Eli West
Prof. Westblade
18th Century
Theology
December 4, 2015
An
Intellectual as Pastor: Jonathan Edwards and the Role of the Minister
Jonathan
Edwards was an extraordinary intellectual. His monumental writings and sermons
have earned him the title in many history books as AmericaÕs first philosopher,
and possibly its greatest theologian. Often lost in these accomplishments and
epithets however, is EdwardsÕ own self-identification and the relationship he
had with his contemporaries. To the eighteenth-century village of Northampton,
Massachusetts, Edwards was not foremost a philosopher, thinker, or
writer—but their pastor. A true
picture of Edwards must not detach him as a mind outside of his own time, but
instead see him through the vision he had of his profession and how he applied that
vision to his present circumstances. For Edwards, the highest calling of the
minister was the care for human souls, which he believed—based on his
personal giftedness—he could best fulfill within the confines of his
study. This intellectual emphasis of the role of the pastorate came with both great
costs and benefits for Edwards and his ministry, from which todayÕs pastor may
learn valuable examples to be warry of and others to emulate.
Before
examining the practice of Edwards the pastor, it is appropriate to begin first
by clarifying his vision of the pastorate. In this way, we can evaluate his
example based on his own standards instead of viewing him through twenty-first
century perspectives.
Edwards believed the principle calling of a
minister is the redemption of souls that God had providentially placed under his
care. His most thorough expressions of the work of the pastorate have survived via
his sermons presented during pastoral ordination ceremonies. In the ordination
of Jonathan Jeff, the new pastor of Southampton, Massachusetts in 1753, Edwards
declared that ministers are Òinstruments of ChristÕs success in the work of
redemption.Ó Through their work, he continued, souls may be rescued and brought
into Òeternal happinessÓ and Òmay answer their end in glorifying [God].Ó[1]
Edwards believed that God had selectively bestowed members of his elect to
ministers in the same manner as a prince might place Òsome great treasure,
consisting of most precious jewelsÓ in the care of one of his subjects to carry
through enemy territory and bring back safely to his palace.[2]
In order to carry out this mission, Edwards believed
pastors must be earnestly devoted to prayer and the study of scriptures in
their private lives. In his 1744 ordination sermon entitled ÒThe True
Excellency of a Minister of the Gospel,Ó Edwards declared that the Christian
minister must be Òmuch in secret converse with [God].Ó [3]
Following the pattern of Christ who often slipped away from company to pray,
this steady discipline of communication was not an end in itself, but meant to
keep aflame the ministerÕs zeal. The Holy Spirit, Edwards believed, moves the
pastorÕs heart in prayer animating his duties of preaching, exercising church
disciple, and counseling. This Òholy ardorÓ however must not be accompanied by
mere Òspeculative knowledge or opinionsÓ
but rather a devotion to the Scriptures of Òutmost diligence and strictness.Ó
Only by a fervent dedication to reading GodÕs Word would a pastor remain Òpure,
clear and full in his doctrineÓ and Ònot lead his people into errors.Ó By
prioritizing Scripture, Edwards believed the Christian minister could remain
intellectually humble—denying confidence in his own wisdom and instead Òentirely
relying on GodÕs instructions.Ó[4]
Building upon this vision, we can now examine how his convictions played out in
his practical life.
Edwards spent the majority of his time and
resources in an intellectual setting, because he believed that God had gifted
in him in that way to best way to fulfill his vision of the pastorate. A typical day for Jonathan Edwards
began at four or five in the morning. We know this from his diary entries,
including one from January 1728 when he wrote ÒI think Christ has
recommended rising early in the morning, by his rising from the grave very
early.Ó[5]
After starting each day with private prayers followed by family prayers, his
original biographer, Samuel Hopkins, noted, Ò[Edwards] commonly spent thirteen
hours, every day, in his study.Ó[6]
His meals were accompanied by household devotions, and at the end of the day, his
wife Sarah joined him in his study for prayers. Nevertheless, if he was deeply
engaged in contemplation or study he wrote that he would ordinarily Ònot be
interrupted by going to dinner, but will forego my dinner, rather than be broke
off.Ó[7]
During these extensive blocks of time in his
study, Edwards mostly added to his numerous writing projects and counseled
members of his congregation who came to visit him. In addition to the two
lengthy sermons he prepared each week, Edwards was constantly transcribing his
thoughts into his major works. Among these included his extensive biblical
commentary in the Notes on the Scriptures,
his interpretations of prophecies and their fulfillment in current events in
the Notes on the Apocalypse, his massive
collection of notes in the Miscellanies, and
his nine hundred paged ÒBlank BibleÓ of scriptural reflections. Moreover,
beyond these various compilations of notes, Edwards was authoring several
treatises such as A Faithful Narrative and
Religious Affections during his
pastorate at Northampton.
In order to complete these projects, Edwards
remained in his study during the day and did not take visits to members of his
congregation unless called upon in an emergency. This was a major contrast to
the practice of the other reformed ministers of his day. Hopkins wrote that
this unique practice was firmly intertwined with EdwardsÕ conception of his
gifts and calling.
[Edwards] did not
neglect visiting his people from house to house, because he did not look upon
it, in ordinary cases, to be on part of the work of the gospel-minister; but he
supposed that ministers should, with respect to this, consult their own talents
and circumstances, and visit more or less according to the degrees in which
they could hope hereby to promote the great ends of the gospel-ministry. He observed
that some ministers had a talent at entertaining and profiting by occasional
visits among their people. They have words at will, and a knack at introducing
profitable, religious discourse, in a free, natural, and as it were, undesigned
way. He supposed such had a call to spend a great deal of their time in
visiting their people; but he looked at his talents to be quite otherwiseÉ And
as he was settled in a great town, it would take up a great part of his time to
visit from house to house, which he thought he could spend in his study to much
more valuable purposes, and so as much better promote the great ends of his
ministry. For it appeared to him, that he could do the greatest good to souls,
and most promote the interest of Christ by preaching and writing, and
conversing with persons under religious impressions in his study.[8]
Instead
of paying house visits, Hopkins later continued, Edwards would often call his
congregants over to his own study for prayer and counseling. He did this
especially with the youth of Northampton, which was a major departure from
customary pastoral ministry. Typically, New England pastors would leave the
education of youth to the parents, instead of sending them to private lessons
that were outside of their supervision and oversight.[9]
His efforts to prioritize his intellectual gifts helped guide many of his
contemporaries to Christian faith, but they also led to relational problems with
members of his family and congregation.
To his family, EdwardsÕ study habits often
pulled him away from the everyday affairs of his wife and eleven children. In
order to keep up with his sermons and writing projects, Hopkins wrote that
Edwards Òkept himself quite free from worldly caresÓ and Òleft the particular
oversight and direction of the temporal concerns of his family, almost entirely
to Mrs. Edwards.Ó Although still the head of his household, he was often
detached from its practical realities. In contrast to his neighbors, he Òseldom
knew when and by whom his forage for winter was gathered in, or how many milk
sine he had; whence his table was furnished.Ó Moreover, EdwardsÕ practice greatly
contrasted with the example set by his father, whom Hopkins wrote, was
dedicated to his studies but also closely attended the daily chores within the
home. [10]
To his
church, EdwardsÕ theology of ministry, biographer Iain Murray wrote, led him to
Òappear
more remote and more absorbed in study than is usual among parish ministers.Ó
In the eyes of many, Òhe dwelt apart as though he had no time for the common,
everyday interests of his people.Ó Some of his contemporaries saw him as Òstiff,Ó
Òunsociable,Ó and Ònever given to excessive tact.Ó[11]
Furthermore, the youth of his congregation greatly enjoyed meeting at his home
because the rest of the church did not often treat them as religious equals;
however, the separation he created between children and their parents led to a
decline in the stability of traditional family government and tension between
Edwards and parents for the youthsÕ affections. His methods were certainly well
intentioned, and even common among other New England churches, but they went
strongly against the current of Northampton customs. Since 1731, the Hampshire
Associations of Ministers had set the precedent that although Òpersonal
[pastoral] visitation may in some cases be very expedient or beneficial,Ó it
was better to have families catechize their own young.[12]
The strains between Edwards and his townspeople continued to build until they
climaxed in his discharge from the ministry in 1750.
EdwardsÕ intellectual emphasis of the role of
the minister ultimately abetted to his dismissal from the Northampton
pastorate. The debate that led to his firing centered on EdwardsÕ policy change
for partaking of the LordÕs Supper, but for many congregants, his Òintellectual
aloofnessÓ only added coals to the fire. Whatever detached appearances Edwards
exhibited however, Hopkins asserted that his studious rigor Òwas not due to any
disinterest towards his people.Ó Rather, it was Òfor their good he was always
writing, contriving, laboring; for them he poured out ten thousand fervent
prayers; and they were dear to him above any other people under heaven.Ó[13]
His dismissal, coincidentally, did not have an entirely negative outcome, for
it opened greater opportunities for Edwards to pursue his intellectual
interests.
After leaving Northampton in 1750, his family
moved to Stockbridge. To the small white congregation and Indian settlement
there, he had a few pastoral duties, but the little evidence available shows that
they did not show much care much for his preaching or counsel. Lacking other
vocational options, he became a professional thinker by default. For the next
eight years, Edwards labored in writing the systematic theological treatises for
which he is now most famous including Freedom
of the Will, Original Sin, and The Nature of True Virtue. Outside of
the Northampton pastorate, Tracy writes, Òit was no longer specific human souls
that concerned him.Ó Instead, Òhis commitment was to the ideas he refined.Ó[14]
Ultimately, whether Edwards rightfully fulfilled
his calling or not rests on GodÕs judgment. There is no need for the historian
to witch-hunt for EdwardsÕ shortcomings, or whitewash his example beyond
fallibility. Like all fallen humans, we can only judge him by his fruits and
use them to evaluate the role to which he professed.
Therefore, despite the negative effects of his
methods, the evidence of his work strongly points to the argument that Edwards
was a man who practiced what he preached. He declared from the pulpit that the
highest calling of a minister is the redemption of souls, and he oversaw one of
the greatest awakenings in American history. Furthermore, he preached
extensively on the essential pastoral duty of devotion to prayer and
scripture—a practice for which he was possibly unmatched in his time. For this reason and many more,
Edwards sets very positive examples for todayÕs minister.
First,
Edwards reminds us of the importance of daily solitude. He wrote about this
topic often in his diary.
A true Christian doubtless delights in religious
fellowship and Christian conversation, and finds much to affect his heart in
it, but he also delights at times to retire from all mankind to converse with
GodÉ True religion disposes persons to be much alone in solitary places for
holy meditation and prayer. So it wrought in Isaac, Gen. 24:63. And which is
more, so it wrought in Jesus ChristÉ The most eminent divine favours that the saints obtained that we read of in
Scripture were in their retirementÉ True grace delights in secret converse with
God.[15]
Second, he implores us not to
seek knowledge as an end in itself, but for the worship of God and the advancement
of the gospel. To his fellow pastors he said, ÒSeek not to grow in knowledge
chiefly for the sake of applause, and to enable you to dispute with others; but
seek it for the benefit of your souls.Ó[16]
Third, and undoubtedly, Edwards sets
a high standard for the pastor as a student of GodÕs Word. In contrast to
mainstream pastoral studies, Edwards made detailed plans for how he could move
steadily and constantly forward in his understanding of the Bible until the end
of his life. He strove unceasingly to enlarge his picture of God. In contrast,
the modern pastor spends most of his day outside of his study; and therefore,
outside of the very book meant to inspire, direct, and fulfill every aspect of
his position. As Hopkins wisely wrote,
ÒIf
[EdwardsÕ pastorate] was excessive in one direction there can be no doubt that
the routing of our contemporary Christian ministry is excessive in another, and
that the basic reason why so much church busyness accomplishes so little at the
present time is that private spiritual priorities have been neglected.Ó[17]
Fourth,
and finally, Edwards exemplifies the mindful servant who understands and uses
his giftedness for the purposes of his master. He was an intellectual who grew
as an intellectual and fulfilled his duties as an intellectual. Nevertheless,
EdwardsÕ testimony acknowledges the fact that the role of the pastor is not
simply an academic pursuit. The minister cannot solely follow his gifts,
without fulfilling every duty—no matter how far out of his skill
set—to which he is called. Furthermore, he does not condemn other
ministers who serve differently, because he knew that not every man was gifted
like him. For this reason, the modern pastor cannot Òcopy and pasteÓ EdwardsÕ
methods into his ministry. Like Edwards, he must seek to know how God has
uniquely fashioned him and called him. Moreover, he must understand and learn
from—as Edwards sometimes failed to do—the problems that can ensue
from the shortcomings of his inabilities. Following the admonition of the
Apostle Paul, the pastor should seek the perfect example of Christ in order
that they might Òlive a life worthy of the calling [they] have received.Ó
(Ephesians 4:1)
Bibliography
Edwards,
Jonathan. "The Great Concern of a Watchman for Souls." Sermon. In Sermons and Discourses 1743-1758, edited
by Wilson Kimnach, 62-81. Vol. 25
of The Works of Jonathan Edwards.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006.
———. "The True Excellency of a Minister of the Gospel." Sermon. In Sermons and Discourses 1743-1758, edited by Wilson Kimnach, 84-102. Vol. 25 of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006.
Holifield,
E. Brooks. God's Ambassadors: A History
of the Christian Clergy in America. Nashville: Abingdon, 1983.
Hopkins, Samuel. The Life and Character of the Late Reverend, Learned, and Pious Mr. Jonathan Edwards: President of the College of New Jersey. Northampton: Andrew Wright, 1804.
Kimnach, Wilson H. Edwards as Preacher to The Cambridge Companion to Jonathan Edwards, edited by Stephen Stein, 103-24. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Kimnach, Wilson H., and Kenneth P. Minkema. "The Material and Social Practices of Intellectual Work: Jonathan Edward's Study." The William and Mary Quarterly 69, no. 4 (October 2012): 683-730.
Lee, Sang, and Allen Guelzo, eds. Edwards in Our Time: Jonathan Edwards and the Shaping of American Religion. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1999.
Marsden, George. Jonathan Edwards: A Life. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.
McClymond, Michael, and Gerald McDermott. The Theology of Jonathan Edwards. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Murray,
Iain. Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography.
London: Banner of Truth, 1987.
Piper, John. "The Pastor as Theologian: Life and Ministry of Jonathan Edwards." Speech presented at Bethlehem Conference for Pastors, 1988. DesiringGod.org. Accessed December 4, 2015. http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-pastor-as-theologian.
Tracy, Patricia. Jonathan Edwards, Pastor: Religion and Society in Eighteenth-Century Northampton. New York: Hill and Wang, 1979.
———. "The Pastorate of Jonathan Edwards." The Massachusetts Review, Inc. 20, no. 3 (Fall 1979): 437-51.
1.
Jonathan Edwards, "The Great Concern of a
Watchman for Souls." In Vol. 25 of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. (New Haven: Yale University
Press, 2006), 66.
3. Jonathan Edwards, "The True Excellency of a Minister of the Gospel." In Vol. 25 of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006), 100.
5.
Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Jonathan Edwards: A Life. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 133.
6.
Samuel Hopkins, The Life and Character of
the Late Reverend, Learned, and Pious Mr. Jonathan Edwards: President of the
College of New Jersey. (Northampton: Andrew Wright, 1804),
43.
7. Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Jonathan Edwards: A Life. (New Haven:
Yale University Press, 2003), 135.
9.
Patricia Tracy, "The Pastorate of Jonathan Edwards." The
Massachusetts Review, Inc. 20, no. 3 (Fall 1979): 441.
11. Tracy, Jonathan
Edwards, Pastor: Religion and Society in Eighteenth-Century Northampton. (New
York: Hill and Wang, 1979), 11.
15. Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Murray,
Iain. Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography.
(London: Banner of Truth, 1987), 136.