Jonathan Edwards and the Life of God: Toward an Evangelical Theology of Participation

Jonathan Edwards and the Life of God aims to offer a retrieval of Edwardss theology of participation for contemporary evangelical theology. It critically expounds and elucidates the concept of participation in God or theosis in Edwardss Trinitarian theology as it relates to around three unions: the three persons of the Trinity the hypostatic union of the divine and human in Christ and that of believers with Christ. This volume brings Edwardss rich theological work into conversation with the patristic (Augustine and the Cappadocians) and Reformed traditions (Calvin and especially Barth) in order to construct with Edwards a more hopeful liberating and truly human version of Christian life. Consideration of the life of God in Edwards thus moves beyond in two senses: first perspectives on participation beyond those of Edwards from Barth Volf the Cappadocian Fathers and others in the tradition are engaged in order to locate and critique and enhance it; and secondly in the sense that as Hastings argues participation leads for Edwards and others into the beyond of the beatific visionthe glory of God which is the hope that amongst other things motivates the Christian life.