Richard Muller Lecture on Edwards

[Marrow Man]

A friend of mine posted a link to this lecture by Richard Muller. It is on Jonathan Edwards' view of free will. Here is a link to the mp3.

Jonathan Edwards is often regarded as an epitome of Calvinism for his teaching on the freedom of will, though he was, in his own time and for a century after his death, a much-debated thinker whose views polarized Reformed circles. This lecture will concentrate on Edwards’ reception in Britain, which has received little attention despite its significance in the Reformed tradition. Concentrating on two historical contexts, Dr. Muller will consider the mixed reception of Edwards’ thought, note differences between Edwards and the older Reformed orthodoxy, and point to a parting of the ways in the Reformed tradition that took place largely in the eighteenth century.

 

[MW]

It is good to see philosophical necessity coming under discussion again; through Gerstner and Sproul it has probably been assumed too easily to be one with Calvinism. Some of the contrasts in the lecture seemed a little mismatched. The Q&A brought out Edwards' continuity with the Puritans on piety. One might have looked to the same source for his views of the will, and especially the more psychological manner of discussing it. I also think Cunningham's presentation deserves a little more attention, and especially his "theological" and "confessional" context. One of the questioners seemed to put his finger on the difference between philosophy and theology but was too quickly dismissed. Overall, the lecture opens alot of doors for further exploration.

 

[Marrow Man]

Thanks, Rev. Winzer. Excellent insight.