Jonathan Edwards (academic) facts for kids
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Jonathan Edwards was an important scholar and leader who lived a long time ago, from 1629 to 1712. He was a theologian, which means he studied religion and God. He also served as the leader, or Principal, of Jesus College, Oxford, a famous college at the University of Oxford. He held this important position from 1686 until he passed away in 1712.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jonathan Edwards was born in a town called Wrexham in Wales. When he was a young man, he went to study at Christ Church, Oxford, another well-known college at the University of Oxford. He studied there for four years, from 1655 to 1659.
Joining Jesus College
After finishing his studies, Edwards became a Fellow at Jesus College in 1662. A Fellow is like a senior member or teacher at the college. He later became the Vice-Principal in 1668, which is the second-in-command. Finally, on November 2, 1686, he was chosen to be the Principal of Jesus College. This meant he was in charge of the entire college.
Important Roles at Oxford
Besides leading Jesus College, Jonathan Edwards also held a very high position at the entire University of Oxford. He was the Vice-Chancellor of the university from 1689 to 1691. This was a big deal because he was the first Principal of Jesus College to ever become the Vice-Chancellor of the whole university.
Other Church Positions
Edwards also had several roles in the church. He was a rector in places like Kiddington, Hinton Ampner, and Llandysul. A rector is a priest who is in charge of a parish. He was also a vicar in Clynnog Fawr. A vicar is similar to a rector. In addition, he was made the Treasurer of Llandaff Cathedral, which meant he managed the money for that important church.
His Writings and Ideas
Jonathan Edwards was known for his strong beliefs and for taking part in important discussions about religion. He wrote books to explain his ideas and to argue against other ways of thinking.
Debates and Publications
He was involved in debates with groups called Socinians and Antinomians. These groups had different ideas about Christian teachings. To share his views, Edwards published a book called A Preservative against Socinianism. This book came out in four parts between 1693 and 1703. He also wrote A Vindication of the Doctrine of Original Sin from the exceptions of Dr. Daniel Whitby in 1711. In this book, he defended a key Christian idea against someone who disagreed with it.
Legacy and Memorial
Jonathan Edwards passed away in 1712. He left a lasting gift to Jesus College. He gave his entire library of books to the college. He also left money to help fix up the college chapel, which is a special church building within the college. He was buried in that very chapel, where a memorial stone remembers him today.
