Profile of the Last Puritan: Jonthan Edwards, Self-Love and the Dawn of the Beatific

A work of theology and American church history, this volume examines the life and theology of the New England pastor-theologian Jonathan Edwards. Focusing on the glory of God as the dominant theme of Edwards’ thought, the author examines Edward’s use of Neoplatonist terminology and the language of the senses, and documents the Calvinistic and conventional underpinnings of Edwards’ theology. In the process, critical issues such as the relationship between ethics and aesthetics, disinterested benevolence and self-love, are brought to light. Students will find here an overview of Puritan New England, from its spiritual precoception in Calvin’s Geneva to its post-revolutionary demise, including the emergence of Unitarianism and the Second Great Awakening.