Product Description
For some people, work is tedious and boring something to endure until the weekend arrives. For others, work is everything; it consumes them and their time. The former find no meaning or satisfaction in their jobs, the latter find too much both lack an eternal perspective, a biblical framework through which they can evaluate what they spend most of their lives doing.

This booklet offers that framework. Work, as ordained by God, has meaning and purpose. And by understanding your own vocation, you too can say with the psalmist, Yes, establish the work of our hands! ... Read more

Product Description
Heaven isn-t only about the future. It has everything to do with life on earth-life -in between.- Jonathan Edwards understood this well. His writings are full of his thoughts on heaven and how those thoughts should make a difference in our lives.This book focuses on key sermons by Edwards, showing readers how his insights can be applied to the challenges of living the Christian life in the twenty-first century. Edwards reminds us of our duty to live on earth in light of heaven and to endeavor to bring the realities and the beauty of heaven to earth-even if only in miniature. This book is for all believers wondering how to live on earth with a view of heaven, and those familiar with Edwards-s works will have a special appreciation for this study. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Catch the Vision of Living in Between
As Christians we must try to balance seemingly contradictory views in many areas of our lives. We often tend to lose our balance and fall into an extreme on one side of an issue or the other. For example; it is difficult for us to comprehend the sovereignty of God in salvation and yet understand that we must invite and even plead with sinners to repent of their sins and come to Christ. Also, we strive with all our might to become more like Jesus Christ in daily life, and yet realize that God is ultimately working in us "both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

One of the main areas in which Christians struggle to maintain the proper balance is the tension between living as citizens of heaven and citizens of earth. Stephen Nichols wrote Heaven on Earth to deal with this tension. However, he does not go it alone. The entire book is based on the sermons of Jonathan Edwards. Through the explanation of several of Edwards' sermons, Nichols expounds the vision Edwards had of living on earth as a citizen of heaven.

Heaven on Earth is a short book, but is filled with helpful explanations of Edwards' thoughts on heaven. Nichols begins the book with the problem being discussed, namely that we live as dual citizens, and we must learn how to properly balance our time and efforts to reflect our commitment to heaven but our desire to impact this earth with the gospel. He explains the two extremes that Christians often fall into. First, there are those Christians that Nichols calls "monastery Christians". They live a life fearful of the world around them and with no desire to interact with it at all. "They refuse to live in this world and instead construct an entirely Christian one, from which they rarely break out." (p. 19) In contrast to these people are those Christians who live for this world so much that it appears they aren't even aware of the one to come. "They are consumed by this world's agenda and are driven by its passions." (p. 19)

After explaining the two extremes, Nichols spends the remaining six chapters teaching the proper balance of living on earth while bound for heaven. Each of these chapters is based on a sermon of Edwards. Nichols doesn't reproduce the entire sermon, but walks the reader through the major concepts presented in each one. For example, chapter two is based on the Edwards sermon, "Heaven Is a World of Love". Many people perceive Edwards as the preacher who preached the sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." This is only half the picture. In chapter two of this book we come to understand that Edwards was a man who thought often about heaven and longed to be there. Nichols walks the reader through the beautiful explanation Edwards gave of our future home. His vision of heaven is a vision of a world consumed by love. The helpful part of Edwards is that he does not stop by explaining what heaven will be like. He wants his listeners to understand how the proper vision of heaven will transform their lives on earth. "He points them to heaven with one hand, while with the other he directs their attention back to earth." (p. 32) This is where we come to understand the vision that Edwards had of living heaven on earth. "Living in between means we take both worlds into account. We are on the way to heaven, but we are not there yet. We applaud its breakthroughs in this world, but we know there are far better things to come." (p. 37) In other words, it is our duty as Christians to bring heaven to earth as much as possible.

The remaining chapters continue to investigate the tension of living in between. These chapters deal with such topics as "On the Way to Heaven", "Being Good Citizens", "But to Act Justly", "It's Only the Beginning", and "Meeting There at Last". Nichols closes the book with an abridged version of Edwards's sermon "Heaven Is a World of Love".

I believe this book will be helpful for a number of reasons. First, most of us tend to drift to one extreme or the other when it comes to living in between heaven and earth. For those who tend to live as "monastery Christians", this book will help to propel you out into the world to make an impact with the gospel. Nichols makes the point in the book that even though the Titanic is going down it is still our responsibility to polish the brass because it's God's ship. In other words, the earth will one day be burned up by fire, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be investing ourselves in others while we are on the earth. For those who tend to attach themselves to this earth, this book provides an appealing look at heaven. Living on earth is important, but we must remember it is not ultimately our home.

Also, Heaven on Earth will prove helpful because it will alter your perspective. Sometimes books are helpful because they provide specific instructions to deal with specific issues. Other books are helpful because they can spark a paradigm shift in the way you think. This book falls into the second category. Heaven on Earth will challenge your most basic thoughts about heaven, earth, and the possibility of living in between in a God honoring way. It takes purposeful effort to live out the vision Edwards sets. This book is a useful tool in catching that vision.

Heaven on Earth
A very easy read and great introduction to Jonathan Edward. Many practical pointers on living in between. We liked it so well we did a Sunday school class on it.

Become Heavenly Minded and of Earthly Good
It's easy for some people to become "so heavily minded they're of no earthly good," while others are more likely to be too earthly minded to be of no heavenly good. Scripture points us to a middle path, a way to live between the two worlds. Stehpen J. Nichols sheds light on this path through a collection of sermons by Jonathan Edwards in Heaven on Earth.


Through seven brief chapters Dr. Nichols explores a handful of Jonathan Edwards's sermons in an effort to explain what it means to live on earth with a vision of heaven. It includes themes of pilgrimage, citizenship, just action, waiting, and true happiness found in God's purposes for mankind. The book also includes an introduction on how to read Edwards' sermons, and an appendix containing an abridged version of the sermon "Heaven Is a World of Love."

This is a book that gets better as it goes, which makes its short length disappointing. I especially found the final two chapters to be insightful and though-provoking. Readers unfamiliar with Jonathan Edwards will learn much about his life as application of what he taught. While not an academically sophisticated work, Heaven on Earth will challenge every reader to make practical use of the theological truths it describes.

Excellent Readable Intro to Jonathan Edwards Life View
Heaven on Earth is a wonderful summary of an aspect of Jonathan Edwards's thinking and preaching - specifically, how to long for heaven and the next life, while living, serving and enjoying our time here on Earth.Nichols is a very clear and enjoyable writer, and the book is relatively brief, so I would highly recommend it - especially if you think an "old theologian" like Edwards has no practical relevance to our lives today.Some of the chapter topics include:Living as preparation for heaven; the meaning of "our citizenship is in heaven" and how it impacts our life here; working to make this world better as stewardship of God's creation; the struggle of waiting in our lives; and how to deal with the deaths of loved ones, and how to see our lives as a journey towards heaven.

Here's a good summary passage near the end of the book to give you an idea both of J.E.'s theology, and of Nichols' way of explaining it:
"Both in life and in death Edwards teaches us how to live the pilgrim life.He teaches us that as we make our way to heaven we should serve God and do what good we can.He teaches us that we should long for our heavenly home and that we should enjoy the foretastes of that home now." (pp. 105).

Nichols also gives an introductory section on how to read an Edwards sermon, and includes an appendix with the abridged text of an Edwards sermon, "Heaven is a World of Love" on 1 Cor. 13:8-10.Hopefully, as I know the author hopes, people after reading this book, will want to and feel able to tackle some of Edwards' actual writing.And anyone who does will be spiritually richer as a result-not because Edwards is so great, but because of his ability to describe the greatness and great love of our God and King.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

historical text
This book was written in the late 19th century by a Christian who saw the eradication of "Indian" culture and the "civilizing" of "Indians" as desirable and something that would soon be accomplished. Being "American" meant not being "Indian".

The book is divided into three parts: the grammar, which is outdated and phonetically inexact; the texts, which I found interesting, since they include some Dakota myths in their original language with English translation; and ethnographic texts, which reveal their author's Christian bias.
I would recommend buying instead the New Lakota Dictionary, which has an extensive section on grammar - although it is concerned with the Lakota dialect, Dakota is similar enough that the grammatical breakdown provided in this dictionary will allow you to learn Dakota as well. The principal differences are phonetic (Dakota /md/ for Lakota /bl/, for instance) and lexical.

Riggs's book is of interest mainly as a historical curio. ... Read more

Product Description

This full treatment of the glory of God will bring richunderstanding and application of this central doctrine to the bodyof Christ.

Few topics are more crucial or central to the doctrine and dailylife of a Christian than the glory of God. Despite its importance,however, few exhaustive books have been written on the subject.Andreas Köstenberger, Tremper Longman, Richard Gaffin, andother evangelical scholars and theologians have now collaborated tofill the void and help the church teach and protect this preciousdoctrine.

The Glory of God is the second volume in the Theologyin Community series, which uses sound biblical doctrine tocarefully examine important theological issues. While substantialin theological content, books in this series are widely accessibleand coherent. In this volume, Köstenberger, Longman, Gaffin,and others guide readers through the glory of God in the Old andNew Testaments and Johannine and Pauline literature. The doctrineis traced in historical theology, applied in pastoral theology, andfully delineated in a concluding systematic theology.

College seniors, pastors, seminarians, and educated laypersonswill find this book enormously useful in their personal studies andministries.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Resource
The sole purpose of this book is to fully investigate what the Bible teaches us on God's glory.It is a subject that isn't fully explored by many in the church or in books, but these men take pains to examine the doctrine of the Glory of God and share it with readers in a systematic, understandable way.

Since theology in itself can be difficult to grasp at times, I definitely would not characterize it as an easy read.However, if you are interested in this doctrine, this is the book you will want to have.It is exhaustive, interesting, and accessible.It is a great resource to have. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fascinating and fair account of the Long expeditions

It is for scratching three words on a map of the southwestern part of the country he had recently explored, along with writing a short descriptive paragraph of the same area, that has condemned Stephen Long in the annals of western history. Those three words were Great American Desert, and the description said in part that "this section ...is almost wholly unfit for cultivation and [is] uninhabitable ...." Nichols and Halley try to correct, or at least shed a less damning light on, this harsh view of Long's opinion (for one thing, Zebulon Pike had pretty much the same impression after visiting that section of the country 10 years earlier). Long was also much criticized for not finding the source of the Red River, and the authors deal with that brouhaha as well. But they are not trying to make a wronged saint out of Long either, and are quick to point out his inefficiencies as an explorer, i.e. not exploring the headwaters of the Platte River and going into the Rockies.

After a brief summary of Long's apprentice years (1784-1817), the authors recount his major explorations: the 1817 exploration of the Fox and Minnesota Rivers, the 1818 exploration into Arkansas and the founding of Fort Smith, the 1819 expedition to the Rockies, the longer 1820 exploration of the plains along the South Platte and the Front Range (Long's Peak being named and Pike's Peak first climbed) to the Canadian and Red Rivers (this being the Great American Desert voyage), and the 1823 exploration of the upper Minnesota region. Their narrative of Long's life and career does not go beyond the Minnesota expedition.

The authors are impressed with what Long's expeditions accomplished, but believe with better organization and leadership could have done more. They place much of the blame on Long himself, but feel there "is little evidence upon which to base an examination of his personality or character traits," though at times he quarreled bitterly with his men and more than once subordinate officers refused to obey his orders. But details of these incidents are lacking. Their book is clearly written and fairly presented. It's an excellent, straightforward account of Long's explorations and their contribution to the scientific development of the country. Highly recommended.

Engaging
The authors do justice in refuting the many pessimistic views of Stephen Long's career as an explorer in this great little book.Long received a plethora of negative criticism, especially after his 1819-1820 expedition across the plains to the Rocky Mountains. Some of this may be justifiable, such as not searching out the sources of the Platte, Arkansas and Red Rivers, which he had orders to do; or his nomenclature of "The Great American Desert", referring to his return trip from the Rockies. The scientific contributions from his expeditions speak for themselves.Along with publications by Long himself, there were innummerable papers and a few books from the likes of Thomas Say (zoologist), Edwin James (botanist), William Keating (geologist) and art work from Titian Peale and Samuel Seymour to vindicate the efforts of these early nineteenth century explorers.The book was easy to follow and comprehend, and a total pleasure to read. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Stephen G(eorge) Nichols, (Jr.), is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thomson Gale. The length of the entry is 759 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Sojourners Magazine, published by Sojourners on June 1, 2009. The length of the article is 1558 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Theology in a minor key: the blues live in this world--yet long for the next.(MUSIC)(Stephen J. Nichols interview)(Interview)
Author: Unavailable
Publication: Sojourners Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2009
Publisher: Sojourners
Volume: 38Issue: 6Page: 38(4)

Article Type: Interview

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description

"Useful men are some of the greatest blessings of a people. Tohave many such is more for a people's happiness than almostanything, unless it be God's own gracious, spiritual presenceamongst them; they are precious gifts of heaven."

Certainly one of the most useful men in evangelical history wasthe man who preached those words, pastor and theologian JonathanEdwards. Commemorating his 300th birthday, general editors JohnPiper and Justin Taylor chose ten essays that highlight differentaspects of Edwards's life and legacy and show how his teachings arejust as relevant today as they were three centuries ago.

Even within the church, many people know little more aboutEdwards than what is printed in American history textbooks-mostoften, excerpts from his best-known sermon, "Sinners in the Handsof an Angry God." They unjustly envision Edwards preaching onlyfire and brimstone to frightened listeners. But he knew andpreached God's heaven as much as Satan's hell. He was a humble andjoyful servant, striving to glorify God in his personal life andpublic ministry.

This book's contributors investigate the character and teachingsof the man who preached from a deep concern for the unsaved and apassionate desire for God. Studying the life and works of thisdynamic Great Awakening figure will rouse slumbering Christians,prompting them to view the world through Edwards's God-centeredlens.

Customer Reviews (5)

Good book but Shocked that Edwards owned people (slaves)
How could I have missed the fact that one of my favorite Authors, Jonathan Edwards owned slaves as revealed in this book! I highly commend the African American writer, Sherard Burns, who wrote the Chapter in this book titled,"Trusting the Theology of a Slave Owner", Burns deals head on in this oneChapter devoted to a little known fact on this aspect in the life of this great Christian writer and Theologian. Burns could not have handled this defect in Edwards character with any more delicacy & skill. He is to be commended for it. Not many people could have pulled that off, especially knowing how much damage the evils of slavery caused for Burns own African American ancestors. Burns wrote delicately but truthfully. He did not lash out attacks on Jonathan Edwards and make it personal but it is clear that Burns acknowledged Edwards as an imperfect, flawed man (as all human beings are because of the fall of Adam), but with a great teaching gift.The writer successfully walked a tight rope of wisdom and grace toward Edwards without excusing his behavior.In doing this, Burns shows himself to be a wise an equally great writer.

I'm shocked that someone that could write such beautiful Spirit-filled sermons could own slaves and defend it.He was not even close to understanding the evils of Slavery and the Slave Trade. Nor was he like my other hero, William Wilberforce, a wealthy distinguished Member of the British Parliament who fought to end Slavery. It is such a puzzle that a man who so passionately promoted the "Glory ofGod" could own people made in the image of God.
Paul the Apostle in his letter to Philemon, pleaded the cause of a runaway slave in a one page letter in the New Testament portion of the Bible (between Titus & Hebrew). This gives us a glimpse into the Apostle Paul's feelings on slavery. No other Author, not even Edwards has done so much in Christianity and written more of the text of the New Testament than Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles.Paul urged Philemon to remember to treat this renegade slave well. He went on to remind the Slave Master that he was also a slave to God, his heavenly Master.
It is not that Paul was pro-slavery in sending the slave back to his Master but Paul wanted both of them to learn forgiveness and the proper way to relate to each other. Paul urged the Slave Master, Philemon, his dear friend that he led to faith in Jesus, to treat this renegade slave, Onesimus, as a beloved brother in Christ, not like a Slave. Much further into his letter, Paul takes special liberties to remind the Slave master that it was he (Paul) who was responsible for the Slave master friend coming to faith in Christ. Paul then uses this fact to cleverly entreat Philemon to even give Onesimus, his freedom. This letter from Paul was as anti-slavery as it gets, for all of you who feel Paul endorsed slavery, read this letter.
When reading Jonathan Edwards sermons they are still brilliant, just don't confuse the message with the messenger. His words are still heavily bible based!

Man is created to glorify God.
Man's first duty and ultimate purpose is not himself but God. Man has an obligation to serve God. God only has an obligation to himself and His personality. Man does not exist to make himself prosper or to be content. God has no obligation to bring me or anyone else happiness or prosperity. The saints are to gather to worship God, the saints should be instructed about God, the saints should praise and worship God, all songs song by the saints should bring glory to God, the saints should read God's word to know God's will, and the saints should gather together to fellowship together: All thing to glorify God- not to bring contentment to the individual or to exhilarate euphoria to the individual or the body of Christ. The joy of the Lord comes to his His followers when they seek God's will, but in no way the prime directive to those who are in Christ.

What is the God entranced vision of Jonathan Edwards: A man who surely was a follower of Christ? He also was a theologian, philosopher scholar, and a pastor of a church in the 18th century: A man who truly followed God with both his heart and his head. This book examines the life of Jonathan Edwards. Eleven people contributed to the ten chapters and two appendixes in this work. The first chapter of this work written by John Piper establishes the theme of this work that Jonathan Edwards and his ministry was God centered. The first appendix of this work is a sermon given by John Piper that follows in the footprints of Jonathan Edwards.

Stephen J. Nichols writes the conventional event oriented chapter about the great theologian Jonathan Edwards. Noel Piper, Sherand Burns, and Mark Dever wrote about aspects of Jonathan Edwards' life. J.I. Packer and Donald S. Whitney cover more the thought process of the theologian, Pastor and Philosopher.Paul Helm, Sam Storms, and Mark L. Talbot examine the three major works written by Jonathan Edwards. Those major works are Original Sin, Freedom of the Will, and Religious Affections.

J.L. Packer wrote about focus Christian Religion. Pastor Edwards referred as just religion. The Christian life starts with regeneration, repentance, and assured faith and hope in Jesus Christ. One cannot and will not accept God's authority without regeneration. Without acceptance of God's word an individual will not repent for his rebellion to God. Assured faith and hope in Christ is a benefit to the believer, but the ultimate end is to glorify God. The same can be said about a revival. Revival of an individual main ultimate purpose is to glorify God. The same is true when multitudes of individuals are revived.

Douglas Whitney covered the discipline the discipline of religious practice. All practices are not good. Not all good practices are not Biblical practices. The practices are not ends to themselves. The practices are ways to serve God or instruments to live a life of sufficient godliness. The practices are Bible intake, prayer, private worship, solitude, fasting, journal keeping and the stewardship of time.

Noel Piper writes about the home life of both Edwards: Sarah and Jonathan. Also is the courtship of these two. This chapter ignores that the Edwards had three slaves to aid in her home front. Anyway Husband Edwards left the domestic chores to his wife who 13 children and often counseled future pastors who stayed for a brief periods to be mentor by the Pastor Edwards.

Sherand Burns's chapter discusses the incongruity of this great theologian and the owner of slaves. Jonathan Edwards even defended another pastor who was fired because he used slaves in his household.So he not only had slaves himself but publicly defended the practice.

Mark Dever's chapter covers the half-way controversy. This chapter is totally sympathetic to Edwards. No word critical of Edwards for not bringing up the issue earlier in the Pastorate at Northampton of Jonathan Edward. Dever's focus is how the Pastor should risk being dismissed so the church stays consistent with God's teaching and God's will.
.

Gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for Edwards
A great concept for a book - ten different people writing about various facets of the life and legacy of Jonathan Edwards.I especially enjoyed the chapter that dealt with Jonathan's amazing wife Sarah as well as the chapter that wrestled with accepting the theology of a slave owner (yes, Jonathan Edwards did own slaves).The chapters were all written by individuals with a great appreciation for Edwards, his theology, his life, work and legacy, so reading it was a real joy...but not an easy task.Part Three of the book examined some of the theological issues best attributed to the work of Edwards, a Puritan and strict Calvinist whose writings on original sin, the freedom of the will and religious affections are still read and discussed today.The authors of this book pointed out various challenges to Edwardian theology and did an excellent job of communicating what Edwards wrote and taught without overshadowing it with their own opinions.

The book is great for any reader wanting to know more about Jonathan Edwards and although it isn't an easy book to read, it is worth the effort for someone wanting to either gain an appreciation for this man and his legacy or deepen their understanding of what he taught and the role he played at such a critical time in American history.Students of early American history should have a familiarity with Jonathan Edwards and this is a great book to move from acquaintance to appreciation.

Historical Theology/Biography with Plenty of Application!
A God Entranced Vision of All Things is a wonderful look at the legacy and relevance of Jonathan Edwards life and teachings.John Piper and Justin Taylor have assembled (and also contributed to) a remarkable series of essays on the different aspects of Edwards' legacy.As the back of the book declares:"This book's contributors investigate the character and teachings of the man who preached from a deep concern for the unsaved and a passionate desire for God.Studying the life and works of this dynamic Great Awakening figure will rouse slumbering Christians, prompting them to view the world through Edward's God-centered lens."

The book is divided into three sections.Part I "The Life and Legacy of Jonathan Edwards" introduces the book, and contains 3 essays on our need to rediscover Edwards, a biography of Edwards, and information about his marriage and family (ably done by Mrs. Noel Piper).Part II "Lessons from Edward's Life and Thought" contains some excellent essays by J.I. Packer and Mark Dever. But, for sheer impact and power, the highlight of this section was the essay by Sherard Burns, "Trusting the Theology of a Slave Owner".Mr. Burns, an African-American pastor and theologian, thoroughly and fairly looks at the reality of Edwards' ownership of slaves, and the failure of Edwards to apply his theology to that area.Burns, without excusing Edwards, gives a remarkable analysis of this sin in Edwards.Here are the paragraphs that blew me away:

"As an African American, I know daily the pressures of being in a predominantly white society.Yet how I approach that society, the grid by which I engage that society, is more telling than anything else.God cannot be sovereign over some things and yet not in control of others.This is no justification for abuse or racism, for such perpetuators will have their day of reckoning.But the eradication of racism today, as would be the case with slavery then, will not come about through programs, but by means of a God-centered and God-entranced view of reality.We must not be governed by the political persuasion of today, but governed by the sovereign reign and rule of God.Whatever we may think of Edwards, one thing is for certain:He left the American church with the necessary theological truths to kill racism in our hearts and to be conquerors of it in the church.

In light of that, though we fight and should fight the residue of such hatred in our day, the reality is that the desire to be theologically orthodox means we must add to our shelves books by dead white men who owned slaves.All our heroes today have clay feet.Jonathan Edwards was not a perfect man, and he did not get everything right, nor did he stand for all the right things.Neither do any of us.His blind spots and sins are pointers to our own blind spots and sins.To ask for grace and mercy on our own sins is, by logical implication, to be ready and willing to extend it to Edwards." (p. 170-171)."

Wow!'Nuff said!

Part 3 "Expositions of Edwards's Major Theological Works" is also very helpful in understanding some of Edwards more(admittedly) difficult works.The book concludes with an Appendix by (of course) Piper, who writes an "Edwardsean Sermon" in honor of Edwards, and a helpful guide by Justin Taylor on "Reading Jonathan Edwards:Objections and Recommendations".

All in all, I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in gaining a more God-centered, God-entranced view of all things.

great book - edwards continues to inspire!
This really is a great look at a number of characteristics of Jonathan Edward's life and ministry.A pretty quick read, but rich in depth, the book unashamedly argues for exactly what it says: a "God-entranced vision of all things".Piper hits the ball out of the park in the chapters he contributes (did you expect any less?), and the chapters by J.I. Packer and Mark Dever are also particularly good.Check it out today! ... Read more

Product Description
J. Gresham Machen (1881–1937) taught New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary from 1906 to 1929, when he founded Westminster Theological Seminary.

Following three chapters devoted to Machen’s life, Nichols examines Machen’s writings on theology and the Bible, on culture, and on the church (including several sermons). A select guide to books by and about Machen, a bibliography, and indexes conclude this accessible introduction to one of the twentieth century’s most important theologians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful introduction to Machen's life and thought
As he did in his two other books of similar style--on Martin Luther and Jonathan Edwards--Stephen Nichols gives detailed, yet clear insight into one of the lesser-known figures of American Evangelicalism.Unlike Luther and Edwards, who lived in different time periods, J. Gresham Machen lived and taught closer to our modern era.He enjoyed playing football and attending baseball games, even skipping a class or two while at Princeton Seminary!But he was also very studious, and after spending a year studying in Germany became an associate professor at Princeton.

His study, particularly in the area of New Testament, enabled him to teach a generation of students the heart of the gospel and stand toe-to-toe with critical scholars who would denude it of its saving power.It was this latter stance that would eventually lead to his leaving the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. One of the more touching stories was his personal ministry to a Richard Hodges, an alcoholic who became a Christian, but who continued to struggle with his alcoholism for many years.Machen found him a place to stay away from the influence of old friends and funded his rent and other living expenses for nearly 20 years.And when Hodges died, he paid for the funeral.

What Nichols demonstrates from start to finish is the life of a man who lived the message of the Gospel to the fullest:He preached Jesus Christ and him crucified; taught that there can be no separation of doctrine and life; enjoyed walking in the mountains of Europe and desired that national parks and other natural resources be preserved for generations to come; engaged the culture of his day with the Christian message; and loved to entertain Princeton students on Saturday evenings with fruit and tobacco. [At that time only men attended the seminary.]

If you want to learn more about Machen, but don't know where to begin, pick up this book.
... Read more

Product Description
is a critical collection focusing on the intersections of art, history, literature, philosophy, and theory. It is this fifth term, ?theory,? that marked the volume?s significance during the early 1980s?a time of heightened conflict over the newly emerging role of ?theory? in the humanities. As Stephen G. Nichols notes in his new preface, ?[s]ince so much poststructuralist thought has focused on representation, it was natural, if not inevitable, for scholars involved in the project to turn to mimesis, representation as imitation, for a concept that bridged the historical and the contemporary.? This, of course, has not been the first time that mimesis has played a key role in ?bridging? an intellectual divide. The onto-theological dimension of Medieval thought brings together the Judeo-Christian Creator and the Platonic-Aristotelian metaphysics of Being as just one instance of the importance of mimesis in conjoining philosophical divisions.From Eugene Vance?s exploration of Augustine?s metaphysics to Timothy J. Reiss?s discussion of representation and modern political theory, offers a truly interdisciplinary and wide-ranging historical inquiry into a foundational concept in the arts, literature, and philosophy. First published in an era in which ?theory? was portrayed as the antithesis of humanistic study, this collection provides a necessary account of a new synthesis of the humanities and theoretical inquiry. With the persisting tensions within the humanities now over the future of theory, recaptures a critical element in this long debate, providing a sophisticated analysis of mimesis and demonstrating a unique theoretical method of scholarship. ... Read more

Product Description

"While modernists are currently so mired in the question of who did what to whom during World War II that they have lost a sense of intellectual urgency, the study of medieval literature and culture has never been more alive or at a more interestingly innovative stage." -- from the Introduction Medievalism and the Modernist Temper brings major and outstanding younger medievalists into confrontation with the notion of medievalism itself in order to chart the directions the field has taken in the past and may take in the future. The collection not only explores modern conceptions of cultural patterns in the Middle Ages but also makes a significant contribution to the wider field of sociology of knowledge in the humanities. In its largest sense, it is a study of the institution of modern scholarship, using medieval literature as a focus. Contributors are R. Howard Bloch, Alain Boureau, E. Jane Burns, Michael Camille, Alain Corbellari, John M. Ganim, John M. Graham, Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, Suzanne Fleischman, David Hult, Carl Landauer, Seth Lerer, Stephen G. Nichols, Per Nykrog, and Jeffrey M. Peck."This highly original, polemical and paradigm-shifting book challenges academics to look more closely at the ideological foundations of the very disciplines we practice. Perhaps its most extraordinary contribution to literary studies as a whole (and it emerges with luminous clarity from the editors' Introduction) is to offer a new, historicized means of reviving what was once known as 'source studies.'" -- Jody Enders, University of California, Santa Barbara

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent collection of essays on a neglected topic
The editors of this volume are two of the most important scholars in the field of Medieval Studies today.They are also both exponents of a new approach to the study of the Middle Ages that has come to be called "The New Philology".While this is neither the time nor the place to engage in a discussion of this approach, suffice to say that the essays in this book are informed by a theoretically and critically informed postmodern sensibility.Happily, however, the focus of these essays is *not* theory in and of itself-- the essays are about specific texts and well-defined topics.Even more happily, the essays avoid the jargon-laden impenetrability that too often comes with other worksn that have a postmodern bent to them.The writing here is quite clear and direct, at least as scholarly prose goes. (That said, this still is *primarily* a book for scholars, rather than for a general reading public.It tends to assume familiarity with major works of medieval literature, with the names of famous medieval scholars-- especially those of the 19th century-- and the general history of medieval scholarship as a whole.)

So, that said, what is this book actually about?A lot of things, actually...It contains many short articles on a variety of topics that fall under the rubric of the title, "Medievalism and the Modernist Temper".This means that the book is not about the Middle Ages, per se. Rather, it is about *medievalism*-- that is to say, the scholarly study of the Middle Ages.While medieval scholarship takes the Middle Ages as the object of its study, the fact remains that medievalism is a distinctly modern phenomenon.In spite of some stirrings during the 18th century Enlightenment, the scholarly study of the middle ages did not begin in earnest until the 19th century.Not only were many "classic" texts of medieval literature completely unknown until the 19th century (e.g. Beowulf, the Song of Roland), many of the terms we use today to describe medieval phenomena and values were, in fact, coined in the 19th century.The phrase "courtly love" (a.k.a. amour courtois) for instance, was not used the Middle Ages; it was invented in the 1860s by a French philologist named Gaston Paris.

"Medievalism & the Modernist Temper" examines some of the ways in which the study of the Middle Ages has been shaped by *modern* individuals acting within *modern* institutions, that have been motivated by *modern* beliefs, assumptions, and concerns.As such, I suppose this could be understood as a kind of 'meta-history of the Middle Ages'-- one that examines how the concerns of the modern world have shaped the way in which scholars have come to view the medieval world in the past 200 years.The essays variously explore issues, such as how the experience of the Napoleonic wars shaped the ways in which the young German philologist Jakob Grimm came to view Romance languages and literature, and how the loves and frustrations in the personal life of Gaston Paris and his friends led him to formulate his ideas about 'courtly love' in the way that he did.

All in all, These essays offer a striking set of examples about how modernity shapes what we consider to be medieval, and how the so-called 'private' experiences and values of modern scholars shape the character of their 'public' scholarship.

I only have two (mild) criticism of this otherwise excellent collection.First, it tends to focus, almost exclusively, on those medievalist scholars whose research lay in the area of language and literature, as opposed to those who worked in the realm of political/economic/religious history.Second, it tends to focus primarily on French scholars (e.g. Gaston Paris, Paul Meyer, Leon Gautier, etc.)-- and other scholars who studied medieval French languages/literatures (e.g. Jakob Grimm), to the exclusion of scholarship in other fields.Still, the focus on French 'literary medievalism' does add an additional layer of thematic unity to these essays, so I can't really complain too much.

One final word:Some folks might want to compare this to Norman Cantor's "Inventing the Middle Ages".However, there really is no comparison.Whereas Cantor's book consists of a series of short, polemical biographies of prominent 20th century medievalists, with no real ideas to advance on how the study of the Middle Ages is itself a product of modern concerns, this collection's articles point out, in a way that Cantor fails to, just what is "at stake" here.They show the degree to which Middle Ages-- and our ideas about it-- are substantially modern inventions (not fictions, necessarily, but inventions) that have come about largely as a result of modern concerns.

Highly recommended for all those interested in the theory and practice of medieval scholarship (especially literary scholarship and philology)... but be prepared to have naive ideas about the relation of past and present, and about the 'objectivity' of scholarship as an activity, shattered. ... Read more

Product Description
14 essays cover literary theory, criticism, and history, concepts of form and structure, the Baroque, Romanticism, realism, positivism, comparative literature, and American and twentieth-century criticism. ... Read more