Jonathan Edwards Essay - 982 Words

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is widely recognized as one of America’s most profound Theologians. Some might even consider him the master of Puritan revival, since he was the leader of the Great Awakening. During his time he was a devout Calvinist who had the power of single-handedly keeping the Puritan faith strong for over twenty-five years, by using vivid imagery to provoke his audience. Edwards dialect was exquisitely influential and yet wielded with class and ease. This essay argues that Edwards was a prestigious theologian in his time that helped shape modern religious culture. From an early stage Edwards was influenced by his family tremendously. â€Å"As the only boy, he was the center of attention. From early years his parents†¦show more content†¦To Stoddard, the idea of â€Å"fostering conversions was more important than discovering a perfect church order, and in that attitude he blazed the way for the most influential practice in American religious history: he was the first American to make periodic revivals a centerpiece of his ministry† . Every decade his congregation would experience an â€Å"awakening† in which many people were moved spiritually and often lead to conversion. Some of these revivals even made it past Northampton and into the neighboring communities, directly impacting young Edwards and his family, for Edwards’s father rejected the half-way covenant but endorsed revival. These disagreements divided his family and remained unresolved for decades . In 1726 Edwards moved to Northampton to help his grandfather as assistant pastor, â€Å"he was probably more inclined to agree with the stricter views of his father rather than with his grandfather’s more open policy regarding communicant membership, but for the time being, an agreement to disagree seems to have prevailed† . When Solomon Stoddard died in February 1729, Edwards assumed full responsibility of the congregation. Wi th the inheritance of the congregation came considerable expectations, considering Northampton regarded Solomon as a sort of deity. â€Å"New England’s occasional awakenings and other efforts to revive piety were part of an international ‘pietist’ movement† .Show MoreRelatedJonathan Edwards : Early Colonial Theologist And Religious Revivalist1533 Words   |  7 PagesJonathan Edwards: Early Colonial Theologist and Religious Revivalist Jonathan Edwards (1703-1759) played a historic part in American Christianity as we know it today. He was a notorious religious figure during a time when Congregationalists were determined to adhere to the religious styles of old. His intellectual and theological reason, along with his fervent zeal fueled by the Holy Spirit, makes him one of the greatest evangelistic preachers and apologists of all time. His life, works, andRead MoreJonathan Edwards : A Great Shepherd Of Early Colonial Theology And Revivalism1214 Words   |  5 PagesJonathan Edwards: A Great Shepherd of Early Colonial Theology and Revivalism Jonathan Edwards (1703-1759) played a historical part in American Christianity as we know it today. He was a notorious religious figure during a time when Congregationalists were determined to adhere to the religious styles of old. His intellectual and theological reason, along with his fervent zeal fueled by the Holy Spirit, makes him one of the greatest evangelistic preachers and apologists of all time. His life,Read More Some Notes Concerning Affections and the Sublime in the Work of Jonathan Edward4475 Words   |  18 PagesSome Notes Concerning Affections and the Sublime in the Work of Jonathan Edward Jonathan Edwards’s attention to the separation of the body from the soul combined with his efforts to account for the spirit of revivalism during the â€Å"Great Awakening† implicates the sublime as both a rhetorical tool and psychological experience that, in either case, foregrounds the relationship between an individual’s perception of the self and his or her relationship to a community. Comparing Edwards’s personalRead MoreEssay On Jonathan Edwards1291 Words   |  6 PagesJonathan Edwards his sermons and works Prospectus draft HIUS 435-D01 August 4, 2017 Joel Leviten Jonathan Edwards was born October 5th, 1703 in East Windsor Connecticut, he was the son of Timothy Edwards who was also a preacher. Jonathan Edwards was a preacher, philosopher, and a Protestant Theologian. Jonathan Edwards was known as the most important and one of the original philosophical theologians of all times. In my Prospectus paper, I will be discussing the sermons andRead MoreThe Life of Jonathan Edwards3484 Words   |  14 PagesBaptist Theological Seminary The Life of Jonathan Edwards A Paper Submitted to Dr. Gregory Tomlin In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course American Christianity CHHI 692 Table of Contents Abstract 3 Biographical Outline 4-5 Survey of Edwards Life 5-18 Work Written By Jonathan Edwards 19-20 Bibliography 21-22 Abstract Through out Jonathan Edwards’ life he focused on preaching and expressing his views andRead MoreJonathan Edwards And The Great Awakening1080 Words   |  5 Pagespreachers such as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards sparked a religious shift and revitalisation known as the Great Awakening. 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Edwards uses a wide variety of figurative language and rhetorical techniques to urge unregenerate ChristiansRead MoreJonathan Edwards And Nathaniel Hawthorne1294 Words   |  6 Pagesthe effort, perfection is unattainable and something that should not be feared by anyone. Famous Puritan authors Jonathan Edwards and Nathaniel Hawthorne in their works give the same impression as Dali, they both believe that the strive for perfection is both unrealistic and unattainable. In regard to the unattainably of perfection Hawthorne and Edwards’ opinions differ greatly, Edwards believes that even though perfection is unrealistic, one can and should sti ll strive for it, while Hawthorne onRead MoreThe Great Awakening By Jonathan Edwards1231 Words   |  5 Pagesgreat insight to the basis of how the revival effected the way of life and thinking of the colonies. They quote different events and impacts the Great Awakening had on the people and how it influenced them in some ways. The first article is from Jonathan Edwards, a Congregationalist minister in New England. It is titled, â€Å"Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion (1743)†. He goes on to tell us how the moment of the Great Awakening is causing a major change in the people of colonial AmericaRead MoreWhose Time Had Come838 Words   |  3 Pagescovenant members than that of devout Christians (Worrell, 4). The churches plan to save Christianity in their towns was quickly realized to be a larger problem than was an aid. One of the prominent leaders in the First Great Awakening was Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards grew up in a stern, Christian home (Worrell, 5). The descendant of two preachers, he took to the religious lifestyle at a young age (5). Although he was guided in the right direction, he often struggled with questions of the God he served