Jonathan Edwards and Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

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Life: Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was widely acknowledged to be America's most important and original philosophical theologian, and one of America's greatest intellectuals. Edwards's theological work is broad in scope, but he was rooted in Reformed theology, the metaphysics of theological determinism, and the Puritan heritage. Born in Conneticut, son of a minister and Reverend Solomon Stoddard's (very influential in New England) daughter, followed their steps. First well-educated at home by his father and elder sisters, then entered Yale College at 13. He became acquainted with John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which influenced him profoundly as well as Newton's physics and Malebranche's moral philosophy among others. He studied the Orthodox Calvinism of his Puritan forebears and the more "liberal" movements that challenged it, such as Deism. He mostly wrote about natural philosophy and metaphysics. Very interested in science, theology (Christian doctrine) and nature, he saw the natural world as evidence of God's masterful design, and throughout his life, Edwards often went into the woods as a favorite place to pray and worship in the beauty and solace of nature. In 1724, after having grauated, he became one of the two tutors at Yale, earning for himself the name of a "pillar tutor" for his orthodox way of teaching and his loyalty. Though he had been a great seeker after salvation, during a last year experience at the uni he meditated that the idea for some to salvation and of others to eternal damnation, being delighted in the allegorical interpretation of the Song of Solomon. He married Sarah Pierpont, the head founder's Yale College daughter, whose spiritual relationship with God inspired Edward frequently. They had 12 children (Esther Edwards) 1729, Solomon died and left Edward the sole ministerial charge of one of the largest and

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