Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758

Born in East Windsor, Connecticut Learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew by age 12 – entered Yale at 13 and was valedictorian of class at at 17 – went on to earn master’s degree in theology. 1727 – preaching assistant to grandfather 1729 – took grandfather’s pulpit when he died – charismatic and extremist Was a leader in the Great Awakening, a successful religious revival in the 1730s and 1740s, mounted after growing concerns about the people losing the faith.

Dismissed from his pulpit in 1750 – publicly named a group of teens he found reading a book and giggling over it. Relocated with wife Sarah and 11 children to remote Stockbridge, Massachusetts, for eight years of missionary work and virtual exile. 1758 – appointed the president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton) – had post three months when he died from a smallpox inoculation.