ManleyBeasley
Inactive User
I just got "Death of Death in the Death of Christ" and "The Glory of Christ" by John Owen and "The Works of Jonathan Edwards, 2 Vol" from Banner of Truth and am VERY excited about getting them. Anyone read any of these?
Owen and Edwards
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toddpedlar
Iron Dramatist
Owen's Death of Death is, I would argue, one of the most important works anyone can read if they are interested in understanding the atoning work of Christ as the men of Owen's era did. It is the soundest exposition of the atonement that I have ever read, and could read it again and again.
Edwards, too, is a mine of gold that will take you a long time to get through - but you will keep coming back to it for more, and continue to increase the richness of your praise as you "hear" Edwards preach and teach vital doctrines of our faith.
Todd
Edwards, too, is a mine of gold that will take you a long time to get through - but you will keep coming back to it for more, and continue to increase the richness of your praise as you "hear" Edwards preach and teach vital doctrines of our faith.
Todd
Jimmy the Greek
Puritan Board Senior
Owen's Death of Death was tough reading, but well worth it. You have to go slower than normal and re-read some sentences to absorb what he is saying. I found sometimes reading it aloud actually helped quite a bit. 
I haven't read it all the way through a second time, but when I finished my first reading I actually felt like he had exhausted the subject and answered every question.
I haven't read it all the way through a second time, but when I finished my first reading I actually felt like he had exhausted the subject and answered every question.
FenderPriest
Puritan Board Junior
Owen's "The Glory of Christ" is my 2nd favorite book of all time.
jambo
Puritan Board Senior
I have found Edwards a real blessing, particularly his writings about revival. I would like to read next his Diary of Brainard. My only negative is not the writings themselves but the size of print and that the publishers seemed to try and crush as many words as possible onto the page. (Was there a tax on paper or something?) In Edwards case I would prefer individual volumes and thankfully there are some volumes available.
I am about a third of the way through Owen's Glory of Christ and enjoying it. Owen once said he would give all his learning to be able to preach like "the tinker". Actually John, that would not have been a good move!
I am about a third of the way through Owen's Glory of Christ and enjoying it. Owen once said he would give all his learning to be able to preach like "the tinker". Actually John, that would not have been a good move!
FenderPriest
Puritan Board Junior
Speaking of Owen's "Glory of Christ" I've always found it a sobering thought that in the introduction to the Glory of Christ (one of Owen's last books, or at least, it was his written thoughts to keep his mind focused on Christ while on his death bed), he says that he laments some of his preoccupation with witting about controversy earlier in his life and less devotional material. I've always found that to be a sobering example of setting priorities in my study. Anyhow, there's a reason that my first son will be named Owen, and it's not just because it's a cool name...
ManleyBeasley
Inactive User
Haha! Of course, that says somethng about Bunyan's preaching! I'm glad Owen didn't give up his learning and I'd also love to hear Bunyan preach!
DMcFadden
Puritanboard Commissioner
Owen's DoD is perhaps the finest piece ever penned that puts the L in TULIP.
Edwards was arguably the most brilliant philosopher/theologian America ever birthed. (BTW, John Piper is more of an Edwardsian Calvinist than anything else).
ManleyBeasley
Inactive User
You can certainly get that from Piper. I also read an article that said that its debated as to whether Owen or Edwards are the greatest theologians in the English language.
timmopussycat
Puritan Board Junior
Both Owen and Edwards can be quite difficult to read. But Owen is more so. As for voting which of them gets a theological first place, I say why bother comparing apples to oranges? God meant them to do different things addressing different sitations in different contexts.
The advice I received on reading Death of Death is to keep running notes on Mr. Owen's reasoning -- the first or preeminent point may not be given first or where you'd expect it in a section. Mr. Edwards was a brilliant logician and has an incredible sense of order in his writing.
Ivan
Pastor
Maybe that's why I'm.....differnt....
FenderPriest
Puritan Board Junior
This is where I would voice. I also would add that because the large volume of Edwards' material is only of late being published by Yale, I think it may take some more time for us to re-evaluate the question. I also find these questions difficult to answer because the direction of the question must be considered: Were they most valuable as divines/theologians or as pastors to the church? Obviously they were both, but they set different examples. And because they were pastors, how do we weigh their sermons in this estimation? Anyhow, these are just musings on the issue.
Personally, I follow Owen more - but that's only because I have his works, where as I don't have the desire to take out a massive loan to pay for Edwards at the moment!
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