The present study addresses the less-well-known subject of Jonathan Edwards’s
millennialism from his redemptive-historical vision. By situating him in the
Reformation and post-Reformation contexts, taking into considerations of his
interaction with the intellectual challenges posed by some of the Enlightenment
thinkers, this study attempts to provide a more nuanced and extensive investigation
of Edwards’s anticipation of the millennium.
To put them in a nutshell, as a typical example of a dramatic paradigm shift
in millennialism for the period between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, what
Edwards expected was neither a political nor America-centric utopia as some
scholars presented. Conversely, his vision of the millennium is a Christ-reigning,
Judeo-centric and cosmic kingdom arriving on earth in distant future. As
indispensable parts of Edwards’s theological system, the less-known facts of the
Christological, Judeo-centric and cosmic nature of Edwards’s millennialism in
Edwardsean scholarship highlight the greatness of God’s divine sovereignty, the
magnificence of His glory as well as the capaciousness of His kingdom. This
millennial vision departed significantly from the Reformed tradition in certain ways.
In particular, while some of his Protestant predecessors and Puritan contemporaries
tended to centralize, or even sacralize their present time and nations, Edwards decentralized
England and New England in terms of time, space and people.
This study sheds new light on a number of neglected and controversial
issues.
Firstly, this research provides a fresh and extensive review of Edwards’s
millennial theology and provides another outlook on Edwards’s continuity in and
departures from his Reformed tradition.
Secondly, this study explores Edwards’s Christocentric conviction as well as
his artful communication of this conviction in his millennialism. This offers a
groundbreaking perspective to the correlation between Edwards’s Christology and
his eschatology.
Thirdly, the presentation of the Judeo-centric and cosmic nature offers an
innovative interpretive key to his millennialism and provides a background to current
debates on Israel and end times.
Finally, this study ventures into two less well-known subjects: Israel and
China in Edwards’s millennialism vision. Particularly, it provides new insights into
his conviction of Israel’s restoration on the Promised Land and his eschatological
hope for China and the heathen world
