The Banner of Truth Trust published Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography by Iain H. Murray in 1987. It has been reprinted six times! This is for good reason. This biography, as with other biographies written by Murray, is absolutely phenomenal!
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Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography by Iain H. Murray
There is not a shortage of writings on Edwards and his theology. However, this book is just different. The material itself is not necessarily different as it relates to the story of Edwards’ life. But how it is presented is indeed different from some of those that I’ve previously read (though I’ll admit that I have not read all biographies on Edwards).
Iain Murray writes this book as if he has known Edwards personally his entire life. The amount of information that Murray provides is breathtaking. How he accumulated this much information about one person is astounding! But furthermore, he writes as if Edwards had shared this information with him personally. This biography is known to be one that presents Edwards’ theology very faithfully and accurately, and this is probably due to his distinct approach:
Iain Murray believes that Edwards cannot be understood apart from his faith. Only when seen first and foremost as a Christian do his life and writings make sense. The integrity of this interpretation is confirmed in this study as Edwards is allowed on point after point to speak for himself.
The Introduction
Before diving into the material, Murray provides a very helpful introduction that deals with differing approaches on understanding Edwards. Though this becomes obvious as you read, it is very nice to receive that information up front (especially for those who are not very familiar with Edwards or other biographies on him).
The Appendices
Beyond the amazing material that Murray gives on Edwards’ life and teachings, he provides four appendices to accompany the 23 chapters. They are as follows:
- Edwards’ Published Writings
- The Edwards’ Manuscripts
- A Letter of Sarah Edwards, 1750
- An Anecdote on Whitefield and ‘The Witness of the Holy Spirit’
Not only is the material wonderful and wonderfully presented, but the book itself is beautiful. The hardcover book is nicely made with a great dust jacket that contains a picture of a mature Jonathan Edwards. There are also a handful of page-sized color photographs sprinkled throughout the book.
This book is a must read for those who desire to know more about the life and teachings of Jonathan Edwards. I cannot recommend this work highly enough!
Disclaimer: My thanks to The Banner of Truth Trust for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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