A Book Review: The Foundation of Communion with God

The Foundation of Communion with God is a compilation of excerpts from the writings of the puritan pastor and theologian John Owen.  The focus of the writings contained in this work is Owen's Trinitarian theology and how it shaped his views on public worship.

The introduction to the book is written by the editor, Ryan McGraw, and contains a biographical sketch of Owen's life which helps the reader understand the context for Owen's theology.  The remainder of the book is devoted to Owen's own writings.  The chapters are short as each chapter is an excerpt from Owen.

Many have noted that John Owen can be difficult to read.  In light of this, I found a quote from McGraw to be particularly interesting: "It was during this period that Owen wrote some of his most beloved treatises, such as Communion with God, The Mortification of Sin, and his work on Temptation.  Those who complain that these last two books are hard to read should note that they consist of sermons preached to teenagers at Oxford."

I found the selection of writings from Owen to be well organized.  This helped me to trace Owen's thought on the issues addressed.  This book is apparently one in a series of books profiling some of the heroes of reformed spirituality.  I look forward to potentially reading some of the other books in this intriguing series.

I received this book as a part of the cross focused reviews program.