Jonathan Edwards

An important new biography of America's founding religious father.
Jonathan Edwards was America's most influential evangelical, whose revivals of the 1730s became those against which all subsequent ones have been judged.
The marvelous accomplishment of Philip Gura's" Jonathan Edwards "is to place the rich intellectual landscape of America's most formidable evangelical within the upheaval of his times. Gura not only captures Edwards' brilliance but respectfully explains the enduring appeal of his theology: in a world of profound uncertainty, it held out hope of an authentic conversion---the quickening of the indwelling spirit of God in one's heart and the consequent certitude of Godly behavior and everlasting grace.
Tracing Jonathan Edwards' life from his birth in 1703 to his untimely death in 1758, Gura magnificently reasserts Edwards rightful claim as the father of America's evangelical tradition. Philip F. Gura is William S. Newman Distinguished Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he holds appointments in English, American Studies, and Religious Studies. Jonathan Edwards was America's most influential evangelical, whose revivals of the 1730s became those against which all subsequent ones have been judged.
The accomplishment of Philip F. Gura's "Jonathan Edwards" is to place the rich intellectual landscape of America's most formidable evangelical within the upheaval of his times. Gura not only captures Edwards's brilliance but also respectfully explains the enduring appeal of his theology: in a world of profound uncertainty, it held out hope of an authentic conversion--quickening of the indwelling spirit of God in one's heart and the consequent certitude of godly behavior and everlasting grace.
Tracing Jonathan Edwards's life from his birth in 1703 to his untimely death in 1758, Gura magnificently reasserts Edwards's rightful claim as the father of America's evangelical tradition. "Gura's study further broadens our view of the man, insightfully placing him in the context of the Connecticut River valley's powerful and learned network of Calvinist ministers."--Daniel Sullivan, "The Weekly Standard" "Philip F. Gura superbly explains Edwards' belief and how they relate to New England Colonial theology."--"Houston Chronicle"
"Gura offers a sharply honed biography of Edwards, sculpted down with a supreme discipline befitting its evangelical subject and yet fleshy enough to offer a full sense of Edwards and his times."--Leigh E. Schmidt, "Bookforum"
"Gura's capacity to thumbnail the world of the Connecticut River valley, the Yale 'apostacie' of 1722. the ecstasies of the awakened. The 'bad books' debacle, and the village politics of Stockbridge is a running delight."--Allen Guelzo, "Books & Culture "
"Gura does a fine job of sketching the problems Edwards faced 'on the ground' in the pre-Revolutionary War era--a period that is, for most people, unfamiliar beyond a handful of images involving Pocahontas, Thanksgiving, and witchcraft trials."--Scott McLemee, "Newsday"
"Superbly explains Edwards' beliefs and how they relate to New England colonial theology."--Bob Trimble, "The ""Dallas"" Morning News"
"Gura's study further broadens our view of the man, insightfully placing him in the context of the Connecticut River valley's powerful and learned network of Calvinist ministers. He also helpfully explains the conflicts between strictly orthodox Calvinists like Edwards, and more lenient Arminian thinkers around Boston. But more than anything else, Gura seeks to explain how the minister's conception of revival and conversion has made him such an iconic figure in American culture."--Daniel Sullivan, "The Weekly Standard"
"For readers skeptical of the resurgence of Protestant evangelism in parts of this country, there is much to be learned from Philip Gura's new biography, which argues that in order to understand the new Great Awakening, we must first study the old one."--Thomas Meaney, "Policy Review"
"An insightful overview of Edwards' life and contributions to American society. This biography identifies just what factors made Edwards such a prominent evangelist, and how modern Christian evangelistic movements developed directly from Edwards' work. This is a comparatively concise biography, compared to other works on Edwards--and one of the most readable that I've come across. Despite its brevity, Gura captures the essence of Edwards, while at the same time providing a detailed overview of his entire life from his birth in 1703 until his death in 1758. Comprehensive in nature, "Jonathan Edwards: America's Evangelical" not only details Edwards' successes, but also some of his shortcomings. Gura also examines the impact that Edwards had on the cultural landscape of America, his missionary work directed toward the indigenous Indian populations, and the impact of his tenure as president of Princeton University. This book provides insight not only into the life of an extraordinary man, but also into a period of American history when religious fervor and spirituality was at its zenith. "Jonathan Edwards: ""America""'s Evangelical" is a superb biography of one of America's leading religious philosophers. Gura's narrative style is brisk and passionate. This text is suited for both general audiences and academics."--Simone Bonim, "History in Review"
"Capturing the essence and the impact of a long dead, noted, but controversial man of God is a daunting task. In his astute biography, "Jonathan Edwards," distinguished author and professor Phillip P. Gura has succeeded brilliantly . . . Tracing Edwards' life from his birth in 1703 to his untimely death in 1758, Gura reasserts this theological firebrand's rightful designation as the father of America's evangelical tradition. He also portrays Edwards as an individual whose conceptions of man and the universe continue to challenge and enlighten 250