reawakening puritanism in america

It is a great day in the history of American politics. The Veep candidate is announced, and it is none other than old John Edwards. While there are some fearful and disapproving cries from the GOP, and conservative groups across the country, already some major conservative figures have been very verbal in their support for this man. As for myself, I can't imagine the impact that would be made on this nation if for an inaugural speech, he resurrected and delivered his famous, "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God." Can you imagine? But I'm not the only one. Consider this stroke of support from Charles Colson,

It is my belief that the prayers and work of those who love and obey Christ in our world may yet prevail as they keep the message of such a man as Jonathan Edwards

—Charles Colson.

And consider this statement from John Piper,

No one in church history that I know, with the possible exception of St. Augustine, has shown more clearly and shockingly the infinite-I use the word carefully-importance of joy in the very essence of what it means for God to be God and what it means for us to be God-glorifying. Joy always seemed to me peripheral until I read Jonathan Edwards.

And in a country that fights day to day over the obtrusive fingers of the government into religious freedom, and the sometimes forceful intrusion of religious figures into politics, here we have a VP candidate resolved to a God-entranced vision of all things and radical single-mindedness in our occupation of spiritual things. Consider these resolutions from Edwards himself.

# 44, Resolved, That no other end but religion shall have any influence at all in any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it.

# 61, Resolved, That I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it . . .

Though a Catholic denied the Eucharist and a staunch Calvinist seem to me to be strange ticket fellows, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out against a Texas Methodist in this volatile spiritual arena which is America.