36. Jonathan Edwards

The Puritan movement culminated toward the beginning of the eighteenth century with the life and thought of the man universally regarded as the greatest of the Puritan divines, Jonathan Edwards. Though best known for his sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards was actually a genius of ranging intellect whose contribution to theology and philosophy continue to engage scholarly interest to the present day. He was, however, much more than a great thinker, and his passion for and keen observation of the work of the Spirit of God have served to encourage and instruct students of the Christian faith, and undoubtedly will continue to do so for centuries to come.