Book Review - Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography (18/6)

Jonathan Edwards is often considered as the greatest (if not one of the greatest) theologian in the history of the American Church. But how much do you know about him? His family? And the context he lives in?

In comes, Iain Murray’s ‘Jonathan Edwards - A New Biography’. Murray first explains his own presuppositions about Edwards and on the biography he has written. Murray then traced the life of Jonathan Edwards chronologically, starting from the first generation of Edwards who came to New England, till the death of Edwards, and also some of his family members.

Along the way, the family members of Jonathan Edwards, was given ample space to let the reader know not just about Edwards, but also about he family that he had, especially his wife and his 2 daughters, Jerusha and Esther.

Murray has done a thorough job by quoting many times, from primary sources, and help any reader see the context that Edwards was in. Not only so, Murray often gives helpful insights and comments on the situation. Jonathan Edwards, warts and all was presented in this biography.

The last chapter talks about how Edwards has been “forgotten” in the past, and is now slowly reaching a wider readership in this generation. Hopefully this book will spur even more readers to read Edwards for themselves.

Although this is definitely not the book I would recommend as a first introduction of a biography to Jonathan Edwards, it deserves careful study, and any Edwards scholar or Edwards enthusiast cannot miss out on this volume, but the reader has to be warned, it’s over 470+ pages and is not for the faint-hearted or the uninitiated. I myself have also “given up” along the way and slowly continued till I was done with the book. Hopefully you’re gain from this book a much better understanding of Edwards, his family and his time.

Rating: 4/5

If you're interested, you can get it here, and here (free international shipping)