Jonathan Edwards Confronts the Gods: Christian Theology, Enlightenment Religion, and Non-Christian Faiths (Religion in America)

258 Pages·2000·14.64 MB·English

by  Gerald R. McDermott

JONATHAN EDWARDS
CONFRONTS THE GODS
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JONATHAN EDWARDS
CONFRONTS THE GODS
Christian Theology, Enlightenment Religion,
and Non-Christian Faiths
GERALD R. McDERMOTT
OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
2000
OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Oxford New York
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Copyright © 2000 by Gerald R. McDermott
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McDermott, Gerald R. (Gerald. Robert)
Jonathan Edwards confronts the gods : Christian theology.
Enlightenment religion, and non-Christian faiths / Gerald R.
McDermott.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-19-513274-2
1. Apologetics—United States—History—18th century. 2. Deism-
History—-18th century. 3. Edwards, Jonathan, 1703-1758—
Contributions in relations of Christianity and other religions.
4. Christianity and other religions—History—18th century.
5. Edwards, Jonathan, 1703-1758—Contributions in theology of
revelation. 6. Revelation—History—18th century. I. Title.
BTI180.M34 1999
239'.7— dc21 99-26834
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 42
Printed in the United States of America
on acid free paper
For Mary Kevin McDermott and Eileen McDermott,
two women with special gifts
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PREFACE
This book began with a startling discovery during my dissertation research in

1987 at Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. While wander-
ing in the vast labyrinth of Edwards's sermon and notebook manuscripts—most
of them unpublished and scrawled in a hand that can reduce a scholar to tears—
I came upon hundreds of folio pages of Edwards's notes on non-Christian reli-
gions. Besides being astonished that this theologian, known for his celebration of
Christian particularity, had shown interest in the particularities of other religions,
I wondered what this could possibly mean. What was the purpose of these rumi-
nations? How did these religions fit into his theology? What was he planning to
do with these notes? They seemed to be building toward something, as if he was
collecting data for future use. But for what? And were there other notebooks with
similar materials? I copied what I could and began a search that carried me into
an enormous trove of fascinating materials from the American colonies and sev-
eral continents. I came to see that Edwards had joined a spirited discussion that
was changing the way many Europeans would think about God, and that he was
using this discussion to rethink both Enlightenment religion and his own Reformed
tradition. This book tries to explain what I found.
A variation of chapter 11 appeared in the New England Quarterly in December 1999.
I am grateful to the editors of the Quarterly for permission to use this material. Other
versions of several chapters in this book have also been used for articles in Pro Ecclesia,
American Presbyterians, and a chapter in Sang Hyun Lee and Allen C. Guelzo, eds., Edwards
in Our Time: Jonathan Edwards and the Shaping of American Religion (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1999). I am grateful to the editors of these journals and to Eerdmans for permis-
sion to draw from these materials.
viii o PREFACE
Along the way I have incurred many personal and pleasant debts. Ken Minkema,
executive editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards, was unfailingly generous with his
time and encyclopedic knowledge of Edwards. His suggestions and criticisms
helped sharpen the argument in a legion of ways. George Marsden's careful read-
ing of the manuscript prevented it, I think, from saying more than the evidence
warrants. Skip Stout's advice was critically helpful at several important stages along
the way. My department chair, Robert Benne, not only supported this project
throughout its course but also smoothed its progress along the way with his coun-
sel. Thanks also to the following scholars, who offered suggestions, criticisms,
and encouragement: Doug Sweeney, Alan Pieratt, Avihu Zakai (whose camarade-
rie has been so much fun), Dan Hardy (who saw promise in this project and en-
abled me to devote a sabbatical year to it), Steve Chase, Leanne Van Dyk (who
patiently read early and very imperfect versions of the manuscript), George
Hunsinger, Victor Nuovo, Sang Hyun Lee, Wilson Kimnach, and David Dawson.
This book would not have been written without the generous support of the
Center of Theological Inquiry, which provided me and my family with an idyllic
year at Princeton and a perfect setting for study and writing. I am also grateful to
Roanoke College for giving me several summer research grants and a Faculty
Scholar award to support this project.
All scholars know how much they depend on librarians, and (now) com-
puter and other technology experts. Pat Scott at Fintel Library was unceasingly
cheerful and helpful; Karen Harris's expertise expedited manuscript preparation
and rescued me from several near disasters; Bill Harris at Luce Library and Kate
Skrebutenas at Speer Library (Princeton Seminary) helped me track down many
a book and article; and Maureen Montgomery, Kate Le Van, and Linda Sheldon
were particularly responsible for making my twelve months at CTI both pro-
ductive and delightful. Finally, thanks are due to Chriss Davies-Ross for proof-
reading and Ryan McDermott for preparing the index.
Jean McDermott, my best friend and wife, provided more than she knows.
Without her this book could not have been written.
July 1999 G.R.M.
Salem, Virginia
CONTENTS
Abbreviations xi
Introduction: A Strange, New Edwards 3
Part I: The Challenge
1. Deists and the Scandal of Particularity 17
2. Edwards's War against Enlightenment Religion 34
Part II: Strategies of Response
3. Our Noblest Faculty: The Promise and Limits of Reason in Religion 55
4. Signatures of Divine Majesty: The Reason and Mystery of Revelation 71
5. Trickle-Down Revelation and Religious Entropy:
The Nature and History of Religion 87
6. Parables in All Nations: Typology and the Religions 110
7. A Possibility of Reconciliation: Salvation and the "Heathen" 130
Part III: Strategies Applied
8. Judaism: A Light among the Nations 149
9. Islam: The Left Arm of Antichrist 166