Marks of Saving Grace

Eric Lehner examines Edwards's use of philosophical, historical, and biblical sources in Religious Affections and demonstrates that Edwards's theology in this key work is governed by Scripture, rather than by historical, metaphysical, or epistemological considerations. Lehner calls into question the proliferation of proposals that suggest Edwards's theology is driven by central interpretive ideals, socioeconomic forces, philosophical models, or other nonbiblical considerations. He uncovers the shortfalls of secular interpretations of Edwards and advances an interpretation that endeavors to understand him in terms of his faith, rather than apart from it.

About the Author :
Eric J. Lehner (M.Div., Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary; Th.M., Virginia Beach Theological Seminary; Ph.D., Baptist Bible Seminary) is the Academic Dean and Professor of Theology at Virginia Beach Theological Seminary.

Review :
"Christians want, and sometimes lack, assurance of their salvation. Finding salvation and finding assurance are not quite the same thing. Eric Lehner sheds light on this problem by reading Jonathan Ed-wards's Religious Affections as a treatise on assurance. By setting Edwards against his historical, philosophical, and theological back-ground, this reading provides fresh insight into one of the most widely read works of Christian theology and devotion. Lehner's contribution, while narrow, is important for a full understanding of Edwards."--Kevin T. Bauder, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis "Eric Lehner's academic tour de force hits two birds with one stone. First, it elucidates Edwards's view of assurance in the context of his Puritan ancestors, demonstrating his exegetical and pastoral sensitivi-ty. Second, it explores how one of America's most brilliant minds integrated sources ranging from the Holy Scriptures to the philosophy of John Locke under a coherent theological methodology. Lehner's monograph makes a valuable contribution to the study of the premier pastor-theologian in the First Great Awakening."--Joel R. Beeke, President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary "Few books are more needed for pastoral reflection than Jonathan Edwards's Religious Affections. Not only does Edwards help us pastors think through the nature of true conversion and assurance, he also warns us about the reality of hypocrisy and self-deception in ways that remain pastorally relevant. In addition, as the historian Perry Miller noted, Edwards offers the most wide-ranging and valuable textbook on religious psychology in recent times. Eric Lehner's treatment in Marks of Saving Grace offers something not only for Edwards special-ists, but for pastors and leaders wrestling with the nature of assurance and saving faith. It proves to be a valuable addition to the literature on Religious Affections."--Sean Michael Lucas, Professor of Church History, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson "I love it when scholars provide a close reading of a text! Dr. Lehner examines Religious Affections with a prodigious eye to detail, and he asks bigger questions about the theological method adopted in Edwards's exposition of Christian assurance and authentic spiritual experience. With clarity, common sense, and appeal to context, Lehner draws together the skills of theologian and historian to remind us that it is not how we set out on the journey that really counts but signs of progress along the way.--Rhys Bezzant, Dean of Missional Leadership, Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center, Ridley College, Australia "Lehner's work fills a clear void in Edwards scholarship. After meticu-lous examination of A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, Lehner concludes: Let Edwards be Edwards--a Bible-centered theologian and churchman passionate to defend Christian assurance first and foremost from Scripture and, only after thus proved, to support and illustrate the doctrine by philosophical and historical means. Lehner's careful study advances our understanding of Edwards's theological method and commends his doctrine of assurance for the good of the church."--Kenneth M. Gardoski, Assistant Director, Ph.D. Studies, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Clarks Summit University "Professor Lehner has offered here an outstanding contribution to our understanding of Edwards, his doctrine of assurance, and his theolog-ical method, riding a wave of recent work on Edwards's biblical exegesis. I am happy to recommend it."--Douglas A. Sweeney, Professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought, Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School "Sympathetic to Jonathan Edwards's own vision, enviably well-versed in the relevant literature, and carefully documented, Marks of Saving Grace is a significant new study of Religious Affections. Dr. Lehner's discussions range from a careful assessment of Edwards's theological method to a valuable and balanced assessment of his use of proof texts, and an illuminating analysis of his source material. This is an important contribution to the increasingly massive corpus of Jonathan Edwards scholarship. Given its subject matter, it merits the attention not only of scholars and students, but also of those who--like Ed-wards himself--are working pastors."--Sinclair Ferguson, Chancellor's Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries "To bring new, significant insight to an already robust understanding and appreciation of Edwards's classic treatise on the doctrine of assurance is not an easy accomplishment. Yet this is indeed what Dr. Lehner has accomplished. He has succeeded in paying careful attention to contextualizing Edwards, offering the general reader, as well as the scholar, a dizzying composite of information with percep-tive interpretation. Though a doctoral dissertation (evidenced by the mass of scholarly footnotes and conversations), the work is a delight-ful introduction to the mind of Edwards. It is also a serious antidote to false ideas about the doctrine of God and the nature of redemption, and the consequent lifestyle of desires, passions, and priorities. I highly recommend this intriguing study, regardless of readers' previ-ous acquaintance with Mr. Edwards."--John D. Hannah, Distinguished Professor of Historical Theology, Research Professor of Theological Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary "When Jonathan Edwards and his contemporaries emphasized conversion and the new birth in the eighteenth century, their preach-ing brought with it the question, "How can I know that I have been born again?" In Marks of Saving Grace, Eric Lehner takes up the crucial question in Edwards's thought about how one can distinguish between true and false conversions. Beginning with Edwards's own struggle over whether he had truly been converted, and then moving on to discuss how Edwards grappled with history, Scripture, and epistemology, this book offers a comprehensive look at Edwards's theology on a question that has been vital to evangelicals ever since at least the eighteenth century. Whether readers come to this book with historical questions or theological questions, they will benefit from reading Edwards with Lehner as their guide."--Lincoln A. Mullen, Assistant Professor, Department of History and Art History, George Mason University