Edwards on the Christian Life: Alive to the Beauty of God

Edwards on the Christian Life by Dane C. Ortlund attempts to summarize the theology of Jonathan Edwards and pays special attention to his remarks on the Christian life. For Edwards, living the Christian life is about "enjoying and reflecting the beauty of God."The author successfully achieves his goal by directing readers to twelve questions which capture the essence of Edward's God-entranced worldview. Consequently, the following themes emerge:Beauty, new birth, love, joy, gentleness, the Bible, prayer, pilgrimage, obedience, Satan, the soul, and heaven.Each theme is surveyed from the perspective of Jonathan Edwards. Historical highlights are included in order to provide a much-needed perspective and many primary sources are cited. For the scores of people who believe that God's wrath is Edwards's controlling attribute, Ortlund provides a necessary corrective: "Not sovereignty, not wrath, not grace, not omniscience, not eternity, but beauty is what more than anything else defines God's very divinity. Edwards clearly believed in these other truths about God and saw all of them as upholding and displaying and connected to God's beauty. Yet none of them expresses who God is in the way that beauty does."Ortlund beautifully captures the theology of Edwards in this rather short volume. The work is accessible to a wide range of people but never at the expense of solid content. Of the multitude of secondary source books which explore the theology of Jonathan Edwards, Ortlund's work is among the best.Despite, the high praise offered above, I must take exception with one of Ortlund's statements which takes aim at Steven J. Lawson's book, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards. Ortlund charges Lawson of "succumbing to hagiography regarding Edwards." Clearly, Ortlund has missed the intent of the Long Line of Godly Men Series where pivotal figures in church history are introduced and commended as pillars of the Christian faith. Anyone familiar with Steven Lawson understands his chagrin with the postmillennialism and paedobaptism that emerge in the Northampton preacher. But the series is merely designed as an introduction to these pivotal figures, not a detailed exposition. Taken seriously, Ortlund's accusation should cast a dark shadow over every biographical account of figures in church history.Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Ortlund's book is his criticism which he directs toward Jonathan Edwards himself. The criticism here is rightly placed and balanced. His critique is timely and alerts students of Edwards to weaknesses in his theological infrastructure.Edwards on the Christian Life is a well written book which should provide ample discussion for anyone interested in America's greatest intellectual. The brief criticism noted above does not marginalize any of the rest of the book.Highly recommended5 stars

“To become a Christian is to become alive to beauty.” – This sentence serves as both the opening of the book and the core of what Jonathan Edwards contributes to the world’s understanding of theology. This book by Dane Ortlund’s is an excellent introduction to the central passion and teaching of perhaps the greatest American thinker and theologian.Edwards helped countless people in his day and beyond to behold the glory and beauty of God. Though, for most, wading into the sea of books and sermons by Edwards would be too much to begin with. In this book, you’ll get a quick glimpse of the framework of how the beauty of God shaped Edwards’ view and teaching on issues such as regeneration, justification, sanctification, prayer, the pilgrimage of the Christian life, spiritual warfare, the primacy of our souls, and our eternal hope of heaven with God.One thing I really appreciated from this book was the final chapter which addresses four Criticisms of Edwards and his teachings. Clearly Ortlund has a deep respect and love for Edwards, yet he is able to see some of the blind spots in Edwards life (which is not always the case for biographers). Perhaps most notably, how Edwards could learn from some in our current generation with their emphasis on the continued need for the gospel in the life of the believer.Finally, those familiar with John Piper, his works, and his theological emphasis, probably already know that he has learned much about the beauty of God from the works of Edwards. As you read this book, you’ll recognize many of the same choruses that Piper so often sings.

Dane Ortlund does a fantastic job of looking at all benefits a Christian today can get from knowing Jonathan Edwards. Seeing the beauty of God in Jesus Christ and knowing it and experiencing it is where Edwards will take you. The chapter on heaven was particularly revolutionary for me as well as prayer. Ortlund also does a great job of marking the aspects of Edwards theology that were not as they should be. Overall this is a sober biography that looks at the good and not so good of Jonathan Edwards.

Good, but not great. Enjoyed the theme of Edwards on the beauty of God. But, in some very important ways, Ortlund doesn't seem to be a very careful reader, and therefore, critic of Edwards at the points where he deserves (and sometimes doesn't deserve) to be critiqued.For example, when critiquing Edwards' so-called over-emphasis on introspection, he compares the teenage Edwards in his Resolutions and other early reflections to the mature David Brainerd, twenty years later. If anything, he should have compared the more mature Edwards to the mature David Brainerd on the subject to be critiqued. (To say that Edwards' belief on this or that subject (e.g., introspection) is this or that, you have to say which Edwards--the younger Edwards or the older, more mature Edwards.)In order to read, interpret, and critique Edwards rightly, fairly, and thoroughly, you have to do so along his chronology of life--and thus noticing how he has changed, matured, and developed (personally, spiritually, theologically, etc.). In other words, Edwards along with every other theologian, must be read, interpreted, and critiqued in context. This way of reading Edwards is largely missing from Ortlund's portrayal of Edwards on the Christian Life. This is really unfortunate.

Je mehr Bücher ich davon gelesen habe, desto überzeugter schreibe ich: Ich liebe diese Serie von Crossway. Jeweils ein reformierter Experte trägt die Sicht eines bekannten Theologen zum Leben aus christlicher Sicht zusammen. Dies wird jeweils in enger Abstimmung mit der jeweiligen Biografie getan. Die Autoren haben sich mit dem Gesamtwerk gründlich auseinandergesetzt und stehen in einer wohlwollend-kritischen Beziehung zum Protagonisten. Von der Länge her überschaubar (ca. 200 – 250 Seiten) wird darauf geachtet, den Portraitierten selbst möglichst oft zu Wort kommen zu lassen.Ich verfolge Dane Ortlund schon länger via seinen Blog. Er hat in Wheaton promoviert und arbeitet selbst beim Verlagshaus Crossway. Man merkt seiner Sprache und seinem Denken an, dass er zur jungen Autorengeneration gehört. Die Beispiele und Bezüge sind aktuell, die Sprache schnörkellos. Bei Ortlund fällt mir ausserdem seine Gabe zur didaktischen Vereinfachung auf. Angemessen zu vereinfachen ist eine Kunst. Man muss zuvor den Stoff überblicken und ihn verdichtet haben.„Schönheit ist das überragende und integrierende Thema in Edwards Schaffen.“ Mit dieser Massgabe zieht Ortlund los. “Das christliche Leben besteht darin, die Schönheit zu geniessen und widerzuspiegeln.” Alles, was Edwards zum christlichen Leben geschrieben habe, münde in diesen Strom ein. Die 13 Kapitel sind so schön angeordnet, dass es sich lohnt, sie kurz aufzuführen.Schönheit als organisierendes Thema von Edwards Theologie; neue Geburt – die Entzündung des christlichen Lebens; Liebe, seine Essenz; Freude, sein Kraftstoff; Freundlichkeit, sein Aroma; die Heilige Schrift, sein Schatz; Gebet, sein Gemeinschaft; Pilgerschaft, sein Geschmack; Gehorsam, seine Frucht; Satan, sein Feind; die Seele, sein grosses Anliegen; Himmel, seine Hoffnung. Jedes Kapitel ist in mehrere Unterkapitel aufgeteilt und wird knapp zusammengefasst.Nochmals ein kurzer Durchgang, hier in einigen erklärenden Sätzen: Sünder werden durch die Wiedergeburt verschönert, indem sie der Schönheit Gottes in Christus teilhaftig werden. Demütige Liebe ist das absolute Markenzeichen des neuen Lebens, Freundlichkeit die Disposition des Herzens. Darin eingeschlossen ist eine ruhige Kraft. Die Schrift wird verinnerlicht, wie es in Edwards Leben selbst zum Ausdruck kam: Seine Worte waren gefüllt mit den Aussagen der Bibel. Durch das Gebet wird die Schönheit Gottes erhoben. Das Bewusstsein ist mit dem Bewusstsein getränkt, sich in diesem Leben (noch) im Exil zu befinden. Gehorsam ist der Antrieb, welcher der Liebe entspringt, die Seele das Organ der Schönheit, auf das wir achtgeben.Besonders ansprechend fand ich das letzte, 13. Kapitel. Es ist ein behutsames Herantasten an Ungleichgewichte in Edwards Theologie. Er verfehlte wohl den Aspekt, dass die Erlösung wiederherstellend wirkt. Ebenso pflegte er eine zu negative Sicht des unerlösten und eine zu positive des erlösten Menschen. Ein ideales Korrektiv ist deshalb, wie Ortlund zu Recht anmerkt, der niederländische Theologe Herman Bavinck (1854-1921).Fazit: Ortlund hat - wie ich aus - ausgiebig C. S. Lewis gelesen. Darum: “Edwards nimmt uns mit durch den Wandschrank nach Narnia. Uns wird durch Edwards eine (neue) Brille gegeben; keine Sonnenbrille, die alles abdunkelt. Im Gegenteil: Linsen, die alles erhellen.“ Und: Edwards sprach viel mehr über die Freuden des Himmels als den Horrer der Hölle. Für eine Einführung in Edwards Werk kann ich das Buch nur empfehlen.