Results tagged “jonathan edwards”
The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards (01/24/09 - 8 Comments)
In 2006, Reformation Trust published Steven Lawson's Foundations of Grace, the first volume in a promising series titled "A Long Line of Godly Men." Though the original publication schedule called for a new book every year or two, the second volume, Pillars of Grace has been repeatedly pushed back and is now listed as a November 2009 release. However, while we've been awaiting that title, we've been treated to two volumes in a companion series...
Book Review - A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards (01/06/09 - 2 Comments)
Ask those who love biography and ask those who admire Jonathan Edwards and you will find the jury split on which biography best tells the life of Edwards. Some will vote for Iain Murray's Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography while others will opt for George Marsden's Jonathan Edwards: A Life. Most will say, rightly, that you cannot go wrong with either one; both are excellent and both are well worth reading. Several years after the...
Book Review - Signs of the Spirit (12/06/08 - 7 Comments)
Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in the writing of prominent Christians of days past. Christians have turned with renewed interest to church Fathers, to Reformers and to Puritans. One of the chief benefits of this interest has been the many "interpretations" and contemporary adaptations of classic books. Taylor and Kapic, working with Crossway, have edited two volumes of John Owen, giving us updated versions of Owen's classic texts on the Holy Spirit...
The First and Primary Object (11/14/08 - 18 Comments)
It was a couple of years ago now that I read George Marsden's great biography of Jonathan Edwards. As I read it I was often stopped short by Edwards' wisdom. Constantly surrounded by conflict, and often facing people who sought to undermine his ministry, Edwards had every opportunity to reflect on the task of a minister. One of these conflicts involved the question of whether sermons should primarily enlighten the mind or whether they should...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XV) (11/13/08 - 12 Comments)
We made it! This marks the final reading in Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. I hesitated for a while before suggesting that we read a 380-page book together, but we did it. And what a read it was. My only real regret is that I feel like I have only skimmed the surface. In his companion volume to this book, Sam Storms says that he had to read the Affections many times through to have...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XIV) (10/30/08 - 4 Comments)
Today we are supposed to continue with our reading of Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. Unfortunately my week was such that I did not manage to get through the whole reading. Thus I am going to defer this until Saturday. I do apologize. However, if you have read the chapter and have something to say about it, please do so in the comments. I'll update this on Saturday....
Like Kindling a Flame (10/23/08 - 8 Comments)
Don't tune out just because this is about Jonathan Edwards. For the second time in this round of "Reading Classics" I want to withhold comment and just leave readers with some of Edwards' wisdom. In this week's reading he has been suggesting that a "great and very distinguishing difference between gracious affections and others is, that gracious affections, the higher they are raised, the more is a spiritual appetite and longing of soul after spiritual...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XII) (10/16/08 - 6 Comments)
Today we turn to one of our final readings in The Religious Affections. We are quickly closing in on the book's closing pages. In another few weeks we'll be ready to turn to another book. But for now, let's look to what we read this week. Summary Here is what we have learned so far about religious affections: They are from a divine influence. Their object is the excellence of divine things. They are founded...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XI) (10/08/08 - 9 Comments)
Because I am traveling to Chicago tomorrow, I am posting this week's "Reading Classics" entry a day early. This week brings us to our twelfth reading in Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections and turns to the seventh and eighth signs of true religious affections. Summary Here is what we have learned so far about religious affections: They are from a divine influence. Their object is the excellence of divine things. They are founded on the...
Evangelical Humiliation (10/02/08 - 14 Comments)
I am guessing that the majority of the readers of this site do not read the "Reading Classics Together" posts. And, unless you're reading the books along with us, why would you? But today (if you've read this far) I'd like you to read one. I think you'll find it immensely useful. I am going to do little more than provide some quotes from Edwards, hoping it will give you a sense as to just...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (IX) (09/18/08 - 10 Comments)
Today we come to our tenth reading in Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. This is a long book but we're making our way through it just as quickly as we can, I think. To speed up would be to leave us with very long and difficult readings. And so we press on, one "sign" at a time. Summary We continue to progress through the twelve signs of truly gracious and holy affections. So far we've...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (VII) (09/04/08 - 8 Comments)
Today we come to our eighth reading in Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. Though this book is a long haul, we are making some good progress, and I happen to think that it is getting better and better, particularly as we head into chapters which provide opportunity for reflection and application. This week we looked to the third sign of authentic affections. Summary We continue to progress through the twelve signs of truly gracious and...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (V) (08/21/08 - 15 Comments)
This morning brings us to our sixth reading in Jonathan Edwards’ The Religious Affections. This week we had a rather long reading of the first sign of authentic affections—the first chapter where we really get to the heart of the book. Summary This week’s reading dealt with the first authentic affection. Here is what Edwards sought to prove: “Affections that are truly spiritual and gracious do arise from those influences and operations on the heart...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (IV) (08/14/08 - 14 Comments)
This morning brings us to our fifth reading in Jonathan Edwards’ The Religious Affections. This week’s reading was a very short one—just a few pages. I know that several of you took the opportunity to catch up with last week’s lengthy reading. So hopefully by now we are all on the same page! Summary In the Introduction to the book’s third part, Edwards asks the reader to keep three things in mind as he describes...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (III) (08/07/08 - 21 Comments)
This morning brings us to our fourth reading in Jonathan Edwards’ The Religious Affections. You can click here to read more about this effort. If you have not been reading with us and would like to participate, this is as good a time as any to join in. Next week we’ll begin the real meat of the book and what has come before, though important, shouldn’t hinder your enjoyment of the rest of it. Summary...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (I) (07/24/08 - 28 Comments)
Today we come to the second week of reading through The Religious Affections. You can click here to read more about this effort. This weeks’ reading really marked my first significant attempt at plowing through a substantial part of Edwards’ work. While I began with some trepidation, I have to say that it wasn’t as bad as I may have feared. Sure the language was a bit obscure and sure Edwards often uses several sentences...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (Introduction) (07/17/08 - 45 Comments)
This morning we kick off the fourth round of Reading Classics Together, an effort in which we read some of the great Christian classics together and convene here once a week to discuss them. In the past we’ve read J.C. Ryle’s Holiness, John Owen’s Overcoming Sin and Temptation and A.W. Pink’s The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross. We’ve had hundreds of people participate by reading the books together and discussing them each...
Sin: What We Do or What We Are? (05/06/08 - 33 Comments)
As anyone knows who has studied the life of Jonathan Edwards, he dedicated a large portion of his ministry to thinking, writing and teaching about the freedom of the will. And, of course, he eventually published a classic work dealing with the subject. In writing the book he thought back to the days when revival had swept his church, his community and the area around it. And as he reflected on the individuals who had...