Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703- March 22, 1758) was a preacher who greatly influenced the First Great Awakening. His most well-known sermon is "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," which includes descriptions of Hell that lead to many conversions.
He was puritan by religious orientation, and very concerned by theological metapyhsics. He went to Yale when he was young, and graduated as Valedictorian. When younger, he hated Calvinism, but as he grew older he learned to enjoy it. He got married to a fine woman named Sarah and produced eleven babies- these would later be called his "children."
He began hitting up the most popular revival sites, and was well known for his fiery speaking ability. However, he got in a bit of a squabble when he refused to serve communion to just anyone- he did not find this to be a sign of conversion but rather something just well-entrenched church members should do. He was eventually dismissed as pastor by the spiritual king-pins of the time.
This time off allowed him to write his major work, Freedom of the Will, in 1754, in Massachusetts. He was later elected to President of Princeton. He then died of fever, as was the custom of the time.
Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703- March 22, 1758) was a preacher who greatly influenced the First Great Awakening. His most well-known sermon is "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," which includes descriptions of Hell that lead to many conversions.
He was puritan by religious orientation, and very concerned by theological metapyhsics. He went to Yale when he was young, and graduated as Valedictorian. When younger, he hated Calvinism, but as he grew older he learned to enjoy it. He got married to a fine woman named Sarah and produced eleven babies- these would later be called his "children."
He began hitting up the most popular revival sites, and was well known for his fiery speaking ability. However, he got in a bit of a squabble when he refused to serve communion to just anyone- he did not find this to be a sign of conversion but rather something just well-entrenched church members should do. He was eventually dismissed as pastor by the spiritual king-pins of the time.
This time off allowed him to write his major work, Freedom of the Will, in 1754, in Massachusetts. He was later elected to President of Princeton. He then died of fever, as was the custom of the time.
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Portrait of Jonathan Edwards