Jonathan Edwards: Israel & China with Dr. Victor Zhu
May 9th, 2025

Keynote speaker, Victor Zhu, received his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh (UK) in 2019. Zhu is the Founding Editor of the Series of Puritan Theology (Edinburgh: Latreia, 2023–) and an Editorial Board Member of The Jonathan Edwards Miscellanies Companion, Vol. 3 (Fort Worth, TX: JESociety Press, 2023).

America's Theologian Beyond America: Jonathan Edwards, Israel, and China

Written by Victor Zhu
Foreword by Douglas Sweeney

• Challenges the once-popular interpretation of Edwards's millennial vision as America-centric and utopian
• Highlights the significance of Israel in Edwards's millennial kingdom
• Examines the presence of China and Chinese philosophy in Edwards's interaction with Enlightenment thinkers

Dr. Doug Sweeney, Dean of Beeson Divinity School and Jonathan Edwards scholar, believes that while Cotton Mather and Jonathan Edwards have differing perspectives on the supernatural, both stress the importance of analyzing the miracles of the Bible in order to make people more faithful to God. Studying Jesus's miracles can awaken us spiritually to how Gods is at work in our souls, supernaturally, day-by-day.

John Inman was captivated by Jonathan Edwards' use of illustrative language in his preaching, something that was much at odds with the fire and brimstone caricature that most people have of Edwards. Inman decided to write his paper on Edwards' preaching style while he was ministering to the Native Americans at Stockbridge, focusing on bringing God's Word to the audience and their culture in a way that resonates with them.

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