do not recall, among all the Christian biographies that I have read, a more balanced, honest, relevant, and seemingly unbiased (I do not believe there is such a thing as unbiased) biography. This is not an Edwards defense or apologetic. Over the course of reading Marsden, there were times that I flat out did not like Jonathan Edwards. There were other times that I loved the man. Upon completion, I felt that I knew Edwards personally.
At times, Marsden might come across as getting into too much detail concerning an event or situation in Edwards' life. In reality, Marsden has done a pretty good job of being thorough and yet not producing a mult-volume tome.
I highly recommend this book, especially for those of you who love both theology and history. You will not be disappointed on either front.
Am I now a big Edwards fan? Not necessarily. I still do not find myself dying to pick up something by Edwards. But I am certainly a fan of this biography. If you want to get a great introduction to Edwards, start here.
One recommendation for those who decide to read this great work: When you read, keep your bookmark handy because the 87 pages of endnotes are worth your time.
Thanks Brett! I appreciate your perspective.
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