Before we delve into his writings it may be beneficial to understand a bit about John Owen the man. J.I. Packer provides this very helpful short biography:
“Owen was by common consent the weightiest Puritan theologian, and many would bracket him with Jonathan Edwards as one of the greatest Reformed theologians of all time. Born in 1616, he entered Queen's College, Oxford, at the age of twelve and secured his M.A. in 1635, when he was nineteen. In his early twenties, conviction of sin threw him into such turmoil that for three months he could scarcely utter a coherent word on anything; but slowly he learned to trust Christ, and so found peace. In 1637 he became a pastor; in the 1640s he was chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and in 1651 he was made Dean of Christ Church, Oxford's largest college. In 1652 he was given the additional post of Vice-Chancellor of the University, which he then reorganized with conspicuous success. After 1660 he led the Independents through the bitter years of persecution till his death in 1683.” - J.I. Packer (johnowen.org)
Owen's impact did not die with the Puritan era. His writings continue to be influential some 300 years after his death. We hope to add our names to the roster of those who have soaked in this man's God-centered view of the world.
If you want to learn more about the life and legacy of John Owen, I would strongly encourage you to listen to John Piper's biographical message "The Chief Design of My Life: Mortification and Universal Holiness." (In fact, even if you have no intent of participating in this study, I would still encourage you to listen to this message. It’s worth the price of admission).
In addition to this our own much-loved Pastor Bryan also preached a message on the life of Owen last Memorial Day. I would commend it to you.
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