Jonathan Edwards on Worship: Public and Private Devotion to God

The great American pastor-theologian Jonathan Edwards remains undeniably relevant today more than 250 years after his death as attested by the unending flurry of articles books and dissertations treating him. Despite this virtually nothing has been written concerning Edwardss views on worship a subject central to the Christian faith and certainly to Edwards himself. This volume explores Edwardss perspective on both public and private dimensions of worship aspects of which rise from well-understood Puritan categories and proposes the practice of self-examination as a bridge between public and private devotion. As Ken Minkema of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale writes in the foreword Ted Riveras study is the first that systematically attempts to show us Edwardss views of worship and so represents an important resource for scholars and religious practitioners alike who are interested in liturgy the practice of piety and spiritual growth. Through an engagement with Edwardss own words--in letters notebooks and sermons--we learn of Edwardss own spiritual life and of the nature of private and corporate devotion. Worship was a central feature of Jonathan Edwardss life yet there has been little sustained study of this topic. Ted Rivera begins to fill that gap by providing a helpful account of some of the most important of Edwardss views and practices of worship. --George Marsden Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History University of Notre Dame The time is ripe for a book on Jonathan Edwards on worship especially such a book as Ted Rivera provides. Many younger Christians tired of modern and even postmodern novelties are increasingly looking back for roots in Christian life practice and worship. Edwards was one of the foremost exemplars of Puritan worship . . . . [A]n entire chapter on self-examination a practice at the heart of Edwardss preaching and personal devotional life . . . is reason enough for those interested in a deep Christian life to read purchase and go and do likewise. --John S. Hammett Professor of Theology and Associate Dean Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Early America was turbulent but full of adventure and excitement. The intellectual and spiritual engagement of Jonathan Edwards in the midst of that culture could not possibly have had worldwide implications without the remarkable grasp Edwards had of what it meant to walk with God in personal and corporate worship. Ted Rivera has captured in this volume the pathos of that walk with God. This is a unique volume. --Paige Patterson President Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Ted Rivera is Assistant Professor of Religion at Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia.