Century Quote by Oliver D. Crisp
![“[ Jonathan] Edwards is the person who really made theological determinism a serious option for Reformed thinkers, and the influence his views had in nineteenth century Reformed thought, in the USA and the UK in particular, is enormous.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ae4/oliver-d-crisp-12863_century_jonathan-edwards-is-the-person-who-reall_2794909.jpg)
“[ Jonathan] Edwards is the person who really made theological determinism a serious option for Reformed thinkers, and the influence his views had in nineteenth century Reformed thought, in the USA and the UK in particular, is enormous.”
About This Quote
Source Academic article: History of theology, date unknown
Credits Jonathan Edwards with popularizing theological determinism in Reformed thought.
In simple terms: Edwards shaped theological determinism.
Key Takeaway
Study historical influences on doctrine.
Themes
theology
history
determinism
Mood
analytical
historical
Type
academic
theological
When to use this quote
- seminar
- religious studies
- academic research
Key Concepts
Reformed thought
19th‑century theology
Questions to Reflect On
- How did Edwards’ ideas spread?
- What alternatives existed?
A Different Perspective
May simplify complex influences.
![“Sometimes we can lose the wood for the trees. Some specific issues dealt with in the book [Saving Calvinism]: the scope of election (who is saved?); the nature of the atonement (do we have to hold to penal substitution if we're Reformed?); the scope of the atonement (for whom did Christ die?)…” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/74c/oliver-d-crisp-12863_atonement_sometimes-we-can-lose-the-wood-for-the-t_1996596.jpg)
![“[John] Calvin is revered as a thinker of immense importance in Reformed thought, Jonathan Edwards could say in his preface to his treatise on Freedom of the Will that he had derived none of his views from the work of Calvin, though he was willing to be called a "Calvinist" for the sake of…” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/79f/oliver-d-crisp-12863_conventions_john-calvin-is-revered-as-a-thinker-of-i_1850444.jpg)
![“The expansion I have in mind isn't the same as distortion. Of course, there are those who say their views represent Reformed thought, but what they end up with is a caricature of what Reformed thinking is really about. I hope I am not one of those people, but readers [of the Saving Calvinism] will…” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c33/oliver-d-crisp-12863_calvinism_the-expansion-i-have-in-mind-isn-t-the-s_1930588.jpg)
![“The book [Saving Calvinism] itself is not recommending that we move the borders, so to speak. It is recommending that we look at what lies within the confessional bounds of Reformed thought.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e7b/oliver-d-crisp-12863_book_the-book-saving-calvinism-itself-is-not_1612566.jpg)
![“How many people in the pews know that [ Jonathan Edwards] is both a founder of evangelicalism and, say, an idealist who denied that the material world exists?” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9cf/oliver-d-crisp-12863_denied_how-many-people-in-the-pews-know-that-jo_747704.jpg)
![“Here is the interesting twist:[McLeod] Campbell came to his views through reading Jonathan Edwards who suggested at one point in his ruminations on the atonement that Christ could have offered up a perfect act of penitence instead of punishment, and that this would have been an acceptable offering…” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c6f/oliver-d-crisp-12863_acceptable_here-is-the-interesting-twist-mcleod-cam_712068.jpg)
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![“What I am trying to argue here [Save Calvinism] and in other works before this one is that the Reformed tradition as I have characterized it is much broader and richer than many of us today imagine. It is not just about "Five Points," and it was never just about [John ] Calvin's thought.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cb/oliver-d-crisp-12863_arguing_what-i-am-trying-to-argue-here-save-calv_134263.jpg)
![“[John Calvin] writes clearly, directly, without artifice, and gets straight to the practical heart of the matter.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/872/oliver-d-crisp-12863_artifice_john-calvin-writes-clearly-directly-with_309224.jpg)
![“In the chapter on the nature of the atonement [in the book saving Calvinism] I argue that it is a mistake to think that penal substitution is the only option on the doctrine of atonement.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5fe/oliver-d-crisp-12863_arguing_in-the-chapter-on-the-nature-of-the-aton_377313.jpg)
![“Reading [John] Calvin is a breath of fresh air.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e14/oliver-d-crisp-12863_air_reading-john-calvin-is-a-breath-of-fresh_529860.jpg)
![“To my mind [ Jonathan Edwards] is an interesting figure because he is both a canonical Reformed thinker, and yet also someone that pushed the envelope in a number of key areas of theology.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/45c/oliver-d-crisp-12863_areas_to-my-mind-jonathan-edwards-is-an-intere_588690.jpg)
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