Editor’s Note: This continues Rev. Dr. Phil Corr’s contributions on the Life of Jonathan Edwards, America’s first theologian and – by many estimates – still the best. As people in the United Church of Christ discern their future, it may be wise to return to one of the UCC’s unheralded “firsts” – the theological thought of Jonathan Edwards to draw strength, find a renewed identity as reformation Christians, and, most importantly renew our identities as those who delight ourselves through worship and service in the perfections of the Triune God in whom Jonathan Edwards delights .
By Phil Corr
The best way to get to know Jonathan Edwards is through biographies. On page xvii, George Marsden writes about Ian Murray’s Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography (published in 1987): Murray “provides a well-documented updating of biographies in the honorable but uncritical tradition of Edwards’ earlier admirers.”
While Marsden’s Jonathan Edwards: A Life is academically sound and critical in the technical sense of the term, he is also very sympathetic to his subject. Marsden does an excellent job of referring to previous biographies, as well as providing fresh material and insights to the man who arguably had the greatest mind the North American continent has ever produced.
Jonathan Edwards was born in East Windsor Connecticut in October of 1703. After very important formative years, he attended Yale (a school that his future father-in-law had founded). After serving various churches for brief periods, he was eventually called
to serve at his Grandfather Solomon Stoddard’s church.
Edwards served under his grandfather’s tutelage until his grandfather’s death in 1729. Two Awakenings occurred while Edwards was at Northampton, the second one coming to be known as part of the trans-continental “Great Awakening.“ Edwards continued to serve the Northampton Congregational Church until he experienced in 1750 what today would be termed a “forced exit.” He served that church for over 20 years. The proximate cause for the rupture between pastor and some of the congregation was Edwards’ increasing belief that his grandfather’s “Half Way Covenant” was not biblical and did not honor God.
Edwards eventually moved to what was then the frontier town of Stockbridge in eastern Massachusetts. He preached there both to European (British) settlers and Native Americans.
In 1757, the fledgling College of New Jersey (what we know as Princeton University) called Jonathan Edwards to be its president. Sadly, that did not last long because Edwards died of a small pox inoculation (amidst an epidemic) on March 22, 1758.
Marsden and others write about his legacy. God used him as a husband, a father, a pastor, a teacher, revival interpreter, and so much more. Much of his legacy is reflected in his writings. Marsden does an excellent job of weaving the warp of Edwards’ life together with the woof of his writings.
His writings can be characterized as published and unpublished. The largest body of unpublished writings would be resident in his copious letters. The Yale Edwards project is working to provide all of Edwards’ letters digitally online.
His works can also be categorized by subject. These topics include: sermons (numbering almost 1250!), Bible, Miscellanies, treatises (philosophical, theological, and experiential), and his magnum opus.
To a great extent, Edwards’ sermons define his life, his teachings, and his passion. He applied the timeless truths of God’s Word to people’s situations in any ever changing culture.
His sermons were biblically based. Yale Press has published Notes on Scripture (Yale Press, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, volume 15) and The Blank Bible (volume 24, parts one and two). His Apocalyptic Writings (volume 5) could also be included in this category.
His “Miscellanies” (Yale, volumes 13, 18, and 20) include a great deal of Bible-related material. He writes in them on a wide range of subjects and copies down extended quotations from many other authors).
When it comes to treatises, even the philosophical ones (such as The Freedom of the Will–volume 1) have theological overtones. Other treatises include: Original Sin (volume 3), Ethical Writings (volume 8), Typological Writings (volume 11), Ecclesiastical Writings (volume 12), and Writings on the Trinity, Grace, and Faith (volume 21). Note: some of the works listed in this paragraph might fit under other headings.
Experiential treatises include Religious Affections (volume 2) and The Great Awakening (volume 4).
Jonathan Edwards never had the opportunity to write what he considered his magnum opus. During the early 1730’s, he did however preach an extended sermon series on the subject. Those sermons are found Yale Press’s volume 9: A History of the Work of Redemption.
Each Yale volume has an outstanding critical introduction–sometimes exceeding 100 pages! Each editor presents the work of Edwards in the context of his life as well as the larger picture in the colonies and the world. I highly commend these writings to you as they provide insight into both the life and works of Jonathan Edwards.
Phil Corr’s work on the web can be seen at: haystack06.org and fccofcc.com
