The Puritans are frequently maligned but seldom understood. Far from the dour malcontents they are often portrayed to be, most Puritans were wholesomely engaged in life. This book is designed to introduce you to a wide range of influential Puritan writers and a representative work for each that pushes through stereotypes to the heart and soul of these Christian pastors and theologians. With a clear grasp of the historical contexts in which these Puritan works were written, these twenty essays presented by editors Kelly M. Kapic and Randall C. Gleason illuminate the vibrant spirituality of the Puritans that transcend their sometimes surprising political, ecclesiastical and religious differences. In these pages notable scholars, such as J. I. Packer, John Coffey, Mark Noll, Leland Ryken, Richard Lovelace and Sinclair Ferguson, invite you to sit at the feet of Puritan writers, ranging from William Ames, William Perkins and Richard Sibbes to Thomas Goodwin, John Milton, Richard Baxter, John Bunyan and Jonathan Edwards. What comes through is a living, three-dimensional portrait of the devoted life that emphasizes the Christian experience of communion with God, corporate revival, biblical preaching and the sanctifying working of God's Holy Spirit.

About the Author

Kelly M. Kapic is professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Kelly is married to Tabitha, who has worked extensively in the non-profit world, including the areas of international relief and rehabilitation. Kelly and Tabitha have two children, Jonathan and Margot.

Under the supervision of Colin Gunton, Kapic earned a Ph.D. in systematic and historical theology at King's College, University of London (United Kingdom), an M.Div. at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, and a BA in philosophy and history from Wheaton College. Kapic has written and edited numerous books, including A Little Book for New Theologians (IVP Academic, 2012), Ashgate Research Companion to John Owen's Theology (Ashgate, 2012), God so Loved He Gave (Zondervan 2010), Communion with God (Baker Academic, 2007), Overcoming Sin and Temptation: Three Classic Works by John Owen (Crossway, 2006); The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics (IVP Academic, 2004), etc.

Kapic has also published articles in various journals, such as the International Journal of Systematic Theology, Conversations in Religion and Theology, Westminster Theological Journal, Evangelical Quarterly and Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care. Two samples of Kapic's work in contemporary theology are: "The Son's Assumption of a Human Nature: A Call for Clarity," IJST and "Trajectories of a Trinitarian Eschatology," in Trinitarian Soundings in Systematic Theology, edited by Paul Louis Metzger, cm. New York: T & T Clark International, 2005. He serves on the Board of Editorial Consultants for the Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care, as well as a contributing editor for Cultural Encounters: A Journal for the Theology of Culture.

Endorsement

This book is a great place to start if you want to know more about the Puritans. Each piece has a very clear and concise introduction to the specific Puritan author they are featuring. Each selection (of the Puritan authors) is appropriate, informative, and in my opinion transformative. Kapic and Gleason make the Puritan fathers quite approachable, giving you a taste and encouraging you to then go and get the rest of a meal. Kapic and Gleason's introductions are extraordinarily well written setting up each piece perfectly.