Edwards, Jonathan

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Amazing thought and insight...
A note regarding the Works of Jonathan Edwards
An amazing collection
In My Top Ten All-Time Favorite Theological Works
The Mount Everset of Theology!

The Works of Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards
Manufacturer: Hendrickson Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1565630858

Book Description

Widely recognized as a great theologian, an influential preacher and a prolific writer, Jonathan Edwards played a prominent role in helping to spark the spirit of revivalism known as the Great Awakening in the eighteenth-century America. Edwards' sermons, while intellectually engaging, were also accessible to the common people and often generated highly emotional responses. His foremost desire was to help people transform from mere believers in Christian doctrine to converted Christians who were moved to action by the principles of their belief.

This two-volume collection of Edwards' works features important sermons of the Great Awakening as well as Edwards' memoirs and other essays. First published in 1834, here is what makes this new edition of The Works of Jonathan Edwards the best available:

More readable. This edition has larger, more readable type than previous editions.

More complete. This edition contains all matter included in the first collected American edition, various original extracts from the diary and papers of Edwarads, several smaller pieces printed originally in a separate form, and a memoir by descendant Sereno E. Dwight.

For anyone interested in the roots of Christianity and revival in colonial America, The Works of Jonathan Edwards is a fundamental resource.

Â“Jonathan Edwards . . . was among the noblest and ablest Christians of his age, and can now be seen, two centuries after, as one of the greatest theologians ever given by God to his church. As a saint and scholar, evangelist and educationalist, pastor and teacher, missionary and metaphysician, he showed a grasp of the grandeur of GodÂ's sovereignty and the glory of divine grace equaled only by men of the caliber of John Owen and John Calvin.Â” Â—J. I. Packer

Â“Edwards is widely recognized as being probably the greatest American theologian. His writings, though sometimes difficult, are often inspiring. Full doctrinal agreement is not a prerequisite to profiting from this great man of God.Â” Â—Christianity Today

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Customer Reviews:

Amazing thought and insight..........2006-04-29

Edwards is known for the greatest sermon ever told "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and most people stop at that sermon and don't read further. These two volumes are vast and comprehensive and not for one who wants to casually read Edwards. These two volumes are still in his original venacular and have not been contemporized like I have seen with other works. They include sermons, thoughts and letters that Edwards wrote on various topics, including his two most popular "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and "Freedom of the Will" and many, many more.

It is great to read from a man so dedicated to God's word and wanting to see his cold puritan peers come to Christ.

Do not buy these volumes if you are a casual reader, these works are very deep on great theological issues but if you want to be challenged these would be a great addition to your library.

The only issue I do have is that it is hard to navigate through the sermons, they could have done a better job with an appendix to make it easier to find the info for reference. That shouldn't take away from the content though as you will be greatly encouraged in your study with Edwards.

A note regarding the Works of Jonathan Edwards.......2004-12-06

This is not a review of The Works of Jonathan Edwards, which at any rate is simply outstanding and which nearly every person -- Christian and non-Christian, elder and young convert, apologist and truth seeker, scholar and layman -- would likely do well to read and digest, but rather a note for those interested in purchasing the currently listed, two-volume Hendrickson edition (ISBN 1-56563-085-8).

The Works of Jonathan Edwards is not the complete works of Jonathan Edwards. A couple of the other reviewers must have accidentally overlooked this fact, but it's understandable given the already immense size of the anthology. Nevertheless, all of Jonathan Edwards' most well-known religious works are indeed included: "Resolutions"; "Freedom of the Will"; "The End For Which God Created the World"; "The Nature of True Virtue"; "Religious Affections"; "Narrative of Surprising Conversions"; "Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England"; "A History of the Work of Redemption"; "The Life and Diary of David Brainerd"; and of course "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

In addition, there are plenty of lesser known religious works from Edwards' youth to shortly before his death to occupy the interested reader in godly thought and reflection.

Regarding the various sermons and other writings that would complete the Edwards collection, but which are unfortunately not contained herein, for the most part these can be found online via a quick Google search (i.e., only Edwards' more obscure works are not to be found online, as far as I can tell).

Speaking of which, you can view the table of contents as well as the entire work itself online for free too at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, for instance, if you want to see for yourself what's specifically included in this collection before purchasing it. That said, although The Works of Jonathan Edwards is available for free online, in my opinion it is far more convenient to have the printed version, as I'm personally more comfortable reading with a book (whatever its size) in my lap than in front of a computer screen.

Of course, if you want the definitive edition, which would include all twenty-three volumes of Edwards' works published to date (including his non-religious works on varied topics such as John Locke, science, etc.), you will have to purchase Yale University's edition of the same name. But that will cost you an arm and a leg, plus there's a considerable amount of secular academic criticism, which you may or may not find helpful. For example, the Yale volume on "The Life and Diary of David Brainerd" compares Brainerd's original diary with Edwards' edited version of the diary, claiming in the process that Edwards edited it in such a way as to make Brainerd conform to a preconceived notion of "saintliness." However, if you're keen on purchasing the Yale edition, the best available price I've been able to find is at Solid Ground Christian Books, which by the way is an excellent bookstore.

So although the Hendrickson publication is not substantively a complete Edwards collection, it is more than "close enough." Edwards was primarily a pastor and a theologian, and this is what is reflected in these volumes. In my view, then, given the price and content, this compilation of The Works of Jonathan Edwards is the best available edition for those primarily interested in Edwards as humble, faithful servant of Jesus Christ.

Also, about the text and binding. A single page is divided into two columns, so that when you open a volume, there will be a total of four columns facing you (since there are of course two pages to look at when a book is opened). I'm not sure what the font size is, but it can't be more than 10 point. Actually, I'd venture to guess it's even slightly smaller.

Regarding the binding, it is sturdy, but I have a feeling that it may not hold up well with constant reading. The binding is quite similar to other Hendrickson publications, if you're familiar with them (e.g., The Works of Josephus, ISBN 0-913573-86-8).

Finally, I highly suggest looking at The Works of Jonathan Edwards on the Hendrickson Publishers' website before purchasing it. In addition to the photo of the two volumes, you can download an Adobe Acrobat Reader (.pdf) file of a sample chapter to view (at least at the time of this review). Thus you can get an actual image of what I'm only feebly able to describe with words.

I sincerely hope this helps. And in reading these works, may you be led to study and understand the Bible more fully, since it is the Bible which Edwards himself wholly leaned on in his writings: for the believer, to know and love Him more deeply, and for the one with ears to hear, to come to know and love Him because He first loved you.

Update: The above comments were based upon the Hendrickson edition, but now that I've seen both the Hendrickson edition as well as the Banner of Truth edition I can likewise recommend purchasing the Banner of Truth edition. Although the content is identical, in my opinion the Banner of Truth edition's binding is more sturdy and of a higher quality. However, if you prefer the works with slightly bigger font (eh, then again, the font size is probably negligible), as well as perhaps a more colorful and attractive cover, then the Hendrickson edition might be better. You can find both the Hendrickson as well as the Banner of Truth editions (ISBNs 0-85151-216-X and 0-85151-217-8) at Monergism Books, another fine bookstore. (Personally, I prefer the Banner of Truth edition.)

Also, the following by Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his lecture "Jonathan Edwards and the Crucial Importance of Revival" might prove useful to some:

The two volumes recently republished by the Banner of Truth Trust have often been regarded as the Complete Works, but they are not. A man published a book in the 1860's consisting of numerous other things which are not in these two volumes, and there are still more-sermons, letters, occasional remarks, miscellanies and so on. They are all going to be reprinted in the definitive [Yale] edition.

An amazing collection.......2004-06-09

Freedom of the Will, Religious Affections, The End for Which God Created the World, The Nature of True Virtue, Original Sin Defended, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God...they're all here and much more! These are some of the most influential Christian writings of all time. The resurgence of Calvinism (Neo-Calvinism) and the tremendous rise in Edwardsian studies in both Christian and secular academia make this two volume set of his works an essential addition to anyone's library (both scholar and layman, Protestant and Catholic, Christian and Non-Christian). With nearly 1000 pages in each volume, there's more here than you will probably ever read. However, because of so many discourses, treatises, and sermons, the print size is fairly small...this is in order to fit all of the material into the two volumes. Other than that small drawback, this is an excellent set and a great value. The multi-volume Yale collection will cost you over a thousand dollars, while all you'll ever want is in this collection.

In my opinion, the greatest addition to this set is the Memoirs of Jonathan Edwards. This is the closest you'll get to receiving a personal look at his life of faith. They greatly enhance the intellectually-weighty theological works and the inspiring (and likewise brilliant) sermons.

Jonathan Edward's title as "America's greatest theologian" (or simply "America's theologian") is well-deserved. What St. Thomas Aquinas is to the Catholic Church, Edwards is to Protestant churches (or, at least, the Calvinist leaning churches).

In My Top Ten All-Time Favorite Theological Works.......2002-09-22

This Hendrickson edition is a remake of the Banner of Truth Edition from 1984 (a 2 Vol. Set). All of the works of Edwards are included.

In this work Edwards' memoirs, sermons, theological treatises, miscellaneous discourses, and short observations are included. Everything and anything written by Edwards (including his most famous works and the lesser known short works) are present. This is the ultimate primary text to own from Edwards.

Brace yourself. Edwards can write some of the most simplistic theological thoughts and some of the most complicated theological thoughts and have one follow the other in a single paragraph. This volume will fill your days with hours of great reading, most of which you will have to reread, and then read again to get a grasp of what Edwards is trying to say. There are certain works, herein, that I have read a dozen times and have yet to fully grasp what Edwards is communicating (though that is no cause to ever stop trying).

Edwards discusses issues such as the human will, freedom, predestination, the attributes of God, sin, original sin, salvation, the Church, marriage, love, time, etc. Even topics that one would never give much thought to, such as indetermination, are included in these pages. Edwards has a way with words that can often times be staggering - to think that someone could write in such a manner. If you are wanting to read Edwards' works then here they are all in one text. But I must warn you that these pages will change your thinking and your life forever!

The Mount Everset of Theology!.......2000-07-19

Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that he was "tempted, perhaps foolishly, to compare the Puritans to the Alps, Luther and Calvin to the Himalayas, and Jonathan Edwards to Mount Everest!" (The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors, p. 355). I concur. Nothing in my library holds such a storehouse of wealth, as do these two hefty tomes. Edwards was a brilliant theologian, a zealous evangelist, an astute philosopher, a warm hearted pastor, and an eye-witness (and one of the primary instruments causing) the first Great Awakening. If you want theology at its richest go to Edwards' "End for Which God Created the World." IF you want a passion for souls, read his "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." If you are interested in well-articulated philosophy at its finest, peruse "The Nature of True Virtue." If you want biography geared to cultivate godliness in your own heart, read "The Life of David Brainerd." If you want pastoral counsel concerning the state of your soul, you will find nothing better than "The Religious Affections." And if you want to know what a REAL revival looks like, study "A Narrative of Surprising Conversions." (And those works are less than half of what is in here!) If my house were burning, I would probably grab for these two books second only to the Bible. To get Edwards is to get theology. So get Edwards!

Learning Outside The Lines : Two Ivy League Students With Learning Disabilities And Adhd Give You The Tools F

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LD is not a prescription for failure!
Outisde the lines at the speed of light
This book changed my life in college.
Required Reading
A must read for all educators and parents with LD/ADD kids!

Learning Outside The Lines : Two Ivy League Students With Learning Disabilities And Adhd Give You The Tools F
Jonathan Mooney , and David Cole
Manufacturer: Fireside
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068486598X

Amazon.com

Criticism for the public school system in the United States is nothing new; kids of all skill levels are slipping through the cracks at every age and in every city. Rather than attempting to change the system or point out it's failures, Jonathon Mooney and David Cole have created a practical guide to help kids jump through the necessary hoops to achieve whatever larger, postschool goals they may have. While much of the material is written for kids who've received the label LD or ADHD, many of the suggestions can be just as helpful for those who've been labeled "gifted," or any other student who feels frustrated with the daily routine of standard education.

The introduction (personal histories of the authors) is great reading for parents of LD or ADHD kids, and much of it has a humorous tone that makes it equally appropriate (and approachable) for discouraged adolescents. From the terror of weekly spelling tests to the few inspiring teachers and tutors the two encountered, the tales are equal parts entertaining, poignant, and encouraging to others who may well be experiencing quite similar events. There's little discussion of what methods are right or wrong--ultimately, both authors take a fundamentally pragmatic view, and it's "right" if it worked. A steady focus on study skills fills the majority of the book, and Mooney and Cole take what are generally pretty familiar stands on note-taking and test preparation and break them down into easily digestible concepts. With different methods for different types of learners (visual thinkers are encouraged to use maps and brightly colored markers), students will find plenty of help in creating notebooks, focusing their attention, and even appropriate ways of conducting the infamous all-nighter. Including information on how to recover lost class notebooks, how to make the most of a syllabus, and "The Seven Habits of Highly Disorganized People," Learning Outside the Lines provides students with plenty of tools to further each reader's personal idea of success. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

Learning with YOUR purpose in mind -- not your parents', not your teacher's, not your school's

Every day, your school, your teachers, and even your peers draw lines to measure and standardize intelligence. They decide what criteria make one person smart and another person stupid. They decide who will succeed and who will just get by. Perhaps you find yourself outside the norm, because you learn differently -- but, unlike your classmates, you have no system in place that consistently supports your ability and desire to learn. Simply put, you are considered lazy and stupid. You are expected to fail.

Learning Outside the Lines is written by two such "academic failures" -- that is, two academic failures who graduated from Brown University at the top of their class. Jonathan Mooney and David Cole teach you how to take control of your education and find true success -- and they offer all the reasons why you should persevere. Witty, bold, and disarmingly honest, Learning Outside the Lines takes you on a journey toward personal empowerment and profound educational change, proving once again that rules sometimes need to be broken.

Customer Reviews:

LD is not a prescription for failure!.......2006-12-14

Learning to learn can be quite a difficult task, just ask Jonathan Mooney and David Cole, two individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities and ADHD at a young age. But, it is not impossible. Through sheer determination and a disciplined regime, these two young men blossomed into honored Ivy League graduates. They forged their own paths and refused to let their learning difficulties define who they were or how successful they could be.

Learning Outside the Lines, provides intimate stories of pain and hardship to give us a sense of what it is really like to grow up with a learning disability. But more importantly, it provides those diagnosed with learning disabilities advice and guidelines on how to succeed academically.

This book is most beneficial for students in their teens who have been diagnosed with a learning difficulty and struggling to make sense of it all and looking for a way to effectively tackle a variety of academic tasks. It is also an amazing informational resource for anyone who has a child or student struggling in school.

For those of you who have been diagnosed with a learning difficulty, I would like you to take Jonathan Mooney and David Cole as examples of how you can succeed in life when everyone and everything seems to be against you. Know that having a learning disability does not mean that you can only go so far in life; you have the potential to do great things.

Ali Hashemian, Ph.D., COHC
Director, Attention & Achievement Center
Walnut Creek, CA

Outisde the lines at the speed of light.......2006-09-24

This is a great book for anyone who has trouble reading from top to bottom or beginning to end. Those who start in the middle and skip around or read toward the front will recognize themselves. Its been 30 years since I finished college and a few less since finishing law school. I still use many of these techniques every day. I laughed my way through the book because I kept thinking "Hey, I used to do that." Don't miss this one. Thanks to the authors. I'm sure we could be friends.blewin

This book changed my life in college........2006-08-25

I read Learning Outside the Lines my Freshmen year in College and it changed my life. I have a math learning disability and also ADD. The book helped me in developing better study habits and note taking skills. It is also helped me realize having a learning disability does not make me any less intelligent. If you are a college student and have a learning disability or ADD, get this book!

Required Reading.......2006-08-07

This book should be required reading for everyone who is pursuing a teaching career. To say it was (and is) a tragedy how these two young men where treated is an understatement. It is also a tragedy if anyone thinks their stories are exceptions and not the rule. Students who learn differently are almost always treated in a horrible way. Read this book and learn from it. It would be great if this also had an audio book version so that the Dyslexic student could hear the book since reading the printed word is often so difficult.

A must read for all educators and parents with LD/ADD kids!.......2006-07-12

I am a high school special education teacher and I work with students who have learning disabilities/ADD, and I love this book! I have been reading it and frantically writing on post-it notes to tag the info I want to share with my students in the Fall. Jonathan's personal story is heart breaking and I wish all teachers (especially those in elementary) could read this book and just realize what an incredible impact their words have on students for years and years. I am fortunate to be working in a progressive school district where we really try to do what's in the kid's best interest. I'm also a big believer in teaching all students self-advocacy and self-determination skills so that they (not their parents or their SpEd teacher) can take control of their education and their lives, which is really one of the main messages in this book.

This book was so well written to speak to the target audience of a high school/college student. It is a great read full of Leterman style humor. I love the chapter titles such as "Read less, get more A's" and "Cram Like a Pro." I've also purchased this book for a family member who's not LD or ADD, but has never been a strong student. I love, love, love the simple, yet effective strategies Jonathan gives in the book.

So if you're a Special Ed teacher and you need some new strategies to give your students, or if your child is a struggling LD/ADHD student I highly suggest that you get this book and read it. Get a pen and post-it notes ready. :)

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Native Rescuer
Native Rescuer
Challenging read in so many ways
Read and Weep at the Passion!
Must Read

The Life And Diary of David Brainerd

Manufacturer: Hendrickson Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1598560530

Book Description

This compilation, taken from Jonathan Edwards's edited versions of David Brainerd's Diary and Journal, offers a highly readable record of the life and labors of David Brainerd as he presented the gospel to American Indians in the face of many obstacles, both the external challenges of life in what was still the frontier of eighteenth-century America, and internal battles as he persevered through bouts of depression during his short but fruitful life.

Customer Reviews:

Native Rescuer.......2007-02-22

David Brainerd's recorded life speaks my heart and breath--my longings for my heavenly home. This is a must read for all as it washes away the deceiving beguilement of trendy Christianity.

Traveling through his pages of life, you witness his true mission that of only knowing Christ and Him crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. He was one of few who despised this vile world with its entertaining ways.

His soul displayed was that of a faithful, humble, loyal pastor who ministered to the natives in isolated areas of New England. He never set himself above these socially rejected ones who he found to be quite refreshing in contrast to snobbish white folk. He became known among fur trappers as "The man who trapped Indians with love."

Below are experts from David Brainerd's diary. The initial are the quotes of "His Heart." The following are observances of "His Natives."

His Heart:

"I know I long for God and conformity to His will, in inward purity and holiness, ten thousand times more than for anything here below."

"God was so precious to my soul, that the world, with all its enjoyments, was infinitely vile. I had no more value for the favor of men, than for pebbles."

"Spent the day mainly in conversing with friends; yet enjoyed little satisfaction, because I could not find but few disposed to converse on divine and heavenly things. Alas, what are the things of this world, to afford satisfaction to the soul! In secret, I blessed the God for retirement, and that I am not always exposed to the company and conversation of the world. Oh, that I could live in the secret of God's presence!"

His Natives:

"Discoursed from John 4:13, 14. There was a great attention, a desirable affection, and an unaffected melting in the assembly. It is surprising to see how eager they are to hear the Word of God. I have oftentimes thought that they would cheerfully and diligently attend divine worship twenty-four hours together if they had an opportunity so to do."

"I never saw any appearance of bitterness or censoriousness (being critical) in these, nor any disposition to `esteem themselves better than others.'"

Native Rescuer.......2007-02-22

David Brainerd's recorded life speaks my heart and breath--my longings for my heavenly home. This is a must read for all as it washes away the deceiving beguilement of trendy Christianity.

Traveling through his pages of life, you witness his true mission that of only knowing Christ and Him crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. He was one of few who despised this vile world with its entertaining ways.

His soul displayed was that of a faithful, humble, loyal pastor who ministered to the natives in isolated areas of New England. He never set himself above these socially rejected ones who he found to be quite refreshing in contrast to snobbish white folk. He became known among fur trappers as "the man who trapped Indians with love."

Below are experts from David Brainerd's diary. The initial are the quotes of "His Heart." The following are observances of "His Natives."

His Heart:

"I know I long for God and conformity to His will, in inward purity and holiness, ten thousand times more than for anything here below."

"God was so precious to my soul, that the world, with all its enjoyments, was infinitely vile. I had no more value for the favor of men, than for pebbles."

"Spent the day mainly in conversing with friends; yet enjoyed little satisfaction, because I could not find but few disposed to converse on divine and heavenly things. Alas, what are the things of this world, to afford satisfaction to the soul! In secret, I blessed the God for retirement, and that I am not always exposed to the company and conversation of the world. Oh, that I could live in the secret of God's presence!"

His Natives:

"Discoursed from John 4:13, 14. There was a great attention, a desirable affection, and an unaffected melting in the assembly. It is surprising to see how eager they are to hear the Word of God. I have oftentimes thought that they would cheerfully and diligently attend divine worship twenty-four hours together if they had an opportunity so to do."

"I never saw any appearance of bitterness or censoriousness (being critical) in these, nor any disposition to `esteem themselves better than others.'"

Challenging read in so many ways.......2005-12-20

This book is not for the faint of heart, or those not willing to put in the time to read and think.

While this edited for length, the writing style is still that of 18th century English, and it can be a little difficult to parse at times. However, once you get use to that, this biography is chock-full of challenging questions about the nature of sin, salvation, and God's plan for our life's work.

At times, Brainerd seems particularly pessimistic, even to the point of being clinically depressed, while at other times, he seems to be floating on cloud nine (although much more of the former than the latter).

I read this as a part of a small discussion group, and that helped in the understanding of various passages.

Read and Weep at the Passion!.......2005-03-02

David Brainerd was an incrediable man of God. The son-in-law of the great theologian Jonathan Edwards, Brainerd combined sound theology with a deep passion for Jesus. His story is one that should be told to our children's children.

Brainerd's diary is a wealth of the spiritual passion of a man who longed to see American Indians won to Christ. His hatred for his own sinfulness is found throughout the book. Some days Brainerd is on the mountain of God and the next he is in the valley of despair. With the exception of the dairies of the late Keith Green, have I seen a man who truly wrestled with his own flesh by the power of the Spirit.

For those longing to be all that God wants them to be (Philippians 3:7-12), I would urge you to purchase this book. You will be blessed and challenged.

Must Read.......2001-11-08

We live in a day of "easy belevism". The days we live in are also sadly characterized by a christianity, which implies when it doesn't declare, that life is supossed to be easy for the child of God. The reader will see both of these dilusions dispelled in the life story of David Brainerd. Brainerd,was willing to undergo great hardship to take the true gospel to the natives of his day. His life shows all christians what happens when "glorifing God and enjoing Him forever" becomes ones chief aim in life. This certainly is not a chicken soup for the soul book that can be read with little thought. This book, however, will challenge every christian to live for the glory of God.

The Blank Bible (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 24)

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A Much Anticipated Release

The Blank Bible (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 24)
Jonathan Edwards
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300109318

Customer Reviews:

A Much Anticipated Release.......2007-02-01

Following the 300th anniversary of Edwards, the popularity of John Piper and Christian Hedonism and a resurgence of Edwards scholars, the great American theologian may now be more popular than ever. Yale has been working on publishing the definitive Edwards collection from their vast collection of his original manuscripts and through tedious effort have produced a fine volume in "The Blank Bible."

We have all read Edwards sermons, and many of us have plowed through his other works, but to search and find his notes on each individual text of Scripture is enthralling to the fan of Edwards. His vision of the glory of God pours through these pages. Furthermore, through reading the notes you see the mind of America's greatest theologian in its most raw form. This volume is highly recommended.

The Freedom of the Will (Great Awakening Writings (1725-1760))

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Gnostic fatalism disguised as God's Sovereignty
The master work of America's greatest theologian.
Great Work
the mire of determinism
What determines my will?

The Freedom of the Will (Great Awakening Writings (1725-1760))
Jonathan Edwards
Manufacturer: Soli Deo Gloria Ministries
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1573580333

Customer Reviews:

Gnostic fatalism disguised as God's Sovereignty.......2006-03-18

Jonathan Edwards was a brilliant exponent of the Puritan tradition that God himself was the highest good and that enjoying Him in Himself was the true joy of the Christian both in this life and in Heaven.

Sadly though Edwards could never rise above the limitations of the Deformation fatalism about the vileness of man qua man nor to escape from the mechanistic determinism that naturally results from it. In such a system, human being are mere physical objects with no more self awareness or choice than a billiard ball with God cast as a metaphysical Minnesota Fats who ordains which respective pockets men will be inclined to go.

It is therefore necessary in such a system to perform "damage control" to at one and the same time blame man for all his allegedly preordained failings while completely exonerating God of any responsibility for what He has inexorably ordained. This places the Calvinoid apologist like Edwards in the unenviable position of trying to separate ontological causality from moral responsibility by blaming the instrumental causes of evil (i.e., angels and human beings) because of their proximity to the evil actions. They fail to see that this cuts both ways and that therefore the good that men and angels do by grace should also be merited to them because of their proximity to those actions. The historical Christian tradition recognized this but it was lost in the Nominalist haze of Deformation posturing.

Furthermore, Edwards necessarily affirmed that God was not morally responsible when He ordained evil because "good may come of it" despite the fact that the Bible explicitly condemned this notion (Romans 3:8) in excusing human behavior. If we are to be conformed to the image of God, then it necessarily follows that what is morally wrong for us is also morally wrong for Him as well or are we to say of God as Jesus said of the Pharisees "Do as He says but not as He does?" Asserting the sovereign power of God as Edwards does merely says that "might makes right" and we see the moral chaos that infected the Deformers as they pushed the Voluntairst philosophies of Ockham and Scotus to their logical conclusions. In the end, Edwards is just another Gnostic Dualist who worships a deity whose actions are "above and beyond" good and evil and Edwards like the whole Deformation tradition succumbs to the last lie of the Serpent in Eden who declared that God "knew" both good and evil.

Edwards tried in this essay to eschew the necessity of freedom of indifference for moral agency. He claimed that God himself was necessarily good and worthy of our adulation even though He was incapable of choosing evil. He used this to claim that man could therefore be necessarily evil and worthy of condemnation.

Edward's mistake was that God's goodness is the result of the perfection and consistency of His entire being while the evil in man is the result of weaknesses and flaws in human nature. Edwards jettisoned the previous Judeo-Christian tradition that sin was a privation of the good. Sin is what happens when one pursues a relative good like wealth or pleasure apart from the absolute ontological goodness which is God himself.

The comparison between the human condition and the divine nature are not equivalent. God is necessarily good because He is perfectly integrated in Himself. Man is evil because he lacks perfection and integration. He is pulled in many different directions by apparent goods that distract him from the one true good that is God. He is drawn alternatively from darkness to light as he struggles to define himself. As such the natural man is not necessarily a villain but a tragic figure whose flaws lead him to self destruction. He only becomes a villain when he willingly embraces the darkness.

The sad situation of man is that by nature he does not hate the light but is ambivalent to it. There is nothing in him that compels him towards the light and he picks and chooses whatever he chooses. And he is so bombarded with ambiguous choices that sin is as inevitable as a tightrope walker being blown off the rope in a hurricane. No amount of skill can prevent that.

Edwards too easily accepts the water-tight arguments and self-fulfilling prophecies of Deformation thought. He was never able to rise above the man-made traditions he had received and question their presuppositions. Furthermore, he never interacted with the great minds of the Patristic or Scholastic period preferring the distorted caricatures of them given to him by his own tradition.

In short this book is an outdated and narrow defense of a dualistic Demiurge masquerading as the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This false "Goid" is touted as the biggest bully on the block whose arbitrary decision to "love" some men and hate others in and of itself constitutes the "good" of salvation. It is by sheer power that Goid ordains all things and none of us is permitted to question what He has done not because we are too weak to resist Him, not because there are moral ambiguities that the problem of evil conjured up. This is a black and white world where might makes right and the will of Goid trumps any attempt at logical or moral consistency. Edwards claimed that it was better to follow an all-powerful tyrant who could guarantee salvation than a morally consistent God whose actions were mysterious and not easy to understand.

This was the same dilemma that the Roman Emperors used to try and destroy Christianity. Why put faith in a God who cannot save you from the tortures and abuse that an all-powerful emperor can guarantee to deliver in this world? Should we side with the all-powerful Goid whose motives are not morally clear or an all-good God who promises to bring everything eventually into line? The Christian Church made its choice in Patristic times and eventually converted the Emperors. Why did the Deformation make the opposite choice?

In the end this book is of historical significance only. There are far better books on these issues written from other perspectives.

The master work of America's greatest theologian........2003-07-15

Jonathan Edwards is one of the greatest thinkers in American history, and while "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" has become his most famous work, "The Freedom of the Will" is his best. Two and a half centuries after Edwards wrote it, this book is still the premiere and most thorough argument for the complete sovereignty of God.

"The Freedom of the Will" is a challenging read and might be too hard for people new to the debate between Calvinists and Arminians. It would take too long to outline the entire argument Edwards makes or recap every point he touches on, but what follows are some examples of the ideas and questions raised by Edwards in this book.

1) It is alleged by Arminian belief that a person or action cannot be morally good (or bad) if the agent performing the action is incapable of doing otherwise. But can God be evil? The Bible teaches that He is not only holy, just, and perfect, but that He knows everything that has happened and everything that is to come. So can He do or be evil, or is His will and nature necessarily determined to be perfectly good? If God is capable of doing evil, and not necessarily good, then how can He assure us that He will be perfect for all eternity (if one day, He might choose not to be)? And if He is necessarily determined to be perfectly good forever and cannot be otherwise, does this make God any less holy, perfect, and morally virtuous? As a corollary to this, if He is no less praise-worthy by being necessarily holy, are we, as fallen human beings born into sinfulness, any less blame-worthy if we are necessarily inclined to evil, incapable of willing what is truly good?

2) Another area Edwards focuses on is discussing the Arminian contention that the will actually is free. Edwards takes this idea on by challenging what exactly is meant by the will, and therefore our actions, being "free". His reasoning would lead to questions along these lines: If a starving man is placed at a table with an appetizing pizza on his right, and an utterly foul concoction (insert your own horror) on his left, is he really free in what he wills to eat? What could possibly make this man choose to eat what was on his left rather than the pizza, other than some overriding, external threat? The only way this man might choose what was on the left, barring the overriding threat, would be his will being utterly indifferent to the two choices, and in this case, what kind of man would this be? (Imagine him eating the concoction with no care in the world, much as human beings so often can be seen going about sinning.)

Now, say humans were deceived and fell into a state where what appeared to be appetizing to us was really what made us sick whereas what was truly holy and good, appeared as unappetizing to us as the horrible concoction. (This deceptive state is what we fell into with the Fall of our original parents through their sin.) What would ever make us will to eat that disgustingly wretched concoction on the left? Even after we've tried it and seen how wonderful it is despite how it may appear to our sinful natures, we still go back to the poisonous pizza of sin over and over again. (And whereas the pizza and the concoction of this analogy are so clearly different, sin and God's holiness are infinitely more opposite to each other.) Why do we continue returning to what makes us sick? Why do we continue to see these things as beautiful and appetizing while the holiness of what God has commanded appears so unattractive? Someone says, "Just eat the nasty thing... you know it is good for you, ignore its appearances," and I cry out, "But I just can't!" (Or, as the Apostle Paul put it, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" - Romans 7:24)) Not only can't I eat what is so repulsive to me, but in actuality I don't want or will to, whereas I will to eat the "pizza" because I delight in my sins. It is only by some supernatural changing of my heart and mind that I will ever choose what is truly holy and good. But, oh, how wonderful to know that there is someone who makes this change for us, contrary to our corrupted will.

These questions touch on just a few of the topics concerning the human will and God's sovereignty that Jonathan Edwards discusses in "The Freedom of the Will". I've heard it explained that the Calvinist doctrine on these matters is like a candy with a hard exterior but a soft, delicious center, and I believe that's an accurate way to put it. With this book, Jonathan Edwards comes as close to helping Christians break through that hard exterior as any man ever has.

Great Work.......2003-06-21

This is truly one of the greatest works written. Daniel Webster wrote: "The Freedom of the Will" by Mr. Edwards is the greatest achievement of the human intellect." The London Quarterly Review wrote about this work: "His gigantic specimen of theological argument is as near to perfection as we may expect any human composition to approach. He unites the sharpness of the scimetar [sic] and the strength of the battle-axe." A former President of Princeton said that Edwards was "The greatest thinker that America has produced."

the mire of determinism.......2003-03-14

Whatever felicity Edwards manages in this work, do not credit the ideas represented to Edwards himself. All of his central points on freedom are no more than a Christian appropriation of secular English philosophy in Hobbes, somewhat in Locke, and certainly of David Hume. In the old philosophy, choice is an illusion, because in any course of action we are determined necessarily by our nature; Edwards agrees fully, adding only that our nature gets some extra help from God when it comes to sanctification.
He advances the idea that in every snapshot of human life, we make decisions in accordance with our nature and disposition. Free will is compatabilist in that we have no autonomy other than to follow our greatest desire in any given instance. Not only does this exposition rule out the chance for true virtue--some good thing we do which we might not have done--but Edwards also has a hard time explaining how God is not the author of evil, given that human decisions are consistently determined according to a divine decree.

What determines my will?.......2000-09-09

This wonderful work is a good tool in learning of the greatness of Christ's grace, in overcoming our minds and hearts, and loving us to the uttermost. This should be in the library of every Christian family.

Notes on Scripture (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 15)

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from the book cover

Notes on Scripture (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 15)
Jonathan Edwards
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300071981

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from the book cover.......2006-03-21

This volume contains the first complete edition of Jonathan Edwards' private biblical notebook known as "Notes on Scripture," drawn from his own manuscripts. Compiled by Edwards over a period of nearly thirty-five years, this text confirms the centrality of the Bible in his thought.

Sermons and Discourses, 1723-1729 (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 14)

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Sermons and Discourses, 1723-1729 (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 14)
Jonathan Edwards
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ASIN: 0300068417

Afghanistan: Essential Field Guide to Humanitarian and Conflict Zones

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Afghanistan: Essential Field Guide to Humanitarian and Conflict Zones
Edward Girardet , and Jonathan Walter
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Newly updated to reflect the changing conditions of the Middle East, this guidebook provides critical information on Afghanistan for military personnel, humanitarian and nongovernmental organization workers, academics, and readers interested in international affairs. Specially commissioned articles from leading experts examine the nation's historical legacy and contemporary milieu, covering everything from the security situation and the resurgence of the Taliban to two decades of human rights abuses and the current situation of women. Street maps for all major cities, practical advice on daily survival, important contacts, and a list of key phrases make this resource an essential tool for any visitor to Afghanistan.

The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards: A Reader

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The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards : A Reader IS A VERY GOOD BOOK TO READ
As always, excellent!
Beware of nutcase reviews of this book.
A monument in Christian literature!!
Beware of Calvin's footprints!

The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards: A Reader
Jonathan Edwards
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300077688

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The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards: A Reader is the first published anthology of sermons by the most influential American Puritan of the 18th century. Some people think Edwards is scary, because his most famous fire-and-brimstone preaching ("Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God") is too severe for today. But this book demonstrates that Edwards is equally capable of rapture, of reason, and of relating to a great variety of Christian experiences. The following passage, from a sermon called "Heaven Is a World of Love," is timeless in its sensibilities: "[B]y living a life of love ... you will be in the way to heaven. As heaven is a world of love, so the way to heaven is the way of love. This will best prepare you for heaven, and make you meet for an inheritance with the saints in that land of light and love. And if ever you arrive at heaven, faith and love must be the wings which must carry you there."

The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards contains 14 sermons (of the more than 1,200 that Edwards preached), including five that have not previously been published. A smart introduction describes the sermons' historical context (some were preached to white congregations, others to Native Americans; all were delivered in the volatile period between the Salem witch trials and the American Revolution) and their literary structure. (Each sermon starts with a Scripture text and brief comment or interpretation; makes a simple statement of doctrine that will be presented in the sermon; and then proceeds with various defenses, applications, and uses of the doctrine, which address the immediate personal and social concerns of the listeners.) As a collection, the editors note, "the sermons have a sense of progression to them that reflects the pilgrimage of the soul ... from its sinful earthly state to a pure heavenly existence." A sermon called "The Way of Holiness," preached when Edwards was a teenager, explains what each step in the soul's pilgrimage should be like, urging believers to live so as to deepen the "likeness in nature between God and the soul of the believer." Edwards's own credo, written when he was 19, declares his intention to follow such a pilgrimage, "to live with all my might, while I do live." --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

Jonathan Edwards, one of the great thinkers in the history of American religion, was first and foremost a preacher and pastor. This collection of fifteen sermons, four of which have never before been published, represents the major themes of Edwards` preaching and reflects the stages of a life dedicated to experiencing and understanding spiritual truth.

Customer Reviews:

The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards : A Reader IS A VERY GOOD BOOK TO READ.......2005-09-21

Jonathan Edwards sermons are inspiring, leading to Christ. 18 century religious american genius. Easy to read. Worth to buy. Highly recommend.

As always, excellent!.......2003-10-13

Edwards is excellent in presenting the gospel. His sermons are quite substantive and always pointing the reader (or hearer in his days) towards God. Should you desire a great book of some of Edward's greatest works, this is the book for you.

Beware of nutcase reviews of this book........2003-09-05

John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards are, without question, two of the greatest theologians in the history of the church. Who is Mike DeSario?

A monument in Christian literature!!.......2002-12-02

The sermons of Edwards are a cornerstone of religious faith in this country. His ability to reach common man led to a national revival. This "calvinistic" doctrine is what our nation needs now! It is both a comfort and a fearful thing to know that our eternal lives are in the hands of a loving God and a just God who can be angry at sin!!! I'm sorry some people feel threatened by Calvin and Edwards but if you are seeking enlightenment this book can help point you there.

Beware of Calvin's footprints!.......2002-10-25

...If you are well grounded in the faith, Steadfast and immovable (Col1:22-23) read this book to sharpen your discernment. In studying these men we get a better understanding of what we are up against presently. When you discover the full scope of Calvin's destructive doctrines, his five points, and how everything ultimately concludes with `unconditional' eternal security, you will see the handprints of Satan in every tenant. These men planted the seeds of modern day easy believeism, although unaware of their negative influence, the things they taught will ring throughout eternity in the ears of millions of lost souls who bought into their security in sin message.

God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of The End for Which God Created the World)

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Challenging Read
A Word of Warning About Piper's Emphasis
Majestic and Breathtaking
Great Minds Think Alike
Recovers some much needed-- lost concepts.

God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of The End for Which God Created the World)
John Piper
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581347456

Book Description

In his essay The End for Which God Created the World, the great theologian Jonathan Edwards proclaimed that God’s ultimate end is the manifestation of his glory in the highest happiness of his creatures.

Pastor John Piper has devoted his years of ministry to exploring the implications of this stunning truth for life and ministry. Understanding that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him has made all the difference for John Piperâand can transform your life as well.

Here Piper passionately demonstrates the relevance of Edwards’s ideals for the personal and public lives of Christians today through his own book-length introduction to Edwards’s The End for Which God Created the World. This book also contains the complete essay supplemented by almost a hundred of Piper’s insightful explanatory notes. The result is a powerful and persuasive presentation of the things that matter most in the Christian life.

âOne studies the time and backgrounds of some men in order to understand them. Others have such rare greatness that one studies them in order to understand their timesâ¦. Jonathan Edwards was such an original.â
âPaul Ramsey, editor of Edwards’s ethical writings in the Yale critical edition

âNo man is more relevant to the present condition of Christianity than Jonathan Edwards.â
âD. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

âThe western church â¦ much of it drifting, enculturated, and infected with cheap grace â¦ desperately needs to hear Edwards’s challenge.â
âCharles Colson

â[Edwards] speaks with an insight into science and psychology so much ahead of his time that our own can hardly be said to have caught up with him.â
âPerry Miller, former Harvard historian

âOne of the most holy, humble and heavenly minded men that the world has seen since the apostolic age.â
âAshbel Green, 1829, former president of the College of New Jersey

â â¦ the profoundest reasoner, and the greatest divine â¦ that America ever produced.â
âSamuel Davies, 1759

â[Edwards] was a man who put faithfulness to the Word of God before every other consideration.â
âIain Murray, Edwards’s biographer

âThe disappearance of Edwards’s [God-entranced] perspective in American Christian history has been a tragedy.â
âMark Noll, Wheaton College historian

Edwards’s book, The End for Which God Created the World [is] â¦ unsurpassed in terms of its theological grandeur.â
âDavid Brand

Customer Reviews:

Challenging Read.......2006-06-02

The book is in two parts. The second part of the book is an essay by Jonathan Edwards called, "The End for which God created the World." Edwards lived in the 18th century and was a careful and brilliant thinker. Needless to say, the essay is very tough read. I tried reading it slowly and carefully, but I gave up and decided to read it in normal mode. I plan to go back in a year and try it again. The essay needs to be digested slowly with multiple readings. Piper has added many footnotes to help guide the reader through the more difficult passages.

The first part is Piper getting you prepared emotionally and physically for the intellectual climb. He does an excellent job of encouraging the reader to make the climb for the view is great from the top.

The book is worth reading even if you don't understand it. It helps bring into focus all of Piper's writings.

A Word of Warning About Piper's Emphasis.......2005-06-21

This is a general comment on Piper's books. I deeply appreciate the work of John Piper--especially his emphasis on missions and on living God-centered, Christ-exalting lives of worship. And I am Augustinian, so I love Piper's theology and am thrilled that he has become so popular. But I do want to provide a warning. Piper's main emphasis is (and you'll read this over and over again) "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied (or delighted) in Him." This is a biblical and wonderful proposition that Piper became aware of through the writings of Jonathan Edwards. To Edwards, this proposition was one small part of his theology.

But Piper has taken this idea, which he calls "Christian Hedonism," and built his whole life and ministry around it. The problem is that if you read enough Piper, you will begin to focus on the FEELING of being delighted in Christ, rather than on Christ Himself. And when your feelings don't match what you want them to be, you will become disheartened. (And let's face it, few of us have the emotional intensity of John Piper.) At that point, your feelings (of being delighted in God) become the object of your desires and, thus, an idol. Yes, they are feelings TOWARD God--but those feelings are NOT GOD. And when the focus of your life has become your emotions, it has deceptively become an idol.

I know Piper fights against this tendency. But I'm afraid he is often unsuccessful. The fact is, the Christian life is not going to be one of unending joy in God. Read the Psalms to see how often the psalmists cry out in agony and desperation and sadness to the Lord. Read Romans 7 to find out how tough and discouraging the Christian life can really be.

According to Piper, our happiness in God should be the driving motivation in our life. But when Christians are inevitably not overflowing with delight in God, then under Piper's framework, the only solution is to seek that feeling of joy rather than just do our duty. There are times when duty and obligation (which Piper hates) are the only motivations for the Christian to be obedient and live a life of faith. I agree wholeheartedly with Piper that delight in God is a much better motivation for the Christian than duty. But when that delight is not there, we still must be faithful and obedient, and we can't always wait on our feelings to drive us on toward the prize.

Read Piper's books. And enjoy his passionate and Christ-exalting preaching. But beware and repent when your emotions--rather than the Triune God Himself--become the focus of your life.

Majestic and Breathtaking.......2003-05-02

The End for Which God Created the World represents the core of Jonathan Edwards's thought. Edwards's thesis is this: God designed everything to revel in his glory, and he desires for us to take joy in his magnificence. What's more, those who enjoy God will enjoy him with ever-increasing joy for all eternity. Isn't that a breathtaking thesis?

Edwards marshalls huge amounts of scriptural evidence to support his claim, and, as always, he brilliantly answers philosophical objections against what the scriptures reveal about the matter. His writing throughout is penetrating, perceptive, persuasive, and deeply worshipful.

I think John Piper's goals in his contribution to this work were to whet the reader's appetite for the feast of The End for Which God Created the World and to make the work more accessible to the average reader. He succeeds in both respects. After reading Dr. Piper's introduction I was eager to plow forward, and, while reading The End . . ., I found Dr. Piper's explanatory footnotes helpful.

The End for Which God Created the World is a majestic work, and I am grateful that John Piper took the time to re-introduce it to the general public. May God use this humble offering from Jonathan Edwards's pen to help our tragically parched world find the living water flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb!

Great Minds Think Alike.......2002-08-03

This is a solid, powerful, stunning, and most biblical text from both Jonathan Edwards and John Piper. This book includes Edward's essay titled "The End for Which God Created the World," along with comments and further delineation from John Piper. To read Edwards sometimes takes much concentration and hard work, and Piper has done a great job bringing this work to life.

The first part of the book is an introduction to Edwards's work, by Piper (a sort of commentary, if you will), and the later part is the actual work of Edwards's. Piper begins by expressing his concern about the issue at hand, and then leads into a discussion of not only Edwards's life but his work as well. Piper comments on Edwards's conclusions in relation to Piper's concerns in his current ministry and then allows the reader to take what Piper has discussed and make application of it through Edwards's original work.

The thing I find most interesting about this work is its relevancy. What I mean by this is the fact that Edwards's wrote this work 200+ years ago and it is still pertinent to our own culture today (sure proof that the Truths of God endure forever). This is a great text, solid theology, and extremely relevant reading for today. I heartily recommend this work!

Recovers some much needed-- lost concepts........2002-04-22

This book recovers a much needed perspective for the evangelical church-- the importance of theology (what we believe about God) and intimacy (how well we know God). Too often, we get caught in the middle, in methodology (how we do things). Most books, most conferences, etc., deal with "how" instead of the other, more pertinent issues, which Piper relays from Edwards in this book. (I see this most often in the "church growth" movement-- where pastors all get together, go to conferences, and seek to copy what's working in some other place in the country, rather than struggling to know God in the present.)

J.Edwards was one who, according to Piper, was steeped in both theology and piety-- both, without neglect the other. Theology without intimacy leads to cold, dry orthodoxy. Yet, intimacy without theology often has no moorings... no depth...

The book is challenging... and will stretch you to move beyond simply copying the methods of others (whether you're a church leader or whatever) and get back to the God you know and relating to that God as you seek to know Him and make His glory known.

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