A BIOGRAPHY O

F

JONATHAN ED

WARDS

B Y : JO Y C E W

O N G ( J W2 8 6 5 )

EARLY LIFE (1703 – 1724)

• Born in Connecticut in 1703 to prominent Congregational ministers• Grandfather was Solomon Stoddard, most powerful New England clergyman

• Enrolled in Yale at age 13, graduated at 17 as head of his class• Strongly Influenced by Locke, Malebranche, and the Cambridge

Platonists; redefined Calvinism by synthesizing their ideas with Newton• Locke – focused on empiricism, human limitation, opposition to

authoritarianism, separation of Church and State, etc. • Malebranche – doctrines conclude that “we see bodies through ideas in

God” and “God is the only real cause”• Cambridge Platonists – similar to Humanists of the Renaissance, but also

interested in the Scientific Revolution• Served in congregations in New York and Connecticut • 1724: Completed Masters of Arts degree at Yale

Locke Malebranche More(a Cambridge Platonist) Newton

LIFE AS A PASTOR(1725 – 1750)

• 1725: Succeeded grandfather at the church in Northampton (most influential church outside of Boston) and received tenure

• 1727: Married Sarah Pierpont and raised 11 children in Northampton

• 1734 – 1735: First Great Awakening• Became famous as a revivalist preacher,

emphasizing “the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, the reality of hell and the necessity of a ‘New Birth’ conversion”

• Early 1740s: Second Revival• Flood of religious excitement throughout the

colonies Northampton Church

LIFE AS A PASTOR(1725 – 1750)

• Religious Affections (1746) – First major treatise which defended the revivals and criticized its excesses

• 1750: Dismissed from the church after trying to impose stricter qualifications for admission into his congregation

• Thought that “open admission” invited hypocrites and unbelievers into the Church

LIFE POST-DISMISSAL(1751 – 1757)

• Became a pastor in Stockbridge (western Massachusetts) for a small congregation

• Missionary to Mahican and Mohawk families• Wrote most of his major works

• Addressed the “Arminian controversy”

MAJOR WORKS• A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising

Work of God (1738)• Described his church’s awakening

• A History of the Work of Redemption (1739)

• Showed “God’s work as a history structured around God’s scriptural promises and periods of the outpouring of the Spirit”

• The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God (1741), Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival (1742), A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (1746), The Life of David Brainerd (1749)

• Distinguished the difference between true sainthood and false belief

MAJOR WORKS• Freedom of the Will (1754)

• Sin or grace in the soul determined one’s will

• The Great Christian Doctrine of Original Sin Defended (1758)

• Because of “constitutional unity” with Adam, all humans are naturally inclined to sin

• End of Creation (1765)• True Virtue (1756)

EDWARDS’ MAJOR THEMESABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD• Defended theological determinism – all events are predestined• His occasionalism, idealism, and mental phenomenalism made him

conclude that “God is the only real cause and the only true substance”

BEAUTY OF GOD’S HOLINESS• “God’s ultimate aim in all his work is himself; he creates the world

for his own glory; ‘happiness is the end of the creation’”• Truly virtuous individuals “love being and benevolence”• God is the only thing that is truly beautiful • “‘True Virtue’ is needed to discern beauty”

COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY• Elected after 2nd president of the College (his son-in-law) died • Popular choice to be President because

• Related to the college since its founding • Most famous American philosopher-theologian during his time

• 1757: Responded to the Trustees of the College negatively• Delineated his own shortcomings: temperament, inability to govern

“such a new and great business,” lack of knowledge in certain subjects

• Working on a great work, A History of the Work of Redemption, describing the redemption of Jesus Christ

• Also working on The Harmony of the Old and New Testaments in three parts

• Currently too passionate with his works to be distracted by Presidency of a college

COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY• 1757: Persuaded by the Trustees and became President of

the College of New Jersey• Passed away less than 5 weeks after due to smallpox

complications

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS• Though only President of the College of New Jersey for less than 5 weeks,

Edwards highlights the direction of the College• Edwards was the most famous American philosopher-theologian of his

time; his sermons were a reflection of the atmosphere of society during his lifetime (after two religious revivals)

• Important themes were the absolute sovereignty in God and His beauty • Despite the rejection letter outlining flaws and disinterest, the Trustees of

the College were adamant on having Edwards as the President and figurehead of their institution

• The determination of the Trustees emphasizes that they strongly believed his sermons and ideas were aligned with the College of New Jersey, and he was the most qualified candidate despite his denial

• Thus, understanding Jonathan Edwards and his theology provides great insight into what the Trustees of the College of New Jersey wanted as a foundation for the school as well as the type of leader they were seeking for the institution

SOURCEShttp://plato.stanford.edu/entries/edwards/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/malebranche/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/http://edwards.yale.edu/research/about-edwards/biographyhttp://etcweb.princeton.edu/CampusWWW/Companion/

edwards_jonathan.htmlhttp://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap2/

edwards.html