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Jonathan Edwards Collection
Jonathan Edwards on Beauty (Volume 2)
Beauty is hard to describe, but easy to identify. It resides in expected and unexpected places in our world. Beauty is present in our world in a variety of forms. Yet while the average person might think about the reality of beauty from time to time, few people would think about the source of beauty. Where does beauty come from? Why is it here?
Several hundred years ago Jonathan Edwards did some thinking of his own on this difficult subject. This volume explores his meditation on the subject and lays out a Christian framework for understanding and experiencing the beauty God has planted in His world.
Edwards found in the study of beauty the person of God. Where Edwards saw beautiful images and acts, he saw a representation, a small picture, of a reality too great to comprehend, a God too majestic to adequately adore. He sets in motion a path of glory that begins with the Lord, moves to creation, continues to the incarnation of Christ, moves to the church, and ascends to the glory of heaven, where the Holy Trinity dwells.
Easily accessible and readable, you do not need to be a scholar to enjoy these insights about Jonathan Edwards and his writings.
Several hundred years ago Jonathan Edwards did some thinking of his own on this difficult subject. This volume explores his meditation on the subject and lays out a Christian framework for understanding and experiencing the beauty God has planted in His world.
Edwards found in the study of beauty the person of God. Where Edwards saw beautiful images and acts, he saw a representation, a small picture, of a reality too great to comprehend, a God too majestic to adequately adore. He sets in motion a path of glory that begins with the Lord, moves to creation, continues to the incarnation of Christ, moves to the church, and ascends to the glory of heaven, where the Holy Trinity dwells.
Easily accessible and readable, you do not need to be a scholar to enjoy these insights about Jonathan Edwards and his writings.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
33 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Owen Strachan
44 books139 followersDr. Owen Strachan is Provost and Research Professor of Theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary (GBTS). Before coming to GBTS, he served as Associate Professor of Christian Theology and Director of the Residency PhD Program at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS). He holds a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, an MDiv from Southern Seminary, and an AB from Bowdoin College. Strachan has published fourteen books and writes regularly for the Christian Post, and Thoughtlife, his Patheos blog. Strachan hosts the
City of God
podcast. He is married and is the father of three children.
You can also connect with Strachan on Facebook.
You can also connect with Strachan on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 30, 2019
I admit I am not smart enough to read Jonathan Edwards, so this book is like putting on training wheels to help navigate his dense writing. This book met me at time where I so needed to be reminded of the beauty of the Trinity and the Church. Specifically the chapter on the beauty of creation reminds us to slow down, look carefully and contemplate the work of the Lord and His perfect design in all that lives and breathes and grows around us. Apparently a silk worm is a Christ-type that foreshadows His work on the cross, if we stop and take the time to ponder it.
September 8, 2025
“To study God is necessarily to study beauty; to study beauty is necessarily to study God” ~page 141
Really enjoyed this short introductory read that delves into Jonathan Edwards’ work on beauty. The organization of the chapters into specific topics such as the beauty of the Church and the beauty of the Trinitarian afterlife were helpful, and the focus at the end on using beauty in evangelism was a refreshing way to think about reaching the lost. This is a deceptively small book with a lot to meditate on!
Really enjoyed this short introductory read that delves into Jonathan Edwards’ work on beauty. The organization of the chapters into specific topics such as the beauty of the Church and the beauty of the Trinitarian afterlife were helpful, and the focus at the end on using beauty in evangelism was a refreshing way to think about reaching the lost. This is a deceptively small book with a lot to meditate on!
January 18, 2019
Overall effect was positive, I now want to read more Edwards, but less inclined to read more of this series, except to be pointed to his greatest hits. Works of Edwards I now want to look up:
“The End for which God Created the World”
“History of the Work of Redemption”
“The excellencies of Christ”
“Christ the Spiritual Sun”
“Heaven is a world of love”
“The End for which God Created the World”
“History of the Work of Redemption”
“The excellencies of Christ”
“Christ the Spiritual Sun”
“Heaven is a world of love”
May 25, 2020
This is like reading Edwards with training wheels (as another reviewer pointed out). But it's more than an anthology of random quotes. Strachan and Sweeney have done a masterful job of compiling Edwards' thought on the topic of beauty.
They summarize Edwards' theology of beauty as follows: God is the ultimate beauty in the universe (ch. 1). He reflects his beauty in creation (ch. 2) but preeminently in Christ (ch. 3), and by extension in the body of Christ, the church (ch. 4). Ultimately, believers will fully enjoy the shared Trinitarian love in heaven (ch. 5).
This was a fast and fun read, and I recommend it.
They summarize Edwards' theology of beauty as follows: God is the ultimate beauty in the universe (ch. 1). He reflects his beauty in creation (ch. 2) but preeminently in Christ (ch. 3), and by extension in the body of Christ, the church (ch. 4). Ultimately, believers will fully enjoy the shared Trinitarian love in heaven (ch. 5).
This was a fast and fun read, and I recommend it.
September 15, 2020
Good intro to Edwards' view on Beauty. Enjoyed the breakdown of each chapter, especially chapter 5.
1 Beauty of God
2 Beauty of Creation
3 Beauty of Christ
4 Beauty of the Church
5 Beauty of the Trinitarian Afterlife
Knowing that this book meant to give commentary on Edwards' writings, I would have still liked more of Edwards and less commentary from the authors.
Quotes:
"God set in motion an 'arc of glory' that began with Himself, moved to Creation, continues with the Incarnation of Christ, moved next to the Church, and is consummated in Heaven." -21
"We have not of course seen God in person, but we have seen His character, and read of His splendor, and discovered His excellent Son, and these vistas can lift us from giving in to temptation to lesser things if we simply raise our vision on a regular basis to behold the beauty of The Lord." -44
"For Edwards, heaven was 'a glorious loving society,' a realm of beauty that shone with the fullness of the loveliness of God." -120
"The 'fountain of love' from God will overflow, and the saints will always drink of that love, even as they pour out their own love to God." -136
1 Beauty of God
2 Beauty of Creation
3 Beauty of Christ
4 Beauty of the Church
5 Beauty of the Trinitarian Afterlife
Knowing that this book meant to give commentary on Edwards' writings, I would have still liked more of Edwards and less commentary from the authors.
Quotes:
"God set in motion an 'arc of glory' that began with Himself, moved to Creation, continues with the Incarnation of Christ, moved next to the Church, and is consummated in Heaven." -21
"We have not of course seen God in person, but we have seen His character, and read of His splendor, and discovered His excellent Son, and these vistas can lift us from giving in to temptation to lesser things if we simply raise our vision on a regular basis to behold the beauty of The Lord." -44
"For Edwards, heaven was 'a glorious loving society,' a realm of beauty that shone with the fullness of the loveliness of God." -120
"The 'fountain of love' from God will overflow, and the saints will always drink of that love, even as they pour out their own love to God." -136
March 26, 2021
In my view, it is appropriate to show one's cards up front with regard to evaluating books, esp. theological ones. In the interest of disclosure, therefore, I have learned more from Edwards than perhaps any other theologian in America. I ordered this book and when it arrived, I read it in one sitting. Why? Well, it is short (less than 150 pages) but also because it is organized well. The authors, like Edwards and most of us who appreciate his biblical theology/worldview, demonstrate from Edwards' own writing how he saw and lived and wrote about the God-entranced vision of all of life. Edwards saw God's handiwork in everything. To borrow Calvin's phrase, creation is the theater of God's glory. If you want to dip into Edwards, this is a wonderful place to begin. Then, read Edwards himself.
April 4, 2023
This is a balm to the soul to read.
This has been a wonderful pleasure during my devotional times in the mornings to move my heart closer to God.
As Westerners, we crave beauty but are bashful to talk about it. We long for something beautiful in entertainment, ourselves or sports- but are allergic to speaking in euphoric terms about the beauty of God for fear of being labeled 'emotionally led'.
The devil would love us to continue in that vein. The greatest idea (I think) that there ever was is that 'God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.' And beauty is a rich seam within which to be satisfied in God.
The beauty of God Himself, the creation, His Son, the church and the Trinitarian nature of heaven are deep reservoirs of joy for the believer. Truth must always move to the heart- and Edwards more than anyone has helped saints make that journey for themselves.
This is a good introduction to Edward's thoughts on beauty- it is a primer and it leaves the reader wanting more, that can only be a good thing.
I was particular chastened by realising how little I appreciated the beauty of the church. The Church is what is most precious to God, He thinks it is beautiful! And so should I.
This has been a wonderful pleasure during my devotional times in the mornings to move my heart closer to God.
As Westerners, we crave beauty but are bashful to talk about it. We long for something beautiful in entertainment, ourselves or sports- but are allergic to speaking in euphoric terms about the beauty of God for fear of being labeled 'emotionally led'.
The devil would love us to continue in that vein. The greatest idea (I think) that there ever was is that 'God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.' And beauty is a rich seam within which to be satisfied in God.
The beauty of God Himself, the creation, His Son, the church and the Trinitarian nature of heaven are deep reservoirs of joy for the believer. Truth must always move to the heart- and Edwards more than anyone has helped saints make that journey for themselves.
This is a good introduction to Edward's thoughts on beauty- it is a primer and it leaves the reader wanting more, that can only be a good thing.
I was particular chastened by realising how little I appreciated the beauty of the church. The Church is what is most precious to God, He thinks it is beautiful! And so should I.
May 21, 2013
When is the last time you picked up a book about beauty? I have to say that I cannot think of any time that I have concerned myself with the subject of beauty but it will certainly be on mind after reading this short treatise on the matter. Jonathan Edwards is a theological "heavyweight" who has weighed in on so many pertinent topics that every christian should explore, but this was certainly an original concept to tackle and one that was well worth the read. Before looking at Strachan and Sweeney's work on beauty I would encourage the reader to make sure to have read the first book in this series that is called "Jonathan Edwards: Lover of God." The story of the life and ministry of Mr. Edwards will help the reader gain a solid perspective on this tremendous Christian thinker. It is important to state from the onset that the books in this series may not be as useful to an Edwards enthusiast who has spent a large portion of time pouring over Edwards' thoughts. For someone like me who not spent a great deal of time mulling over the writings of Edwards this is a great primer, and these two books have certainly whetted my appetite for more of the writings of Edwards. Although, I enjoyed the first book in the series better than this one, I can say that I was still blessed and challenged.
Make no mistake, while sections of messages from Jonathan Edwards are shared; this series is actually an analysis of his thoughts and the bulk of the writing is Strachan and Sweeney. In this book the question was raised about what makes something beautiful and where this concept originates from. Jonathan Edwards believed that beauty was a reflection of God's person and anything that was genuinely beautiful was imbued with some truth about who God is. The book starts with analyzing the aspects of God's person that Edwards found most full of beauty and it is clear as one reads this section that Edwards was a man that really loved God. The sections of messages that Strachan and Sweeney pull from demonstrate how often and how lovingly Edwards thought about God. Edwards knew what it meant to be a worshiper and his reflections about God show him to be so. While Edwards' writing was good I did feel that this was the weakest chapter. Some of the attributes that were discussed were not well related to the subject of beauty and the writers did not connect the material very well. In addition, their comments were trite and came across a little forced. The rest of the book was quality but this was section that needed a little more thought and revision.
Edwards loved nature and he was able to see the beauty of God in just about everything. Edwards saw God's nature reflected in the web-making of spiders, he saw the cross in the silk worm, he saw Jesus as the sun, he literally perceived the mystery of God in everything. I have to admit I was a little jealous because Edwards saw the world in such a unique way that it challenged me to look at things much differently. Edwards connected everything in the universe with the "main frame." That is, when he saw something he looked for a truth in that creature that demonstrated some aspect of God being reflected in the world. As far as Edwards was concerned he did not restrict typology strictly to the scripture, but he was not "cooky" with it either. While he appreciated the beauty of nature he recognized at the same time that this world was very damaged by sin and that even the beauty that exists in the world is tainted by the reality of the fall. Compared to the person of God who is pure and lovely everything is more or less impure. His reflection on nature was excellent and I thought Strachan and Sweeney did well in highlighting specific ideas that they drew great applications from. I really appreciated the way that they used this to discuss the responsibility that Christians should take in being good stewards of the planet that God has given us because it is a reflection of his beauty.
The other sections dealt with Edwards' view about Jesus and his view about the beauty as well as splendor of the church. I think it goes without saying that Edwards had such a terrific and high view of Jesus and he was truly the center of all things, especially Edwards' preaching. This section is solid and while there is nothing profound; there are a lot of thing to think about as Edwards declared the supremacy of Jesus. The same can be said for his views about the beauty of the church. I preached a message a couple of days ago about the church and I was able to use some of this as a great resource to encourage people to look at God's community the way he looks at it. I love how Edwards thought that Christians were like the many colors we see in creation whose beauty remains unseen until the sun rises. He saw that the beauty and splendor of Jesus as that which brings out what is lovely in the life of the believer. There was a lot of great imagery that was invoked and I love the way that he and the authors place God in the center and man in the periphery. This is refreshing to see because much of the Christian community has it moving in the opposite way.
The last section is great and the sermon "Heaven is a World of Love" really tugged at my heart strings. That is an incredibly touching message and it is great capstone on the concept of beauty because of if any place encapsulates the principles of glory it is no doubt heaven. The idea that he give of unobstructed love in heaven is a thought that literally boggles my mind. I look forward to the next book in this series where Edwards' thoughts are explored to understand his thinking on the important topic of heaven and hell. This is the second one of these I have read and I have to recommend the series so far. They are short and they don't take long to read. Yet, they provide the reader with rich thought that will continue long after the book is finished. I want to get more of Edwards' works and read them because he is a remarkable thinker that every theologian should read more about. 1 star = readability. 1 star = layout. 1 star = bibliography. 1 star = originality. Negative 1 star = a rocky first section.
Make no mistake, while sections of messages from Jonathan Edwards are shared; this series is actually an analysis of his thoughts and the bulk of the writing is Strachan and Sweeney. In this book the question was raised about what makes something beautiful and where this concept originates from. Jonathan Edwards believed that beauty was a reflection of God's person and anything that was genuinely beautiful was imbued with some truth about who God is. The book starts with analyzing the aspects of God's person that Edwards found most full of beauty and it is clear as one reads this section that Edwards was a man that really loved God. The sections of messages that Strachan and Sweeney pull from demonstrate how often and how lovingly Edwards thought about God. Edwards knew what it meant to be a worshiper and his reflections about God show him to be so. While Edwards' writing was good I did feel that this was the weakest chapter. Some of the attributes that were discussed were not well related to the subject of beauty and the writers did not connect the material very well. In addition, their comments were trite and came across a little forced. The rest of the book was quality but this was section that needed a little more thought and revision.
Edwards loved nature and he was able to see the beauty of God in just about everything. Edwards saw God's nature reflected in the web-making of spiders, he saw the cross in the silk worm, he saw Jesus as the sun, he literally perceived the mystery of God in everything. I have to admit I was a little jealous because Edwards saw the world in such a unique way that it challenged me to look at things much differently. Edwards connected everything in the universe with the "main frame." That is, when he saw something he looked for a truth in that creature that demonstrated some aspect of God being reflected in the world. As far as Edwards was concerned he did not restrict typology strictly to the scripture, but he was not "cooky" with it either. While he appreciated the beauty of nature he recognized at the same time that this world was very damaged by sin and that even the beauty that exists in the world is tainted by the reality of the fall. Compared to the person of God who is pure and lovely everything is more or less impure. His reflection on nature was excellent and I thought Strachan and Sweeney did well in highlighting specific ideas that they drew great applications from. I really appreciated the way that they used this to discuss the responsibility that Christians should take in being good stewards of the planet that God has given us because it is a reflection of his beauty.
The other sections dealt with Edwards' view about Jesus and his view about the beauty as well as splendor of the church. I think it goes without saying that Edwards had such a terrific and high view of Jesus and he was truly the center of all things, especially Edwards' preaching. This section is solid and while there is nothing profound; there are a lot of thing to think about as Edwards declared the supremacy of Jesus. The same can be said for his views about the beauty of the church. I preached a message a couple of days ago about the church and I was able to use some of this as a great resource to encourage people to look at God's community the way he looks at it. I love how Edwards thought that Christians were like the many colors we see in creation whose beauty remains unseen until the sun rises. He saw that the beauty and splendor of Jesus as that which brings out what is lovely in the life of the believer. There was a lot of great imagery that was invoked and I love the way that he and the authors place God in the center and man in the periphery. This is refreshing to see because much of the Christian community has it moving in the opposite way.
The last section is great and the sermon "Heaven is a World of Love" really tugged at my heart strings. That is an incredibly touching message and it is great capstone on the concept of beauty because of if any place encapsulates the principles of glory it is no doubt heaven. The idea that he give of unobstructed love in heaven is a thought that literally boggles my mind. I look forward to the next book in this series where Edwards' thoughts are explored to understand his thinking on the important topic of heaven and hell. This is the second one of these I have read and I have to recommend the series so far. They are short and they don't take long to read. Yet, they provide the reader with rich thought that will continue long after the book is finished. I want to get more of Edwards' works and read them because he is a remarkable thinker that every theologian should read more about. 1 star = readability. 1 star = layout. 1 star = bibliography. 1 star = originality. Negative 1 star = a rocky first section.
August 6, 2017
3.5 stars, if I could. A really compelling reminder that Edwards, who is so much known for theology and rigid intellectualism, was also entranced by the beauty of God and created things. Also an interesting meditation on the natural human desire for beauty--how it's hard wired in us. Might be more fruitful just to read Edwards directly, but I like the way this book pulls out bits in comprehensible portions.
April 4, 2018
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first volume in The Essential Edwards Collection, but it was still beneficial. That said, I was helped (and humbled) by the ways in which Edwards spent so much time contemplating the depths of the riches of God’s character.
The most helpful aspect of this book (and every volume in the collection) is the application section at the end of each chapter.
The most helpful aspect of this book (and every volume in the collection) is the application section at the end of each chapter.
October 12, 2022
Liked not loved! It had a couple points that were beautifully written, but overall, I didn’t love it. Maybe it wasn’t the best time for me to read this, but I went into it desiring to read about edward’s thoughts and his only, but was met with some other opinions. That’s ok though! Maybe I’ll read it again in a few years and enjoy it :)
September 15, 2019
Excellent short introductions.
February 14, 2021
A nice introduction to Edwards’s thoughts on God’s beauty.
January 29, 2023
Lovely read. A great reminder to set our mind on the beauty of the LORD.
August 11, 2010
Book Review
By
Jason Scott
The Essential Edwards Collection: Jonathan Edwards on Beauty
By Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeny
This volume is one in a set of five. This volume shows how Jonathan Edwards valued God’s creation and how everything he saw reflected the magnificent beauty of the Master Creator. Five chapters are contained in this book: 1) The Beauty of God, 2) The Beauty of Creation, 3) The Beauty of Christ, 4) The Beauty of the Church, and 5) The Beauty of the Trinitarian Afterlife.
God’s beauty can be seen in His attributes. God is powerful, loving, kind, holy, all knowing, righteous and the list could go on. How should man respond to God’s beauty? “the fundamental duty of every person before the holy God is to humble themselves.” Pg. 41
Jonathan Edwards enjoyed greatly taking walks in nature and reflecting on God’s beauty. “ So far from the stereotype of Edwards as a dry and dusty thinker, Edwards’s love for nature reveals the deeply aesthetic side of the man.” Pg 48
“When he was twenty, he published a brief treatise
on the habits of spiders that won him international
acclaim. Called the ‘Spider Letter”, the document
demonstrates Jonathan’s powers of observation and
reveals his early tendency to trace the hand of God
in the world of nature.” Pg. 49
Christians today would do very well to study Edwards and how he viewed nature and the environment. Edwards saw nature as a reflection of God. Sadly, too many Christians in our modern day have taken a carefree attitude when it comes to nature and the environment. This is probably because it is a reaction to the other extreme, the worship of nature and the environment without the worship of the Creator. Edwards did not value nature strictly for nature; instead he valued it because in it he could see the awesome beauty of its Creator.
The last chapter is a wonderful look at the harmony of the Trinity and how each person of the Godhead perfectly loves one another and that love never ever fades. One day believers in Christ will be able to enjoy a love that never fades when for eternity we will feel the love of God and will eternally love God.
By
Jason Scott
The Essential Edwards Collection: Jonathan Edwards on Beauty
By Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeny
This volume is one in a set of five. This volume shows how Jonathan Edwards valued God’s creation and how everything he saw reflected the magnificent beauty of the Master Creator. Five chapters are contained in this book: 1) The Beauty of God, 2) The Beauty of Creation, 3) The Beauty of Christ, 4) The Beauty of the Church, and 5) The Beauty of the Trinitarian Afterlife.
God’s beauty can be seen in His attributes. God is powerful, loving, kind, holy, all knowing, righteous and the list could go on. How should man respond to God’s beauty? “the fundamental duty of every person before the holy God is to humble themselves.” Pg. 41
Jonathan Edwards enjoyed greatly taking walks in nature and reflecting on God’s beauty. “ So far from the stereotype of Edwards as a dry and dusty thinker, Edwards’s love for nature reveals the deeply aesthetic side of the man.” Pg 48
“When he was twenty, he published a brief treatise
on the habits of spiders that won him international
acclaim. Called the ‘Spider Letter”, the document
demonstrates Jonathan’s powers of observation and
reveals his early tendency to trace the hand of God
in the world of nature.” Pg. 49
Christians today would do very well to study Edwards and how he viewed nature and the environment. Edwards saw nature as a reflection of God. Sadly, too many Christians in our modern day have taken a carefree attitude when it comes to nature and the environment. This is probably because it is a reaction to the other extreme, the worship of nature and the environment without the worship of the Creator. Edwards did not value nature strictly for nature; instead he valued it because in it he could see the awesome beauty of its Creator.
The last chapter is a wonderful look at the harmony of the Trinity and how each person of the Godhead perfectly loves one another and that love never ever fades. One day believers in Christ will be able to enjoy a love that never fades when for eternity we will feel the love of God and will eternally love God.
December 24, 2010
My favorite of the series! Strachan and Sweeney do an excellent job bringing the best of Edwards to the forefront in this installment of the Essential Edwards Collection. It is hard to beat Edwards on the beauty of earth, Jesus, the church and Trinitarian afterlife. I was greatly encouraged by this book and can't wait to dive into Edwards even more.
March 11, 2015
This book--with incredible clarity and helpful organization--leads readers to a rich theology of the beauty of of God, creation, Christ, the church, and the Trinitarian afterlife. The bits of Edwards' work are certainly beautiful, inspiring, and profound, and the authors' introduction to, elucidation of, and practical notes on these bits are mainly solid. I highly recommend this to every reader.
August 24, 2016
This is the fourth book in this series and along with the one on the "Good Life", it demonstrates the immense value and influence of Edward's teaching. I am amazed at his ability to take such a seemingly basic theme and show such depth and (fittingly) beauty.
Read
November 30, 2010I loved the Lover of God in this series but this one I have to say I have not as much enjoyed so far. Im still charging along though hoping to finish soon so I can move on to the next one.
January 26, 2012
I am really enjoying this introduction into the life and theology of Edwards. They are very well done and practical overviews.
November 30, 2012
Loved this book! Really it is a consideration of Edward's thoughts about the doctrine of God, creation, Christ, the Church and fellowship w/ the Triune Godhead and how beauty is manifest naturally.
August 4, 2016
Kind of thin for me, wish there was more Edwards and less commentary. Still, good insights.
April 9, 2014
Wow...Jonathan Edwards is no joke
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews