The Oxford Handbook of Jonathan Edwards

The Oxford Handbook of Jonathan Edwards  is a 624-page volume covering a multitude of topics related to the 18^th century minister and his thought, emphasizing the global impact of his theology, philosophy, and missiology. Douglas A. Sweeney and Jan Stievermann, the editors of the volume, do a superb job presenting and organizing the thirty-seven essays which are written by scholars of Edwards from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Sweeney and Stievermann express well the primary aim of the volume, and the recognition of varied disciplines and interest groups perusing Edwards’s life, writings, and context serves a secondary, yet equally important, objective of the individual essays themselves:

“The great diversity and internationality of the current state of Edwards studies is not covered in any of the existing, otherwise commendable handbooks and compendia . . . This [book] surveys the full breadth of the present spectrum on Edwards across different disciplines and regions of the world.” (xv)

For the serious reader, the Handbook affords a resourceful listing of The Works of Jonathan Edwards, published by Yale University Press (xiii – xiv), as these are widely mentioned and referenced to throughout the volume.

The essays, each concluding with works cited and suggested readings for additional studies, are distributed across the four different sections of the Handbook, allowing for a progressive micro to macro view of Edwards’s life and enduring impact worldwide. At the microscopic level, Edwards’s upbringing, education, marriage, ministry, and the contexts surrounding him are masterfully delineated and presented. To understand Edwards, one must allocate time and interest to know him. Ava Chamberlain, Harry S. Stout, George Marsden, David W. Kling, and Peter J. Thuesen attend to Edwards’s early colonial life as a young man, education, adulthood formation, marriage, management of his household, ministry, and influences that contributed to the formation of the man. With these items in mind Stout, for example, discusses how Edwards’s entry into ministry “came with some deep-set emotional and personal problems. Some of these he inherited from his father. . .” (17).

Regardless of this, and the periodic “bouts of depression and ‘melancholy’” (18), Edwards did not deter from successful service during a time of political, social, and ecclesiastical concerns shaping early America. With the outbreak of revivals, Edwards understood the importance of what he saw happening in Northampton and the Great Awakening more generally, and he “increasingly insisted that revivals of religion were the primary means by which the Gospel would spread to the ends of the earth” (51). Impressively, his works A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God, An Humble Attempt, A History of the Work of Redemption, and The Life of David Brainerd made their way overseas, serving as an impetus to revival and international missions work throughout his lifetime and posthumously (53-64).

Edwards’s exposure to philosophical works, Puritan writings, scholasticism, and other works of literature produced in him a keen theological and philosophical intellect as demonstrated throughout his writings and sermons. Prolific in notetaking and eclectic in his cataloging of the books he read and desired to read Edwards’s “obeisance to the Puritan principle that Scripture must be the judge of all things” (77) dictated his approach to studies. The various theological topics found within his literary and sermonic corpus reflects Edwards’s understanding of Scripture and his critical observation of contemporary writers. In reading George Berkeley and René Descartes, for example, Paul Helm states that Edwards’s understanding of epistemology was dependent on both men which, in turn, factored into Edwards’s system of metaphysics (110). As a studious pastor, theologian, and philosopher, Edwards fearlessly formulated and addressed his views on Christology, anthropology, revelation, sin and evil, creation and predestination, and other theological matters that concerned him, his congregants, and his readers as well.

Throughout his life Edwards’s deepest concern was that he “‘be filled with the divine Spirit of God’” . . . For this reason, his life was consumed with biblical study, meditation on Scripture, and earnestly humble prayer for that indwelling Spirit for himself and, because of the communal nature of Christian faith, for others” (354). His ministry was also directed toward Native Americans and the enslaved prompting Edwards to prophesy, “that in the millennium Indians and Africans will preach God’s word” (441). Given that Edwards himself was a slave-owner, however, it is unclear what conclusions to draw from this prediction (439-445).

The Oxford Handbook of Jonathan Edwards will invigorate further studies of Edwards’s thoughts and will inspire the casual reader to want to know more about the “last Puritan.” The distinctive global perspectives presented in the volume will also expand Edwardsean studies and Edwards’s legacy for years to come.

Anthony Rivera is an independent scholar.

Anthony Rivera

Date Of Review:

October 31, 2022