God of Grace and God of Glory: An Account of the Theology of Jonathan Edwards [first edition]

Jonathan Edwards is increasingly recognized as one of the church’s most interesting and significant theologians, yet synthesizing his thought has proven difficult. This new study by Stephen Holmes finds the key to the whole of Edwards’s theology in the concept of “glory.” Using as his starting point the thesis of a work Edwards left for publication when he died—that God’s fundamental decision that there should be something other than himself is based on a desire to promote the overflow of his own glory—Holmes shows how Edwards’s use of “glory” clarifies his thought in such areas as creation, salvation, the church, and his notorious description of hell. Based on readings of all Edwards’s major works as well as important unpublished materials, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to Edwards for nonspecialists and makes an original contribution to Edwards scholarship.