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CHURCH HISTORY II Lesson 23

CHURCH HISTORY II Lesson 23. The Life of Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards. “The history of religious revival proves that all real, spiritual awakenings of the national mind have been those in which God and not man, has been the prime mover.” Octavius Winslow.

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CHURCH HISTORY II Lesson 23

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  1. CHURCHHISTORY IILesson 23 The Life of Jonathan Edwards

  2. Jonathan Edwards “The history of religious revival proves thatall real, spiritual awakenings of the nationalmind have been those in which God and notman, has been the prime mover.” Octavius Winslow “No man is more relevant to the present condition of Christianity than Jonathan Edwards. . . . He was a mighty theologian and a great evangelist at the same time. . . .He was pre-eminently the theologian of revival. If you want to know anything abouttrue revival, Edwards is the man to consult.” D. Martin Lloyd-Jones

  3. Church History Ca. 30AD 590 AD 1517 AD Ancient Church History Medieval Church History Modern Church History Reformation & Counter Reformation Apostolic Church The First Medieval Pope The Rise of the Holy Rom Emp Apostolic Fathers Rationalism, Revivalism, & Denominationalism The Crusades Church Councils Revivalism, Missions, & Modernism Golden Age of Church Fathers The Papacy in Decline The Pre-Reformers ?

  4. Oliver Wendell Holmes – “If Edwards had lived a hundred years later and breathedthe air of freedom, he could not have written with such old-world barbarism as we find in his volcanic sermons” Henry B. Parkes (1930) – “As a religious figure, his is the greatness of religious‘tragedy’ being that even for the greatest intellect in the history of American Christianity,his inherited Calvinistic beliefs were too strong for him to overcome.” Ola Winslow – viewed Edwards as a prisoner in an outworn, obsolete theological system – “his bondage seems almost a tragic pity.” Herbert Schneider – “His philosophical insight was buried under the ruins of his religion.He failed to see the futility of insisting on the Puritan principles.” Perry Miller – “The life of Edwards is a tragedy . . . . Because of his faith Edwards wrought incalculable harm.” Why so little about J. Edwards? Recent History No Political/State Involvement No Church Break Secular Historians Can’t Understand His Significance Reformed Theology Not Vogue

  5. 1607 Jamestown established 1621 First Thanksgiving, Plymouth, Mass. 1630 3,000 colonist live in VA; 300 in Mass. 1680 William Penn receives charter for PA 1700 Boston, Mass. Has 7,000 people New York Has 6,000 people When did Jonathan Edwards Live? • 1706 Benjamin Franklin Born • 1732 George Washington Born • 1743 Thomas Jefferson Born

  6. An Overview of the Life ofJonathan Edwards Age 1703 Jonathan Edwards born

  7. Jonathan Edward’s Family Tree Solomon Stoddard = Esther Wareham 12 Children Rev. Timothy Edwards = Esther Stoddard 11 Children – 10 girls, 1 boy Jonathan Edwards = Sarah Pierrepont 11 Children – 3 boys, 8 girls b - October 5, 1703 d - March 22, 1758

  8. An Overview of the Life ofJonathan Edwards Age 1703 Jonathan Edwards is born 13 1716 Enters Yale 18 1721 Converted** 19 1722 Called to Pastor in NY – Presby. Congregation 21 1724 Tutor’s at Yale Briefly 23 1726 Assoc. Minister @ Northampton w/ Grandfather Solomon Stoddard 1727 Marries Sarah Pierrepont 24 1729 Becomes Full Pastor at Northampton 26 31 1734 Revival Breaks Out 34 1737 Edwards Defends the Revival 37 1740 1st Great Awakening 1750 Dismissed as Pastor @ Northampton 47

  9. Jonathan Edwards dismissal from Northampton Book Incident Salary Issue Admission to the Lord’s Table Ungodly membership & family loyalty Results of His Dismissal Opportunity to write Missionary Outreach & Emphasis

  10. An Overview of the Life ofJonathan Edwards Age 1703 Jonathan Edwards is born 13 1716 Enters Yale 18 1721 Converted 19 1722 Called to Pastor in NY – Presby. Congregation 21 1724 Tutor’s at Yale Briefly 23 1726 Assoc. Minister @ Northampton w/ Grandfather Solomon Stoddard 1727 Marries Sarah Pierrepont 24 1729 Becomes Full Pastor at Northampton 26 31 1734 Revival Breaks Out 34 1737 Edwards Defends the Revival 37 1740 1st Great Awakening 1750 Dismissed as Pastor @ Northampton 47 48 1751 Called to Stockbridge – Pastor/Missionary 1758 Accepts Presidency of the College of N.J. 55

  11. Jonathan Edwards -The Man The only son of eleven children Entered Yale at the age of 13 and graduated the head of his class Wife - Sarah 3 sons – all graduated from Princeton 8 daughters – 3 daughters married Yale graduates, one wasBurr, another Timothy Dwight fore bearer of 3 Yale presidents She was criticized by some for being too fashionable Parsonage Well ordered Sarah ran most of domestic duties Often Jonathan would miss a meal because of studies Numerous visitors Aloofness/distance/reflective Constantly making notes from his thoughts – during his writing periodhe was able to draw from these thoughts Gracious, but not gregarious

  12. Jonathan Edwards -The Pastor Study - “13 hours a day in the study” His primary focus was the Lord’s day 2 sermons on Sunday, 1 on Thursday Personal communion with God must come first Sermon Manuscripts Written word for word – reading sermons? Outlines Sermon Delivery Edward did not visit his congregation unless requested He did encourage visits into home/study

  13. The Writings of Jonathan Edwards Unconverted • Of Insects • Of the Rainbow • Of Light Rays • Natural Philosophy • Of Atoms • Of Being Newly Converted • Resolutions • Diary • Miscellanies Northampton • A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God • The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God • 1746 Some Thoughts Concerning Religious Affections Stockbridge Ministry • A Careful & Strict Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of that Freedom of Will • The Great Doctrine of Original Sin Defended • The End for Which God Created the World

  14. The Great Awakening 1730-40’s The Great Awakening was a glorious work of God whereby He causeda period of intense spiritual revival and conversions that enlarged thechurch with true members and quickened them to Christian duty. 1720’s - The Middle Colonies 1730’s – The New England Colonies 1740 – 1750’s – The Southern Colonies George Whitfield – common link between Great Britain and Colonial Revivals.

  15. Opposition to the Great Awakening 1741 – “The Distinguishing Marks of a work of the Spirit God, Applied to that uncommon Operation that has lately appeared on the Minds of many of the People of New England”. Sermon given at Yale 1742 – Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in NewEngland, in 1742. 378 page book May 1743 – 400 ministers convened in Boston to debate the validity of the recent revival – they publish a list of “errors and disorders” & denied that a true revival has occurred. July 1743 – a Counter Convention is called to affirm revival Old Lights vs. New Lights Why this dissension & split?

  16. “Old Lights” who were anti-revival, alienated by the “New Light” criticism. Held to acold, rational approach, to religion. With the new “Age of Reason”, they rejectedCalvinism & particularly the doctrine of total depravity & God’s sovereign role insalvation. They opposed the supernaturalism, the emotionalism and the radicalismof the revival. 1. They were offended by the “new” type of preaching. 2. They opposed experimental religion. 3. The Great Awakening brought a revived orthodoxy into collision with ideas which had been slowly replacing it. 4. There was a great dislike to the historic Calvinism which was gaining strength thru the Great Awakening. “Old Light” reaction was so strong against the revivals that by mid centurythe Congregational churches were no longer a potent influence in New Eng.

  17. “New Lights” were pro-revival and had sharp words for those opposing the Great Awakening. Tennent – “The body of the clergy were as great strangers to the feeling experienceof the new birth as Nicodemus who talked like a fool about it. Isn’t this the reasonwhy a work of conviction and conversion has been so rarely heard of, for a longtime, in the churches, till of late, viz. That the bulk of her spiritual guides werestone-blind and stoned-dead.” He also stated that all were Pharisees, hypocrites, carnal unregenerate wretches,both ministers and people, who do not think just as I do, particularly as to the Doctrines of Calvinism. Whitfield said that, “Many, nay most that preach (in Conn & Mass) I fear, donot experimentally know Christ, yet I cannot see much worldly advantage to tempt them to take up the sacred function.”

  18. Edwards believed that the revival did not continue because friends of the revivalbegan to focus on carnal ‘enthusiasm’ and God was grieved. Zeal became too fervent – visions, revelations, and strong impressions. Sudden physical collapses, outcries, and swoonings. To many noise,excitement and spiritual power were all one. Radicals – James Davenport who preached long, unprepared, ranting discourses in which he attacked many leading ministers as being unconverted. Was able to capitalize on the emotions for popularity. 1746 – A Treatise Concerning the Religious Affections

  19. Jonathan Edwards: His Contributions Preacher Revivalist Missionary Theologian

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