Jonathan Edwards and Scripture: Biblical Exegesis in British North America

by David P. Barshinger (Editor), Douglas A. Sweeney (Editor)

Overview

For too long, scholars have published new research on Edwards without paying due attention to the work he took most seriously: biblical exegesis. Edwards is recognized as an innovative theologian who wielded tremendous influence on revivalism, evangelicalism, and New England theology. What is often missed is how much time he devoted to studying and understanding the Bible. He kept voluminous notebooks on Scripture and died with unrealized plans for major treatises on the Bible. More and more experts now recognize the importance of this aspect of his life; this book brings together the insights of leading Edwards scholars on this topic. The essays in Jonathan Edwards and Scripture set Edwards' engagement with Scripture in the context of seventeenth-century Protestant exegesis and eighteenth-century colonial interpretation. They provide case studies of Edwards' exegesis in varying genres of the Bible and probe his use of Scripture to develop theology. The authors also set his biblical interpretation in perspective by comparing it with that of other exegetes. This book advances our understanding of the nature and significance of Edwards' work with Scripture and opens new lines of inquiry for students of early modern Western history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190879501
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/02/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Douglas A. Sweeney is Distinguished Professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought and Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has published widely on Edwards, early modern Protestant thought, and the history of evangelicalism. David P. Barshinger is the author of Jonathan Edwards and the Psalms (Oxford University Press, 2014). He has taught at Trinity International University, Wheaton College, and Trinity Christian College. He currently serves as an editor in the book division at Crossway.

Table of Contents

Introduction David P. Barshinger 1 - Jonathan Edwards' Scriptural Practices Kenneth P. Minkema 2 - Jonathan Edwards' Principles of Interpreting Scripture Stephen R. C. Nichols 3 - Early Modern Biblical Commentary and Jonathan Edwards Adriaan C. Neele 4 - Language of the Heart: The Bible in Jonathan Edwards' Personal Life and Spiritual Practice Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe 5 - Spiritual Meaning and Experimental Piety in the Exegesis of Cotton Mather and Jonathan Edwards Jan Stievermann and Ryan P. Hoselton 6 - Jacob Wrestling with “a Man”: Jonathan Edwards and Contemporaries on Genesis 32:22-32 Mark A. Noll 7 - Jonathan Edwards' French Connection: The Pentateuch and the Practices of Public History Robert E. Brown 8 - A Fish Tale: Jonathan Edwards and Cotton Mather on Jonah's Whale Ava Chamberlain 9 - "Of His Fullness Have All We Received": Johannine Themes in Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Scripture Michael J. McClymond 10 - Jonathan Edwards' Reflections on the Virgin Mary Stephen J. Stein 11 - Jonathan Edwards, War, and the Bible James P. Byrd 12 - Jonathan Edwards, the Bible, and Conversion David W. Kling 13 - Was Jonathan Edwards an Evangelical? Scripture and Tradition in America's Theologian Gerald R. McDermott Conclusion Douglas A. Sweeney General Index Scripture Index

Editorial Reviews

"Barshinger and Sweeney have offered a fine volume for all readers of Edwards. The editors and authors have contributed greatly to long neglected areas of Edwards scholarship and have continued show how Edwards's commitment to the Reformed tradition did not limit his brilliance or creativity. The wide scope of themes and subjects demonstrate the many avenues of Edwards scholarship that have yet to be discovered." — John T. Lowe, Journal of Reformed Theology

"Jonathan Edwards & Scripture is dedicated to fostering a deeper, nuanced understanding of the meaningful biblicism undergirding Edwards's thought." — Tucker Adkins, Florida State University, The New England Quarterly

"This collection can be appreciated not only by scholars but also by educated laymen with dedicated interest in historical theology. Prose and themes are straightforward. Chapters are well organized and conclusions are often clearly identified." — Glenn A. Moots, Religious Studies Review

"Overall this is an excellent volume that will be of benefit to anyone interested in not only Jonathan Edwards but also the history of modern biblical interpretation...or even the intellectual history of the United States. The essays are all very well written and easy to read. They are informative, written by leading specialists on Edwards and Protestant biblical interpretation and church history, but are readily accessible for nonspecialists. This is a book that any intellectually interested reader would benefit from reading." — Jeffrey L. Morrow, Seton Hall Univeristy, Review of Biblical Literature

"this book...remains an interesting reflection on the life and personality of a serious and devoted biblical scholar who lived in times perhaps even more turbulent than our own." — David J. Clark, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

"This is an excellent book... a very useful book that is worth reading" — Rev E T Kirkland, English Churchman

"These essays will engender further critical engagement by scholars preoccupied by Jonathan Edwards. Furthermore, by acquainting readers with ongoing projects, like Cotton Mather's Biblia America, this study alerts readers to the value of exploring Edwards's and Mather's Atlantic World frontier. Pastors and interested lay-readership will find comfort and encouragement from Edwards's traditional yet innovative interpretive work; Edwards preserved his Reformed heritage, while creatively protecting sound doctrine from sceptics' and liberals' assault upon the church." — Joseph T. Cochran , Themelios

"I am delighted to recommend this volume, which is brimming with fresh insights on Jonathan Edwards's views of the Bible. The editors have assembled a remarkable cast of scholars to grapple with the legacy of the most formidable expositor of the Christian Scriptures in America's history."—Thomas S. Kidd, Distinguished Professor of History, Baylor University

From the Publisher