Philip J. Fisk offers a critical reappraisal of Jonathan Edwards's Freedom of Will, interpreting Edwards from within his own tradition, Reformed Orthodoxy (±1550-1750), avoiding the outdated paradigms of the conventional interpretation of Edwards and his tradition, a so-called deterministic, reconciliationist Calvinism, and demonstrating from primary sources, such as Harvard and Yale commencement theses and quaestiones, that Edwards departed ways with Reformed Orthodoxy's robust and highly nuanced view of freedom of will, contingency, and necessity.

Philip J. Fisk offers a critical reappraisal of Jonathan Edwards’s Freedom of Will, interpreting Edwards from within his own tradition, Reformed Orthodoxy (±1550-1750), avoiding the outdated paradigms of the conventional interpretation of Edwards and his tradition, a so-called deterministic, reconciliationist Calvinism, and demonstrating from primary sources, such as Harvard and Yale commencement theses and quaestiones, that Edwards departed ways with Reformed Orthodoxy’s robust and highly nuanced view of freedom of will, contingency, and necessity.

Jonathan Edwards's 'The Freedom of the Will' (Vol. 1-4) is a comprehensive examination of the philosophical and theological concept of free will. Written in a dense and scholarly style, Edwards delves into the intricate debates on predestination, determinism, and human autonomy. His work is heavily influenced by Calvinist theology, which emphasizes God's sovereignty and human depravity, leading to a complex exploration of the tension between divine control and human choice. The meticulous arguments and careful analysis demonstrate Edwards's intellectual depth and theological acumen. The literary context of Edwards's work reflects the Enlightenment period's engagement with reason and religious inquiry, making 'The Freedom of the Will' a significant contribution to American philosophical thought. Furthermore, Edwards's rigorous writing style and logical reasoning set him apart as a key figure in early American intellectual history. Readers interested in theological debates, philosophical inquiries, and early American literature will find 'The Freedom of the Will' a rewarding and intellectually stimulating read.

Is God sovereign over our "free will"? If God is sovereign over the human will, are we responsible? What is the nature of morality? What constitutes sin? "In this timeless classic, Jonathan Edwards gives biblical answers to various profound questions regarding the sovereignty of God, free will, God's foreknowledge, determinism, moral agency, desire, choice, good, and evil. In a totally engaging and uplifting way, he carefully shows that man is indeed free, but that God is still sovereign and still solely responsible for man's salvation. And that God's act of regeneration is the basis for repentance and conversion, the human actions. He argues that free will is an extension of and connected to the grace of God. "Freedom of the Will" is relevant to every Christian, because it is a good tool for learning of the greatness of Christ's grace, in overcoming our minds and hearts and loving us to the uttermost. This should be in the library of every Christian family. "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy"- Romans 9:16

In Before Jonathan Edwards, Adriaan Neele seeks to balance the recent academic attention to the developments of intellectual history after Jonathan Edwards. Neele presents the first comprehensive study of Edwards's use of Reformed orthodox and Protestant scholastic primary sources in the context of the challenges of orthodoxy in his day. Despite the breadth of Edwards scholarship, his use of primary sources has been little analyzed. Yet, as Neele proves, Edwards's thinking on the importance of these primary sources has significant implications not only for the status of the New England theology of pre-Revolutionary America but also for our understanding of Edwards today. This volume locates Edwards's ideas in the context of the theological and philosophical currents of his day, as well as in the pre-modern exchange of books and information during the colonial period. The pre-Revolutionary status of theology and philosophy in the wake of the Enlightenment had many of the same problems we see in our theological education today with respect to the use and appropriation of classical theology in a 21st-century context. Ideas about the necessity of classical primary sources of Christianity in sustaining our theological education are once again becoming important, and Edwards offers many relevant insights. Edwards was not unique in his deployment of these primary sources; many New England pastors, including Cotton Mather (1663-1728), preached and wrote about the necessity of orthodox theology. Edwards's distinction came in his thinking about the issues set forth in these sources at a transitional moment in the history of Christian thought.

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.

"Considered Edwards' finest work, the treatise is a monument of American philosophy," noted Christian History magazine (Vol. 4, No. 4, p.19). They continue, "In this treatise Edwards painstakingly shows that man is indeed free... but that God is still sovereign and still solely responsible for man's salvation. Edwards tries to show that a sinner and humans, in the Calvinist tradition, come into the world under the curse of Adam would never by himself choose to glorify God unless God himself changed that person's character. Regeneration, God's act, is the basis for repentance and conversion, the human actions." A detailed, careful, and strongly Calvinistic look at this important question. Edwards (1703-1758) is by far the best known American theologian. After graduating from and teaching at Yale University, he began a very fruitful ministry at Northampton, MA. The church was the scene of the explosive revival of 1734, 35, and burned fiercely for God under Edwards for several years. Edwards then went to pastor the lowly Indians. But at last he was called to be the first president of Princeton University, where he served only 5 weeks, dying of smallpox.