Portrait of a man in a dark jacket, white collar, and curled wig, with a handwritten letter in upper background. Red title and author name below. Portrait of a man in a dark jacket, white collar, and curled wig, with a handwritten letter in upper background. Red title and author name below.

Size: 6 x 9
Pages: 234
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Religious Studies
 U.S. History
 ebook
 hardcover
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Benevolence and Bondage

Jonathan Edwards, Slavery, Race, and the Paradox of Spiritual Equality

John T. Lowe

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978-1-64336-564-0
 Published: Jun 25 2026

$44.99

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978-1-64336-685-2
 Published: Jun 25 2026

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978-1-64336-685-2
 Published: Jun 25 2026

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How Jonathan Edwards's theology of equality laid foundations for early American abolitionism

In this groundbreaking book, John T. Lowe reexamines Jonathan Edwards's legacy by focusing on the intersections among slavery, race, and theology. Connecting seemingly disparate aspects of Edwards's life and thought, Lowe offers a powerful new interpretation of one of America's most influential theologians.

While Edwards was himself an enslaver, his theological writings—especially his concept of "civil-spiritual dualism"—provided impetus for some of his followers to embrace abolitionism. Through close analysis of sermons, letters, and personal writings, Lowe reveals the tensions and transformations within Edwards's thought. The theological, social, and political implications of this revivalist preacher's private and public ideas extended beyond New England and shaped debates across the early American republic.

Benevolence and Bondage challenges familiar narratives about Edwardsean thought and the theological roots of the antislavery movement. Lowe clarifies Edwards's theological position and reframes how religious ideas both supported and disrupted slavery. Bridging history and theology, Lowe contributes significantly to the Edwards renaissance and confronts uncomfortable truths at the heart of the American colonial project.



John T. Lowe received his PhD from Free University in Amsterdam. He is currently a senior lecturer of history at the University of Louisville and a Research Fellow at the Jonathan Edwards Center Benelux in Leuven, Belgium.

"John Lowe displays a keen sense of the theological underpinnings of Edward's philosophy and the response to the larger cultural movements in the last ten years to evaluate Edward's slaveholding is needed and welcome."—Otis Westbrook Pickett Sr., Clemson University, author of Southern Shepherds, Savage Wolves

"A clear and compelling account of the evolution of Edwardsean theology toward abolition. An important study, carefully grounded and rich in implications."—Amanda Porterfield, Emerita Professor, Florida State University

"Neither apologetic nor dismissive, this study offers a thoughtful and deeply researched contribution that will shape conversations about Edwards, slavery, and the moral paradoxes of the early American church."—Ben Wright, University of Texas at Dallas, author of Bonds of Salvation