A Comparison of Winthrop and Edwards to the Apostles of Christ

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A Comparison of Winthrop and Edwards to the Apostles of Christ

I find John Winthrop and Jonathan Edwards to be the most fascinating writers I have ever read. For one, they are the "apostles" of our time. Second, their comparisons to the apostles of Christ are too close to ignore.

There are three historical, Christian milestones. One being after the death of Christ where an evangelical movement of Christ's disciples, friends and brothers preached on how Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the Son of God. The second milestone was when the Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom, and many ministers guided and directed the pilgrims toward the "City of God". One of the last historical Christian movements seen is the Great Awakening. This movement was to trade deistic notions of reason and rationality to faith, God, and Divine Providence. Among the apostles of Biblical times, the most influential were Apostles James and Paul. One of the great writers and speakers of his time, John Winthrop represents the second mark, leaving Jonathan Edwards as one of the most remembered preacher of the Great Awakening.

John Winthrop's writings are intensely related to the Apostle James' writings. Jonathan Edwards approaches his audience in the same manner as Apostle Paul, and both carry a burden to lead people to their Savior. Interestingly enough, Winthrop and Edwards are speaking the gospel, but one is speaking to a different circle of people than the other and with a totally different message. Likewise, as someone has written, "Paul and James do not stand face to face, fighting each other, but they stand back to back, fighting opposite foes" (McGee 64).

In John Winthrop's "A Model of Christian Chari...

... middle of paper ...

...ave a unity under their great love for God. They persevere, and they press toward the kingdom of God through their writings and teachings.

Works Cited

Bensick, Carol. "Jonathan Edwards." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed.Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and Company, 1990. 561-564.

Edwards, Jonathan. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and Company, 1990. 584-595.

McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible Commentary Series: James. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991.

New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1984.

Wiersbe, Warren N. Be Free. USA: S P Publications, 1975.

Winthrop, John. "from a Modell of Christian Charity." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Canada: DC Heath and company, 1990. 226-238.

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