Jonathan Edwards

George M. Marsden is Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. He has written numerous books, including The Soul of the American University and The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship.

“Magisterial.”—Wall Street Journal“It may not stretch the evidence to call Jonathan Edwards the most important religious figure in American history. . . . [Edwards’] arguments [are] analyzed with great skill and sensitivity in Jonathan Edwards: A Life. . . . Marsden, himself an evangelical believer, puts Edwards back where he belongs, firmly in the theological world of the Reformation. . . . Marsden makes a convincing case for his greatness.”—Garry Wills, New York Times Book Review“In his superb and engrossing new biography of Jonathan Edwards, George Marsden has given us the most comprehensive account we have of the man who, as much as Benjamin Franklin—in some ways more than Franklin—is the spiritual godfather of our nation. . . . What sets Marsden’s work apart, what makes it so accessible, is that he has committed the entire enterprise to narrative, to telling a story—the saga of Jonathan Edwards.”—Robert D. Richardson, Washington Post Book World“A triumph of scholarship, but also of readability. Marsden successfully straddles the diverse fields in which Edwards was formed and to which he contributed, to give a richly satisfying and interesting portrait of the man and his time, including insights from American studies, theology, philosophy and even the history of natural science.”—Robert E. Brown, Times Literary Supplement“Magnificent. . . . This is a book that tells us as much about the intellectual foundations of America as it does about Jonathan Edwards.”—Damian Thompson, Daily Telegraph“[A] learned, lucid biography.”—Michael Kazin, The Nation“[An] excellent, fascinating biography. . . . Absorbing.”—Adam Kirsch, New York Sun“Marsden’s thorough, dispassionate and enlightening book is the first to weave into a smooth, continuous narrative the events of Edward’s life and the development and content of his philosophy. . . . Outstanding.”—Paul Johnson, Sunday Telegraph“Marsden’s elegant prose and vivid, vivacious storytelling brings Edwards to life. This magisterial and definitive biography reveals the complexities of Edwards’s life and provides new appreciation for his commitment to fostering religious sensibilities in the increasingly secular world of his time. This is a beautifully written book about one of America’s most important thinkers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Well-researched. . . . Discriminating in its assessments and appreciative of Edwards’ life and theology. . . . Highly recommend[ed]. . . . It contains the best use of source material by an experienced historian and scholar.”—Robert Davis Smart, Reformation and Revival Journal“In what will stand as the definitive biography, George Marsden sets out to bridge the gap between Edwards as seen by students of American culture and Edwards as seen by theologians. He succeeds brilliantly in this objective and in the process not only brings Edwards to life as a Christian and as a human being but also provides an enthralling portrait of the age in which he lived. . . . George Marsden already has a reputation as one of America’s leading historians. This work shows him to be a sympathetic biographer and a skilled interpreter of Christian thought.”—Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper“George Marsden’s 2003 biography is unrivalled for the way in which Edward’s life and ministry is placed in historical context. . . . Marsden powerfully depicts the development of Edward’s own spiritual experience.”—Barnabas“Marsden’s biography is the best book ever written about America’s (and perhaps the world’s) greatest theologian.”—Samuel T. Logan, Jr., Westminster Theological JournalFinalist for the 2003 National Book Critics Circle Award in the biography categoryWinner of the 2001–2003 Annibel Jenkins Biography Prize sponsored by the Society for Eighteenth-Century StudiesWinner of the Philip Schaff Prize sponsored by the American Society of Church HistoryWinner of the 2004 Bancroft Prize in American HistorySelected as one of the Best Books of 2003 by Atlantic Monthly, Washington Post Book World, Christian Century, Books & Culture, Beliefnet, Publishers Weekly, and Christian Science Monitor  Winner of the 2005 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion  Winner of the 2004 Merle Curti Award in Intellectual History given by the Organization of American Historians  Winner of the 2004 John C. Pollock Award for Christian Biography sponsored by the Beeson Divinity School and Samford University  Co-winner of the 2004 Eugene Genovese Best Book in American History Prize sponsored by the Historical Society  Winner of the 2004 Christianity Today Book Award in the History/Biography category  Featured in Preaching magazine as “one of the top ten books every preacher should read”  Selected as an outstanding book by University Press Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries  Shortlisted by the English-Speaking Union for the Ambassador Book Awards“At last! A highly readable biography of Jonathan Edwards that takes account of the mountain of recent Edwards scholarship and is willing to acknowledge the agonies and ambiguities as well as the triumphs of Edwards’ life. A great companion to the Jonathan Edwards Reader and The Jonathan Edwards Sermons.”—Amy Plantinga Pauw, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary“Marsden has brought together in a magisterial synthesis the details of the man’s daily life and the range of ideas that challenged the assumptions of his time and ours.”—Edmund S. Morgan“In this biography, Marsden has produced a masterpiece. It is eloquent, reliable, and comprehensive. I found it insightful and inspiring throughout.”—George S. Claghorn, West Chester University, editor of Letters and Personal Writings of Jonathan Edwards “This is the finest biography of Edwards that I have read. It will be the standard benchmark for Edwards scholarship for generations to come.”—Harry S. Stout, Yale University“There is no question that Marsden’s biography is the best book ever written about America’s (and perhaps the world’s) greatest theologian.”—Sam T. Logan, Jr., Westminster Theological Seminary