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Jonathan Edwards: On Revival

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Jonathan Edwards stands as a giant in Christian literature and history. Particularly among the Reformed Christian camp, he is mentioned in the same breath as Calvin and Luther. Fortunately, he wrote often, and there are no translation barriers to make his works less accessible in English.

On Revival is a collection of three works: "A Narrative of Surprising Conversions," "The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God," and "An Account of the Revival of Religion in Northampton 1740-1742." The first and last are letters; the middle is a treatise or long sermon (if by long you accept 75 pages!).

Edwards systematically details the amazing movement of the Spirit of God in Boston and on the east coast, focusing particularly on the years 1732 and following (in "Narrative") and 1740-1742 (in the piece by the same name). In one sense, then, these are historical accounts, with Edwards serving as narrator, highlighting the movement of God among people he pastored and walked with daily.

More importantly, though, this is Edwards work on what revival meant to him, practically and especially theologically. He spends great time in "Marks" detailing not just what marks a revival, but what does not disqualify a revival from being true. In other words, he deals with diversities of how the Spirit of God moves; over-zealousness toward the lost; fear of hell; and errors in doctrine; and insists that all are not on their own enough to say, "Such-and-such is not really experiencing a revival."

These works are immensely helpful in, first, illuminating what revival looked like 300 years ago; and second, detailing the various workings of the Holy Spirit throughout history apart from the works recorded in Scripture during apostolic times. You get a sense of Edwards' being a continuist rather than a cessationist, at least to some degree; as well as his view on fear of hell being a useful device in moving a man or woman toward heaven.

The only drawback with this work is that, by the time you're finished, you're going to get some repetitive sections. 160 pages on revival, in three different works, can be at time a bit mono-themed. The repetition is good and profitable, and serves to reinforce Edwards points. However, there are definitely times when you'll need to focus to not drift over a paragraph or two that are substantially the same as you've already read.

There is a lot of talk these days about revival. It has been a buzzword through the 20th century churches and likely to remain so for a long time. But it has become so familiar that most have forgotten what it truly means. The 20th century "revivals" such as the so called "Toronto Blessing" have little in common with the revivals of the early 18th century described by Jonathan Edwards. Which makes it even more odd that so many of those 20th century revivalists claim the great theologian as their spiritual father. It can only mean that very few have actually read this masterful and detailed account of the marks of true revival. It is a classic, and like the old saw - a classic is a book that everybody talks about but few actually read. We should not make that mistake and presume to talk about revival. This work will challenge assumptions and be the key to a revival that truly revives and changes lives.

I'm sure readers don't have to be told what a powerful historical preacher Jonathan Edwards is among Christians. In this book, he writes about revival and Christian conversions. I found much of this writing insightful. Edwards highlights how God works among a community to bring about conversion and transformation in individuals' lives and in the behavior of a community as a whole. He emphasizes the work of God and not man; there is actually little written about the message and activities of the preacher(s) involved in the revivals.

Edwards discusses at length specific changes that occured in lives, the behavior associated with God's work, how to discern God's work v. man's initiatives and the apparent coming and going of God's power for revivals. The times may have changed but the hearts and nature of people are the same and God has not changed, so this is a helpful book for Christians seeking revival today.