Since the seminal work of the American historian Perry Miller in the late 1940s, there has been a renewed interest in the life and work of the New England theologian, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). This has grown in the post-war period, and in the last twenty years it has become an academic cottage industry that has diversified in a number of important respects. Work on Edwards now spans a number of disciplines, including history, philosophy, theology, American literature and American Studies. He is recognised as a major thinker in the Early Enlightenment period, and as one of the pre-eminent thinkers in early American history. The American Lutheran theologian Robert W. Jenson even speaks of him as 'America's Theologian'. With the increasing interest in Edwards has gone an interest in teaching Edwards. The official Yale Jonathan Edwards Center website even has tips on how to teach a course on Edwards and outlines of what such a course might include.
This single volume overview of central issues in Edwards' thought is sensitive to both the theological and philosophical aspects of his thinking and will be a very valuable contribution to the literature. It will help teachers and provide a good way into the subject for graduate students too.
