Thunder & Wonder

What is classical Christian education? What does it mean to train? Who is Jonathan Edwards? What do these three things have in common? In this book we discover a confluence of classical education, spiritual formation, and the theology of Jonathan Edwards. Moreover, the purpose of this little primer is twofold: 1) to encourage teachers and 2) to provide timeless tools for teachers to teach and train the next generation.

This book is not a history of nor a formal apologetic for classical Christian education (CCE) but rather an encouragement for teachers and a morsel of lembas bread to strengthen you for the journey ahead. It is designed to give nuggets of practical wisdom but also offer lists of resources for more—tips and tools to help educators hone their trade—when they are ready—as teachers go on their teaching journey.

The book begins with an autobiographical account of how the author surprisingly stumbled into teaching, and soon after into classical Christian education. The book is further divided into two main sections. Part One is dedicated to ten pedagogies (teaching methods) that are common to both Edwards’ time and today. Part Two offers practical resources for teachers, including lists of top ten, fifteen, and even twenty-five books to read, pitfalls to avoid, questions to ask, answers to questions, and more.

Stephanie Boss

JESociety Press, 2025

Paperback, 191 pages

ISBN 979-8218689216

Jonathan Edwards, one of the most profound theological minds of the 18th century, left an unparalleled legacy in the realm of biblical exegesis. Yet, an often-overlooked dimension of his work is his extensive use of biblical typology. In Towards a Clearer Understanding of Jonathan Edwards’s Biblical Typology: A Case Study in the ‘Blank Bible’, Schweitzer invites readers into an illuminating exploration of Edwards’s typological framework, challenging long-held scholarly interpretations that narrowly define it as either “conservative” or exclusively “Christological.”

Drawing on meticulous research within Edwards’s “Blank Bible,” Schweitzer unveils a nuanced perspective that repositions Edwards’s typology as a vibrant, spiritual, eschatological, and teleological framework. This groundbreaking study illustrates how Edwards perceived the interconnectedness of divine and human history through a complex tapestry of Scriptural types that transcended simplistic categorizations.

Far from being constrained by past labels, Edwards’s typological vision embraced a holistic understanding of God’s orchestration of redemptive history—a vision that provided a comprehensive hermeneutical framework for interpreting creation, revelation, and redemption. Through a careful inductive analysis of the “Blank Bible,” this work reveals that Edwards’s typology was indeed a synecdoche of his broader exegetical practices, offering fresh insights into how he perceived the unfolding divine narrative. This scholarly contribution is essential for anyone seeking to apprehend the true depth of Edwards’s theological brilliance.

Cameron Schweitzer

JESociety Press, 2025

Paperback, 362 pages

ISBN 979-8218593995