Every month the good people at Christian Audio release one of their books as a free download. This month the download is Jonathan Edwards' classic "The Religious Affections". Click here to order it and enter NOV2007 at the relevant stage to get it for free. You will have to register as a customer. Bear in mind that the download is 12 files, most of which are 35MB, so you're looking at over 400MB to download. Not one for dial up users! Quite helpfully each section will, when converted, fill an audio CD that could be played on a regular CD player.
But what a great offer - a chance to listen to a hugely important book. Section One is brilliant because it shows how important the affections (think emotions but deeper) are for true religion (by which Edwards' means true Christianity of course). Many Christians are divided into "lots of emotions but not much truth" vs. "lots of Bible truth but we never appear happy"! Okay, it's a caricature, but you may recognise the problem. This classic book is a never-bettered study on what does and does not constitute true religious affections.
Whether you download it or not, make a mental note to check Christian Audio each month for their latest offer.
1 comment:
Ha! I was literally in the middle of downloading part 6 when I came across your post!
(How are you by the way Tim? Enjoying Stone?)
Now affective theology is a beautiful beautiful thing, but I've got some questions for Mr Edwards as I listen - "will he smuggle in works to his definition of saving faith?" "As he seeks to differentiate true saving faith from counterfeit temporary faith, will he do so by a focus on self?" "As I seek assurance of salvation, will I be thrust back upon myself and an investigation of my inner workings, or on Christ and His once-for-all work."
Edwards has some *brilliant* things to say, but I do fear a danger (characteristic of Puritans, especially the later ones) of synergism and introspection. That is, a danger of combining faith and works (if only at the level of gaining assurance) and looking to myself to find the nature of true faith.
On the second issue - let me commend an exceptional and very short essay by Matt Jenson entitled "Faith is nothing at all"
www.scriptoriumdaily.com/2007/10/18/faith-is-nothing/
Anyway, I will listen with admiration and suspicion (and, of course, enflamed, loving affections!)
Post a Comment