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Faith Beyond Feelings
In the wake of recent revival moments, Christians need Jonathan Edwards' classic Faith Beyond Feeling more than ever. Edwards, the central figure in New England's first Great Awakening, offers a detailed description of the signs—false and true—of revival, while highlighting the role balanced emotions play within the Christian life. An engaging introductory essay by Charles Colson details the impact of Faith Beyond Feeling on his own life and its implications for today's church.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2004
About the author
Jonathan Edwards
1,648 books537 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database named Jonathan Edwards.
Jonathan Edwards was the most eminent American philosopher-theologian of his time, and a key figure in what has come to be called the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s.
The only son in a family of eleven children, he entered Yale in September, 1716 when he was not yet thirteen and graduated four years later (1720) as valedictorian. He received his Masters three years later. As a youth, Edwards was unable to accept the Calvinist sovereignty of God. However, in 1721 he came to what he called a "delightful conviction" though meditation on 1 Timothy 1:17. From that point on, Edwards delighted in the sovereignty of God. Edwards later recognized this as his conversion to Christ.
In 1727 he was ordained minister at Northampton and assistant to his maternal grandfather, Solomon Stoddard. He was a student minister, not a visiting pastor, his rule being thirteen hours of study a day. In the same year, he married Sarah Pierpont, then age seventeen, daughter of Yale founder James Pierpont (1659–1714). In total, Jonathan and Sarah had eleven children.
Stoddard died on February 11th, 1729, leaving to his grandson the difficult task of the sole ministerial charge of one of the largest and wealthiest congregations in the colony. Throughout his time in Northampton his preaching brought remarkable religious revivals.
Yet, tensions flamed as Edwards would not continue his grandfather's practice of open communion. Stoddard believed that communion was a "converting ordinance." Surrounding congregations had been convinced of this, and as Edwards became more convinced that this was harmful, his public disagreement with the idea caused his dismissal in 1750.
Edwards then moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, then a frontier settlement, where he ministered to a small congregation and served as missionary to the Housatonic Indians. There, having more time for study and writing, he completed his celebrated work, The Freedom of the Will (1754).
Edwards was elected president of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in early 1758. He was a popular choice, for he had been a friend of the College since its inception. He died of fever at the age of fifty-four following experimental inoculation for smallpox and was buried in the President's Lot in the Princeton cemetery beside his son-in-law, Aaron Burr.
Jonathan Edwards was the most eminent American philosopher-theologian of his time, and a key figure in what has come to be called the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s.
The only son in a family of eleven children, he entered Yale in September, 1716 when he was not yet thirteen and graduated four years later (1720) as valedictorian. He received his Masters three years later. As a youth, Edwards was unable to accept the Calvinist sovereignty of God. However, in 1721 he came to what he called a "delightful conviction" though meditation on 1 Timothy 1:17. From that point on, Edwards delighted in the sovereignty of God. Edwards later recognized this as his conversion to Christ.
In 1727 he was ordained minister at Northampton and assistant to his maternal grandfather, Solomon Stoddard. He was a student minister, not a visiting pastor, his rule being thirteen hours of study a day. In the same year, he married Sarah Pierpont, then age seventeen, daughter of Yale founder James Pierpont (1659–1714). In total, Jonathan and Sarah had eleven children.
Stoddard died on February 11th, 1729, leaving to his grandson the difficult task of the sole ministerial charge of one of the largest and wealthiest congregations in the colony. Throughout his time in Northampton his preaching brought remarkable religious revivals.
Yet, tensions flamed as Edwards would not continue his grandfather's practice of open communion. Stoddard believed that communion was a "converting ordinance." Surrounding congregations had been convinced of this, and as Edwards became more convinced that this was harmful, his public disagreement with the idea caused his dismissal in 1750.
Edwards then moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, then a frontier settlement, where he ministered to a small congregation and served as missionary to the Housatonic Indians. There, having more time for study and writing, he completed his celebrated work, The Freedom of the Will (1754).
Edwards was elected president of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in early 1758. He was a popular choice, for he had been a friend of the College since its inception. He died of fever at the age of fifty-four following experimental inoculation for smallpox and was buried in the President's Lot in the Princeton cemetery beside his son-in-law, Aaron Burr.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 9, 2015
I've read reviews about Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards, and this is the abridged version called "Faith Beyond Feelings". I bit off more than I expected to chew as this is no simple book. Edwards goes the long way in explaining things (he was from a time where he had the leisure of hours on study and though, versus our instant world of today).
The depth he goes into helps you learn and think about the subject more. The book is divided into explaining what true religion is and thereafter, we dive into identifying "False Affections" & "True Affections".
The first chapter summarizes the whole book: "Obedience without religious feelings of affection is merely Pharisaical Religiousity, while religious feelings without obedience is Vain Sentimentaliity". This simple concept really hit me in the heart.
I've read reviews about Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards, and this is the abridged version called "Faith Beyond Feelings". I bit off more than I expected to chew as this is no simple book. Edwards goes the long way in explaining things (he was from a time where he had the leisure of hours on study and though, versus our instant world of today).
The depth he goes into helps you learn and think about the subject more. The book is divided into explaining what true religion is and thereafter, we dive into identifying "False Affections" & "True Affections".
The first chapter summarizes the whole book: "Obedience without religious feelings of affection is merely Pharisaical Religiousity, while religious feelings without obedience is Vain Sentimentaliity". This simple concept really hit me in the heart.
The following chapters addressed all my ifs & buts about having religious affections. Edwards clarifies that if you are not motivated by the excellency of God Himself, you are in danger of loving yourself. I loved reading through his reasoning of why and how we can love God for HIMSELF alone, not because it is right, but because of HIS instrinsic value.
Should you read this book? I can't recommend it to EVERYONE to read because of it's style, but if you're the type of person who has many questions about faith & feelings, this book is for you.
The depth he goes into helps you learn and think about the subject more. The book is divided into explaining what true religion is and thereafter, we dive into identifying "False Affections" & "True Affections".
The first chapter summarizes the whole book: "Obedience without religious feelings of affection is merely Pharisaical Religiousity, while religious feelings without obedience is Vain Sentimentaliity". This simple concept really hit me in the heart.
I've read reviews about Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards, and this is the abridged version called "Faith Beyond Feelings". I bit off more than I expected to chew as this is no simple book. Edwards goes the long way in explaining things (he was from a time where he had the leisure of hours on study and though, versus our instant world of today).
The depth he goes into helps you learn and think about the subject more. The book is divided into explaining what true religion is and thereafter, we dive into identifying "False Affections" & "True Affections".
The first chapter summarizes the whole book: "Obedience without religious feelings of affection is merely Pharisaical Religiousity, while religious feelings without obedience is Vain Sentimentaliity". This simple concept really hit me in the heart.
The following chapters addressed all my ifs & buts about having religious affections. Edwards clarifies that if you are not motivated by the excellency of God Himself, you are in danger of loving yourself. I loved reading through his reasoning of why and how we can love God for HIMSELF alone, not because it is right, but because of HIS instrinsic value.
Should you read this book? I can't recommend it to EVERYONE to read because of it's style, but if you're the type of person who has many questions about faith & feelings, this book is for you.
June 4, 2015
I hesitate to comment on anything written by Jonathan Edwards-even an abridged version.
I will say this book, on rereading led me to some deep soul searching.
So I do recommend it.
I will say this book, on rereading led me to some deep soul searching.
So I do recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews