The Psychology of Conversion according to Puritan Jonathan Edwards

The Majesty's Men ^ | May 5, 2016 | Obbie Todd

[CondoleezzaProtege]

In his famous A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God (1737), Jonathan Edwards took stock of the revival that blazed through Northampton and its neighboring villages in 1734-35. In conversion accounts such as those told by Abigail Hutchinson and Phebe Bartlet, the Northampton pastor found great encouragement from the local awakening. However, he also discovered that this outpouring of the Spirit looked differently for different people: “There is a vast difference, as observed, in the degree, and also in the particular manner, of persons’ experiences, both at and after conversion, some have grace working more sensibly in one way, others in another. Some speak more fully of a conviction of the justice of God in their condemnation; others, more of their consenting to the way of salvation by Christ; and some, more of the actings of love to God and Christ.” In many ways, A Faithful Narrative is evidence of Edwards’ departure from classic Puritan faculty psychology.

In establishing their “precise” religion, Puritans had developed a trans-Atlantic fixation with conversion that transcended that of their Reformation forbears. Unlike Calvin himself who rarely discussed the theme of conversion explicitly, Puritans transformed it into a science. An exact science. For instance, William Perkins’ A Golden Chaine (1591) was instrumental in introducing the notion of an “ordo salutis.” His pupil William Ames’ Medulla Sacrae Theologiae (1623) and De Conscientia (1630) were standard textbooks in New England, reflecting the systematization of conversion. After hearing stories from his local parishioners, however, Edwards was hesitant to paint a one-size-fits-all picture of the conversion experience.

Nevertheless, while Edwards was unwilling after the awakenings to draw an inflexible map of conversion...

[sauropod]

bkmk

[allendale]

It is apparent why Calvin was cool to the concept of “conversion”. Calvin believed in pre ordination. If God knew and had determined outcomes even before a given individual came into existence, then “conversion” was not more significant than a fireworks show. To Calvin it was more of a spectacle than a spiritual transformation that the individual brought about. Calvin was a cold , dark man and it was no accident that his adherents such as the Puritans were most comfortable wearing black.

[odawg]

“...his adherents such as the Puritans were most comfortable wearing black.”

That is much overdone. They also wore colorful clothes.

Calvin was probably a cold, dark man.

[tired&retired]

I spent over 25 years studying conversions, traveling around visiting charismatic congregations of many religions and denominations.

There is a real conversion process and there is a false process that resembles the real process.

While it is sometimes difficult to determine which you are observing, there is one big difference. In the fake process, the person surrenders their individual will externally to another person. In the real process, they surrender within to God.

When someone surrenders externally, it is very similar to a hypnotic trance. While I am trained in stage hypnosis, I will never use it as I don’t want people surrendering their will to me. There are simple techniques, that if I were ruthless enough to use them, would cause the entire church full of people to swear on a Bible that they are born again. It has absolutely nothing to do with religion.

[fatboy]

Reformed theology, at it’s core, teaches that we are saved (from damnation) purely by the grace of God, a free gift based on faith.

However, it also insists that (due to their doctrine of election) that one must perform works to maintain (or even prove) their divine election. Hence a good case can be made that sola gratia is not exactly fundamental to the reformed faith.

According to reformed theology, there is just one judgment and that is to determine saved or unsaved. There are no rewards for the good works of the saved. It in my opinion a difficult position to hold if one also holds to sola scriptura and takes those words seriously.