An Introduction To John Owen

Over 3 centuries since his passing, Puritan John Owen continues to impact readers through his writings. With over 8 million words published in 80 titles, his topics were as diverse as they were many, ranging from theological works to sociopolitical topics such as the proper nurture and education of children. An Introduction to John Owen by Crawford Gribben is a theological survey of these works, inviting readers to experience anew the grace of God as they go through the Christian life. For Owen, spiritual life was about increasing in grace and goodness, in fellowship with each member of the Trinity. This exploration captures the vision of the Christian life that Owen wished for his readers to have and distills it into an accessible companion volume.

That the man who has been called "the greatest British theologian of all time" should have no adequately researched biography of his life and times would be incredible if it were not a fact. But as Dr. Toon, an able historian who specializes in the Puritan era, shows in this book, John Owen was even more than just a great theologian. He exercised a profound influence on youth as Dean of Christ Church, and Vice Chancellor in the University of Oxford; he was also a statesman of no mean order, whose wisdom often prevented excesses into which his contemporaries would have fallen in their untampered zeal; but above all, he was a spiritual shepherd with a true pastor's heart who delighted in nothing so much as to feed the flock of God. Dr. Toon, who has been engaged for over four years on almost continuous research, has produced a volume full of new information as well as an assessment of the tremendous influence of this outstanding leader. The current worldwide interest in the Puritan period underlines the timeliness and importance of this new work. John Owen achieved national recognition when at the comparatively early age of thirty he preached before the House of Commons at St. Margaret's, Westminster. Yet his achievements would eventually be recorded in higher archives than any mere earthly ones, for he was to become a revered and redoubtable servant of the King of kings. Like many other renowned servants of God, John Owen cared little for personal aggrandizement and by his own command not one of his diaries has been preserved; and since the extant letters in which he lays bare his soul are very few, his biographer is hard put to find those personal touches which have helped to establish biography as an important part of English literature. Nevertheless this carefully researched study has been produced to help meet the need for a fuller life of this remarkable man.

The writing and teaching of John Owen, a 17th century pastor and theologian, continues to serve the church. Daily communion with God characterized his life and equipped him for both ministry and persecution. In The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson offers careful reflection and insight for Christians today as he highlights Owen's faith in the triune God of Scripture. We're reminded that regardless of our circumstances we can know God, enjoy Him, and encourage others.

John Owen is considered one of the sharpest theological minds of the seventeenth century and a significant theologian in his own right, particularly in terms of his contributions to pneumatology, christology, and ecclesiology.Carl Trueman presents a major study of the key elements of John Owen's writings and his theology. Presenting his theology in its historical context, Trueman explores the significance of Owen's work in ongoing debates on seventeenth century theology, and examines the contexts within which Owen's theology was formulated and the shape of his mind in relation to the intellectual culture of his day - particularly in contemporary philosophy, literature and theology.With the current resurgence of interest in seventeenth century Reformed theology amongst intellectual historians, and the burgeoning research in systematic theology, this book presents an invaluable study of a leading mind in the Reformation and the historical underpinnings for new systematic theology.

John Owen (1616-83) was the most significant theologian in 17th century England, and a key player in the revolution that created the English republic (1649-60). Rising from humble origins, he became preacher at the regicide of Charles I, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell in the invasions of Ireland and Scotland, vice chancellor of the University of Oxford, and the premier religious statesman of the Interregnum. The restoration of the monarchy pushed Owen into dissent, criminalizing his religious practice and driving his writing of eight million words in defense of high Calvinism and religious toleration. But Owen transcended his many experiences of defeat, and his claims to quietism were frequently undermined by rumors of his involvement in anti-government conspiracies. This religious biography traces the evolution of Owen's thinking and religious practice until his emergence as a leader of Restoration nonconformists.

Through engagement with the historical debate Incarnation and Inspiration offers a systematic exposition of the person of Jesus that brings together dissonant aspects of the tradition. It serves as an introduction to the theology to John Owen, the most able of the Puritan theologians and provides a way of understanding the theological dynamic underlying the Christology of the Fathers and the Definition of Chalcedon. Through its emphasis on coherence it seeks to illuminate the inner rationality of God's triune being and his mission among us through the Son and Spirit. Incarnation and inspiration are concepts which can be used to characterize two quite different ways of thinking about Christ. Although the history of doctrine suggests they are mutually exclusive, John Owen's theology effectively integrates them in one coherent Christology. The underlying structure of his exposition is that of incarnation, whereby the Son willingly assumed human nature into personal subsistence with himself. But his distinctive idea was that the divine Son acted on his own human nature indirectly and by means of the Holy Spirit. The foundation of the Spirit's distinctive work was the renewal of the image of God in the humanity of Christ, which the Spirit formed, sanctified, empowered, comforted and glorified. Owen thus affirmed an inspirational Christology within the framework of an Alexandrian interpretation of the incarnation. The coherence of this account is tested with respect to four areas of concern. Firstly, can a Christology which affirms the distinct operation of Christ's two natures successfully maintain the unity of his personal action? Secondly, is nature or ontological language too static to model the dynamic reality of Christ? Thirdly, is Owen justified in arguing that, other than in its assumption, the divine Son acts on his own human nature only indirectly and by means of the Spirit? Fourthly, does Owen's interpretation of the distinct action of the Trinitarian persons undermine the doctrine of the indivisibility of their external operations? Finally the significance of Owen's Christology is considered in relation to the Definition of Chalcedon and to modern theology.

John Owen's Classic Works on the Evil of Sin and the Power of Grace, Updated for Modern Readers Regarded as one of the greatest theologians in history, 17th-century pastor John Owen remains influential among those interested in Puritan and Reformed theology. The Complete Works of John Owen brings together all of Owen's original theological writing, including never-before-published work, reformatted for modern readers in 40 user-friendly volumes. Volume 15, The Christian Life—Sin and Temptation, includes the treatises "Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers"; "Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It"; "The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin"; and "A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace." Each work has been edited with extensive introductions by Kelly M. Kapic, Justin Taylor, and Shawn D. Wright. Released over a number of years, The Complete Works of John Owen will inspire a new generation of Bible readers and scholars to deeper faith. Edited and Formatted for Modern Readers: Presents Owen's original work, newly typeset with outlines, text breaks, headings, and footnotes Informative New Introductions: Provide historical, theological, and personal context Supporting Resources Enhance Reading: Include extensive annotations with sources, definitions, and translations of ancient languages Part of the Complete Works of John Owen Collection: Will release 40 hardcover volumes over a number of years Perfect for Churches and Schools: Ideal for students, pastors, theologians, and those interested in the Puritans