Jonathan Edwards: a universe of personal relationships

The final chapters of George M. Marsden's biographical masterpiece, Jonathan Edwards: A Life, powerfully and effectively highlight the dominant themes of Edwards' life and ministry.  It may appear cliche'd, but the final paragraphs of the book are profound...

"Among other things, Edwards challenges the commonsense view of our culture that the material world is the "real world".  Edwards' universe is essentially a universe of personal relationships.  Reality is a communication of affections, ultimately of God's love and creatures' responses...

"God's trinitarian essence is love.  God's purpose in creating a universe in which sin is permitted must be to communicate that love to creatures.  The highest or most beautiful love is sacrificial love for the undeserving.  Those who are given eyes to see that ineffable beauty will be enthralled by it. They will see the beauty of a universe in which unsentimental love triumphs over real evil.  They will not be able to view Christ's love dispassionately but rather will respond to it with their deepest affections.  Truly seeing such good, they will have no choice but to love it.  Glimpsing such love, they will be drawn away from their preoccupations with the gratifications of their most immediate sensations.  They will be drawn from their self-centred universes.  Seeing the beauty of the redemptive love of Christ as the true centre of reality, they will love God and all that he has created." (p. 503, 505)