Details the impact of the critical-historical method on the thought and biblical interpretation of Jonathan Edwards

New England colonial pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) was well aware of the threat that Deist philosophy posed to the unity of the Bible as Christian Scriptures, yet remarkably, his own theology of the Bible has never before been examined.In the context of his entire corpus this study pays particular attention to the detailed notes Edwards left for "The Harmony of the Old and New Testament," a "great work" hitherto largely ignored by scholars. Following examination of his "Harmony" notes, a case study of salvation in the Old Testament challenges the current "dispositional" account of Edwards's soteriology and argues instead that the colonial Reformed theologian held there to be one object of saving faith in Old and New Testaments, namely, Christ.

The book you now hold in your hands contains nearly everything the great American puritan Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) ever wrote on the book of Romans. It is collated into a verse-by-verse Bible commentary. Pastors, theologians, historians, and Bible study leaders will find a treasure of biblical insight along with practical application, as one of the great theologians of the Christian church expounds the book that Martin Luther called the "most important piece in the New Testament." Jonathan Edwards' expository genius is clearly evident in both the depth of his biblical insight as well as his logic. Readers will be encouraged and edified as they delve deeply into the book of Romans with Jonathan Edwards by their side.

The Christ-centered exegesis of Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards is remembered for his sermons and works of theology and philosophy--but he has been overlooked as an exegete. Gilsun Ryu's The Federal Theology of Jonathan Edwards explores how exegesis drove Edwards's focus on the headship of Christ as second Adam--and likewise formed a foundation for his broader theological reasoning and writing, especially on Christ and the covenants. Edwards's distinctive emphases on exegesis, redemptive history, and the harmony of Scripture distinguish him from his Reformed forebears. Ryu's study will help readers appreciate Edwards's contribution as an exegetically informed Reformed theologian.

Scholars and laypersons alike regard Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) as North America's greatest theologian. The Theology of Jonathan Edwards is the most comprehensive survey of his theology yet produced and the first study to make full use of the recently-completed seventy-three-volume online edition of the Works of Jonathan Edwards. The book's forty-five chapters examine all major aspects of Edwards's thought and include in-depth discussions of the extensive secondary literature on Edwards as well as Edwards's own writings. Its opening chapters set out Edwards's historical and personal theological contexts. The next thirty chapters connect Edwards's theological loci in the temporally-ordered way in which he conceptualized the theological enterprise-beginning with the triune God in eternity with his angels to the history of redemption as an expression of God's inner reality ad extra, and then back to God in eschatological glory.The authors analyze such themes as aesthetics, metaphysics, typology, history of redemption, revival, and true virtue. They also take up such rarely-explored topics as Edwards's missiology, treatment of heaven and angels, sacramental thought, public theology, and views of non-Christian religions. Running throughout the volume are what the authors identify as five basic theological constituents: trinitarian communication, creaturely participation, necessitarian dispositionalism, divine priority, and harmonious constitutionalism. Later chapters trace his influence on and connections with later theologies and philosophies in America and Europe. The result is a multi-layered analysis that treats Edwards as a theologian for the twenty-first-century global Christian community, and a bridge between the Christian West and East, Protestantism and Catholicism, conservatism and liberalism, and charismatic and non-charismatic churches.

Furthermore, confessions and creeds serve to help assure that the doctrinal faith that we articulate today has not subtly changed over time, subject to the warping influence of secular society. Creeds stand as ancient landmarks denoting the "location" of believers' hearts in history. Noting where one deviates from an ancient creed gives a person a distinct idea about where his or her own theological convictions stand in relation to other believers throughout history. Perhaps this also helps us to discover what direction we are moving. Are we moving closer to Christ? To God's Word? To the heart of God Himself? Or are we moving further away? The confession that I will be recommending to you in this volume is the standard-bearing creed in the Presbyterian or Reformed branch of Christianity. Influenced heavily by the thinking of Reformation theologian John Calvin (1509-1564), the Westminster Confession (1647) is a confessional exemplar of Reformed theology.2 The Westminster Confession of Faith is the premiere example of theological intellectualism absorbed in the beauty of the sovereignty of God. The Westminster Confession, and Calvin before it for that matter, were both completely committed to the theological concept that God is sovereign over the entire universe. Therefore, as you study this Confession you will undoubtedly encounter the Living God as ruler of the cosmos, the world, the events of your life, and hopefully your heart.