Jonathan Edwards A Great Shepherd Of Early Colonial...

Jonathan Edwards: A Great Shepherd of Early Colonial Theology and Revivalism Jonathan Edwards (1703-1759) played a historical part in American Christianity as we know it today. He was a notorious religious figure during a time when Congregationalists were determined to adhere to the religious styles of old. His intellectual and theological reason, along with his fervent zeal fueled by the Holy Spirit, makes him one of the greatest evangelistic preachers and apologists of all time. His life, works, and sermons inspired other leaders to spread the gospel message and brought about life-altering revivals and conversions in those he reached. Our textbook author wrote, â€Å"All authentic leaders must be confirmed in order to lead.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦It was then when he finally connected with the one and only true God that his life changed for the duration. It was this pivotal moment that marked his conversion and led to what would become the fervent, heart-felt preachin g style that characterized his sermons and brought conviction to the hearts of the parishioners who heard him. After graduate school he served as his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard’s, assistant at the Congregational Church in Northampton, Massachusetts for two years and later succeeded him as ordained minister following Stoddard’s death in 1726 (Reid, Pg. 380). It was during this pastoral that Edward’s evangelistic and apologetic reputation was at its peak. In 1741, William Cooper recommended his apologia to be used during the revivals that were sweeping through the colonies (Lesser, Pg. 34). This set the stage for Edwards and he became a key figure in the first Great Awakening and made his mark as one of the first, if not greatest, revivalist in American history. Colonial America’s need for revival sparked some of the greatest sermons and works of Edwards; maybe his most famous sermon being, Sinner’s in the Hands of an Angry God. (Noll, Pg. 95) Du ring this period when the revivals were sweeping through the colonies there was a notable rise in conversions and church growth. Mirroring Edwards’s own conversion, people experienced the divineness of God upon hearing the rational scripture messages which he preached. ThroughShow MoreRelatedRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesthe educational apparatus and the economic system. But much of the country was beginning to question in earnest the structure of colonial society by the early 1930s. The emergence of Rasta during that period corresponds with so much that was happening around the world. Rastas could tell that social unrest in Jamaica was going to lead to a movement away from colonial rule and, having heard Marcus Garvey speak of the importance of Africa to black people in the New World, found in his remarkable