In brief and insightful fashion, George Marsden presents a new narrative about Edward's life, thereby rescuing him from the high realms of history and revealing him more completely through his everyday life and interactions.
A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards
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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
The author of the magisterial Jonathan Edwards (2003) has written an entirely new book for Eerdmans’ Library of Religious Biography. It’s a work of grace, lit by affection for the great clergyman and understanding of his place and time: prerevolutionary New England, considering itself more British than colonial, still an ecclesiastical regime, in which a parson held as much or more authority than any secular officeholder. A scion of ministers, Edwards was upper crust, yet he became the chief apologist of the Great Awakening, which challenged local pastors and encouraged democracy among church members. Astonishingly busy and productive, he had 11 children, wrote voluminously, directed missions to the Indians, and faithfully attended church conventicles. A rigorous Calvinist and a keen student of nature, he believed in a personal God whose love required reciprocal love from the believer, not least because of the glorious gift of Creation. Marsen calls him “a towering figure . . . of the first American revolution, the spiritual revolution of the awakening.” Reading his lovely précis of Edwards is believing that assessment. --Ray Olson
From AudioFile
Marsden's biography of Jonathan Edwards (most famous for the sermon "Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God") is not intended as an abridgment of his lengthier JONATHAN EDWARDS: A LIFE. Instead, it's meant to provide insight into Edwards's life and influence to a wider audience. Marsden places particular emphasis on the profound cultural and social shifts that were occurring during Edwards's life and how those shifts influenced his development as a man, scholar, and clergyman. Grover Gardner narrates with a crisp, businesslike attitude, which only works part of the time. He moves along swiftly, the prose buoying him up with clever anecdotes of Edwards's life. But at times Gardner sounds like he's simply reading the text, rather than narrating, a choice that sometimes makes Marsden's insightful, sensitive biography sound like a brittle history textbook. A.A. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Five years after publishing his definitive biography on Jonathan Edwards, Jonathan Edwards: A Life, George Marsden is back with a shorter volume on Edwards's life, aptly titled A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards. However, this is not simply an abridgment of the larger work. Rather, Marsden has constructed a new narrative in hopes of making the study of Edwards attractive to "church study groups and to students in college courses in American history or American religious history" (x). The result is a wonderful, engaging introduction to the life and work of Jonathan Edwards.
The majority of the new material in this volume is found through the juxtaposition of Edwards's life with the life of Benjamin Franklin, in which Franklin serves as a sort of contemporary foil to Edwards. He forsook the religion of his Puritan forebears, viewed the pursuit and accumulation of wealth as the primary goal of human life, and was thoroughly entrenched in Enlightenment science and thought. Edwards, on the other hand, fervently defended the old religion, saw the glorification of God as man's highest and chief end, and was also abreast and interested in the new thinking and ideologies that were making their way to the American colonies. Unlike Franklin, however, Edwards does not elevate the Enlightenment emphasis on human reason to preeminent status. Instead, he uses reason and scientific method to confirm what God teaches through Scripture and in nature.
With the details and minutiae of Edwards's life and thought left to his larger work, Marsden here sweeps through the grand drama of his subject's life, painting Edwards as a man who tirelessly held on to the old Puritan religion he inherited, despite new ideas and trends in religion coming over from Britain and the European continent. Edwards's resolve would inevitably lead to strife with his extended family, other clergy, and his own congregation, although he would experience times of great joy and sweetness as in the awakenings of 1734-35 and 1740-42, and in seeing the piety and devotion of his wife and eleven children.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this shorter biography, other than the parallels between Franklin and Edwards, is the way in which Marsden uses events in Edwards's life to talk about the larger social and cultural issues of eighteenth century New England. These issues are certainly addressed at great length in the larger work, but here the rise of American individualism, relationships with Native Americans, the issue of slavery, in addition to the various religious issues-these are all covered in a bite-sized, yet revealing manner. These then lead to the crescendo of the work, the ever-important "so what?" question.
The last chapter of the book, "What Should We Learn from Edwards?", well-worth the small price of the book on its own, explores both the American cultural significance of Edwards, as well as the the religious impact of Edwards's influence on later evangelicalism. Before the revolution of 1776, Marsden argues that Edwards was deeply involved in an earlier revolution that would shape the future of American Christianity, a revolution we are still seeing the effects of today. Marsden concludes this work by examining the lasting theological insights that Edwards pursued and which are shared and treasured by a number of religious traditions today.
Jonathan Edwards was truly a remarkable figure in American history, and a figure that we would do well not to forget. Though a Puritan preacher from the pre-American republic days may seem distant and passé to us today, Marsden presents an Edwards that has much yet to say. Succeeding in the goal he had for this book, this volume is a wonderful jumping off point for those who have never read anything on Edwards, especially church groups and American history students. In addition, this book can serve as an excellent refresher and short reference volume for those who are involved in scholarly pursuits. Very highly recommended.
The majority of the new material in this volume is found through the juxtaposition of Edwards's life with the life of Benjamin Franklin, in which Franklin serves as a sort of contemporary foil to Edwards. He forsook the religion of his Puritan forebears, viewed the pursuit and accumulation of wealth as the primary goal of human life, and was thoroughly entrenched in Enlightenment science and thought. Edwards, on the other hand, fervently defended the old religion, saw the glorification of God as man's highest and chief end, and was also abreast and interested in the new thinking and ideologies that were making their way to the American colonies. Unlike Franklin, however, Edwards does not elevate the Enlightenment emphasis on human reason to preeminent status. Instead, he uses reason and scientific method to confirm what God teaches through Scripture and in nature.
With the details and minutiae of Edwards's life and thought left to his larger work, Marsden here sweeps through the grand drama of his subject's life, painting Edwards as a man who tirelessly held on to the old Puritan religion he inherited, despite new ideas and trends in religion coming over from Britain and the European continent. Edwards's resolve would inevitably lead to strife with his extended family, other clergy, and his own congregation, although he would experience times of great joy and sweetness as in the awakenings of 1734-35 and 1740-42, and in seeing the piety and devotion of his wife and eleven children.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this shorter biography, other than the parallels between Franklin and Edwards, is the way in which Marsden uses events in Edwards's life to talk about the larger social and cultural issues of eighteenth century New England. These issues are certainly addressed at great length in the larger work, but here the rise of American individualism, relationships with Native Americans, the issue of slavery, in addition to the various religious issues-these are all covered in a bite-sized, yet revealing manner. These then lead to the crescendo of the work, the ever-important "so what?" question.
The last chapter of the book, "What Should We Learn from Edwards?", well-worth the small price of the book on its own, explores both the American cultural significance of Edwards, as well as the the religious impact of Edwards's influence on later evangelicalism. Before the revolution of 1776, Marsden argues that Edwards was deeply involved in an earlier revolution that would shape the future of American Christianity, a revolution we are still seeing the effects of today. Marsden concludes this work by examining the lasting theological insights that Edwards pursued and which are shared and treasured by a number of religious traditions today.
Jonathan Edwards was truly a remarkable figure in American history, and a figure that we would do well not to forget. Though a Puritan preacher from the pre-American republic days may seem distant and passé to us today, Marsden presents an Edwards that has much yet to say. Succeeding in the goal he had for this book, this volume is a wonderful jumping off point for those who have never read anything on Edwards, especially church groups and American history students. In addition, this book can serve as an excellent refresher and short reference volume for those who are involved in scholarly pursuits. Very highly recommended.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This work by eminent scholar George Marsden is not an abridged version of his larger biography of Edwards but is a new work intended to provide access to Edwards' story for everyone. Marsden does a masterful job of showing how Edwards' life flowed into the larger story of America. The often forgotten truth that this nation was founded not only in the midst of Revolution but also Revivalism helps us see how America can be simultaneously so religious and materialistic. The final chapter of the book, where Marsden uncovers the significance of Edwards today, is well worth the price of the whole book. Marsden's premise that Edwards is the Jefferson of America's religious awakening and Whitefield its Washington is compelling. Edwards' impact on our culture continues today in the movement of Reformed evangelicalism characterized by humble God-centeredness and intellectual rigor. 5 Stars without a doubt.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ask those who love biography and ask those who admire Jonathan Edwards and you will find the jury split on which biography best tells the life of Edwards. Some will vote for Iain Murray's Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography while others will opt for George Marsden's Jonathan Edwards: A Life. Most will say, rightly, that you cannot go wrong with either one; both are excellent and both are well worth reading.
Several years after the publication of his full-length, award winning book, Marsden has written A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards. He explains the book's existence in this way: "Prior to being asked to write that major biography, I had already told my friends at Eerdmans that some day I would write a life of Edwards for them. So with the cooperation of both publishers, I agreed that after I wrote the more definitive biography for Yale, I would write something shorter for Eerdmans. The happy outcome is that, having already published a much longer, closely documented work, this book could be kept brief without any scholarly apparatus." Thus this book, written for a wider audience, comes unencumbered by footnotes, citations and references. It is not an abridgment of the previous work but is "a fresh retelling in which I have tried to include just what is most essential and most engaging." Throughout, Marsden compares Edwards with none other than Benjamin Franklin. And, indeed, their lives do run in near parallel for some time. Though there are obvious differences between the two, there are also remarkable similarities.
I suppose it may be polite to offer a "spoiler alert" here, but I'm assuming most people know that Edwards is going to die at the end of the biography. That is, after all, the way most biographies end. In a section headed with "An Interrupted Life," Marsden offers a beautifully-written look at Edwards' final days and the almost inexplicable fact that God took him while he still had so much to accomplish. "In Princeton Edwards moved in with Esther and his two young grandchildren, Sally and Aaron Jr., in the attractive president's home (still standing near the original Nassau Hall in Princeton's campus). He preached a few times in the college chapel, set a few lessons for students, and was officially installed as president in mid-February. That was all." That was all, for smallpox was spreading through the region and Edwards made the fateful decision to be inoculated against it. He subsequently contracted a secondary infection and succumbed to the disease in March of 1758. He was just fifty-four years old. Marsden writes "Almost all his life he had been preparing for this moment. He had often preached to others about how they should be ready for death and righteous judgment at any minute, and he had disciplined himself with a regimen of devotion so that he would be prepared. In the weeks when he was wasting away he must have wondered why God would take him when he had so much to do. But submission to the mysteries of God's love beyond human understanding was at the heart of his theology."
As he reflects on the life of his hero, Marsden pauses to ask some interesting "what if" questions regarding the timing of Edwards' death. What if he had lived long enough to see the American Revolution? What if he had, as Franklin did, lived all the way to 1790? Would he have let go of his British loyalties and sided with the revolutionaries? Probably he would have. Would the growing understanding of America's enslavement to the king open Edwards' eyes to the evils of slavery? Had Edwards lived to the days of the Revolution, would he be remembered more widely? Might he have scrawled his signature the Declaration of Independence?
The book's final chapter is a masterpiece of reflection, asking simply "What should we learn from Edwards?" Here Marsden lays out some of the most important lessons from the life of this great theologian, a towering figure in early American history.
While A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards is in no way a replacement for Marsden's more substantial biography, it is a wonderful supplement to it (or to Murray's volume if you prefer). Though there is obvious and unavoidable overlap between the books, each has different emphases and each has its own strengths. I'd suggest that the best way to reconcile these is to read and enjoy both volumes. This little biography is a must-have addition to any library.
Several years after the publication of his full-length, award winning book, Marsden has written A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards. He explains the book's existence in this way: "Prior to being asked to write that major biography, I had already told my friends at Eerdmans that some day I would write a life of Edwards for them. So with the cooperation of both publishers, I agreed that after I wrote the more definitive biography for Yale, I would write something shorter for Eerdmans. The happy outcome is that, having already published a much longer, closely documented work, this book could be kept brief without any scholarly apparatus." Thus this book, written for a wider audience, comes unencumbered by footnotes, citations and references. It is not an abridgment of the previous work but is "a fresh retelling in which I have tried to include just what is most essential and most engaging." Throughout, Marsden compares Edwards with none other than Benjamin Franklin. And, indeed, their lives do run in near parallel for some time. Though there are obvious differences between the two, there are also remarkable similarities.
I suppose it may be polite to offer a "spoiler alert" here, but I'm assuming most people know that Edwards is going to die at the end of the biography. That is, after all, the way most biographies end. In a section headed with "An Interrupted Life," Marsden offers a beautifully-written look at Edwards' final days and the almost inexplicable fact that God took him while he still had so much to accomplish. "In Princeton Edwards moved in with Esther and his two young grandchildren, Sally and Aaron Jr., in the attractive president's home (still standing near the original Nassau Hall in Princeton's campus). He preached a few times in the college chapel, set a few lessons for students, and was officially installed as president in mid-February. That was all." That was all, for smallpox was spreading through the region and Edwards made the fateful decision to be inoculated against it. He subsequently contracted a secondary infection and succumbed to the disease in March of 1758. He was just fifty-four years old. Marsden writes "Almost all his life he had been preparing for this moment. He had often preached to others about how they should be ready for death and righteous judgment at any minute, and he had disciplined himself with a regimen of devotion so that he would be prepared. In the weeks when he was wasting away he must have wondered why God would take him when he had so much to do. But submission to the mysteries of God's love beyond human understanding was at the heart of his theology."
As he reflects on the life of his hero, Marsden pauses to ask some interesting "what if" questions regarding the timing of Edwards' death. What if he had lived long enough to see the American Revolution? What if he had, as Franklin did, lived all the way to 1790? Would he have let go of his British loyalties and sided with the revolutionaries? Probably he would have. Would the growing understanding of America's enslavement to the king open Edwards' eyes to the evils of slavery? Had Edwards lived to the days of the Revolution, would he be remembered more widely? Might he have scrawled his signature the Declaration of Independence?
The book's final chapter is a masterpiece of reflection, asking simply "What should we learn from Edwards?" Here Marsden lays out some of the most important lessons from the life of this great theologian, a towering figure in early American history.
While A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards is in no way a replacement for Marsden's more substantial biography, it is a wonderful supplement to it (or to Murray's volume if you prefer). Though there is obvious and unavoidable overlap between the books, each has different emphases and each has its own strengths. I'd suggest that the best way to reconcile these is to read and enjoy both volumes. This little biography is a must-have addition to any library.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great starting point to know Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards was one of the most engaging and influencial spiritual and intellectual leaders of the 18th Century. A man we would all benefit from reading. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Allan
4.0 out of 5 stars
I'm the Head of a School Named for JE, And I Say....
Whattaguy.
Marsden's shorter work does good justice to the larger work. JE is as applicable to America today as before.
Marsden's shorter work does good justice to the larger work. JE is as applicable to America today as before.
Published 3 months ago by Ryan Boomershine
3.0 out of 5 stars
Okay
This was an okay read. Marsden does a good job of getting the setting down for Edwards which I think can be the biggest pitfall when presenting a not in full biography as Marsden... Read more
Published 7 months ago by agentx216
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and Well written
A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards by George M. Marsden as reviewed by Paul Simpson. Mr. Marsden does give a concise account of Jonathan Edwards in eight simple chapters. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Paul Simpson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Profoundly Moved
A couple of preliminary thoughts. I first heard about Jonathan Edwards (JE) as a college freshman when someone referred to his famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry... Read more
Published on June 22, 2010 by William Varner
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Introduction to Edwards
A great intro to Jonathan Edwards, his life, work, ministry and writings. Marsden has a fuller biography of Edwards (Johnathan Edwards - A Life; 640 pages) but tghlyhis at 152... Read more
Published on February 17, 2010 by A. Morgan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Informative and interesting
This book gives good insight into the life and theology of
pre-revelutionary minister Jonathan Edwards.
pre-revelutionary minister Jonathan Edwards.
Published on October 23, 2009 by Muriel Rex
5.0 out of 5 stars
Makes Me Want to Read More
I've had George Marsden's 640-page biography of Jonathan Edwards on my shelf for a long time, but it is a little intimidating. Read more
Published on May 15, 2009 by Darryl Dash
4.0 out of 5 stars
Short and Sweet
Enjoyable to read, as well as informational. Not as long as Madson's other book on Edwards which is nice. Read more
Published on February 4, 2009 by A. S. Green
4.0 out of 5 stars
the premier puritan divine
Those Americans who have heard of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) often remember him for his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Read more
Published on February 3, 2009 by Daniel B. Clendenin
