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Reformed and Reforming: John Owen on the Kingdom of Christ
Kelly, Ryan Thomas
2015
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Kelly, R. T. (2015). Reformed and Reforming: John Owen on the Kingdom of Christ.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements vii
1. Introduction 1
I. The Thesis Briefly Described II. Scholarship Related to Owen
A. The Muller School B. Early Modern Historians C. Owen Studies
III. Statement of the Problem IV. The Aims of this Study
V. The Method and Scope of this Study
2. A Biographical Sketch of John Owen 37
I. Years of Preparation (1616-43) II. Pastoral Ministry (1643-49) III. Affairs of the State (1648-58)
A. Parliamentary Preacher B. Leading Oxford University
C. Attempts at a Cromwellian Church Settlement IV. The Experience of Defeat (1658-83)
3. Setting Up the Kingdom:
The Theology and Politics of Cofessionalization 51
I. Background: Reformation and Confessionalization II. Attempts at a Cromwellian Church Settlement
A. The Humble Proposals (1652) B. The Instrument of Government (1653) C. The New Confession (1654)
III. The Savoy Assembly (1658) A. Beginning with Westminster B. Clarifying Congregationalism
C. Separating Declaration of Faith and Church Order D. Liberty, the Magistrate, and Confession
E. A Parliamentary Precedent for Ecclesiastical Liberty F. Summarizing the Assembly’s Intentions
G. Scripture, Confessions, and Confessing Anew IV. Sources for Owen’s View of the National Kingdom V. Kingdom and Confessions, post-1662
A. Consistencies in Nonconformity B. Flexibility in Nonconformity VI. Conclusion
4. The Keys of the Kingdom:
The Nature, Power, and Government of the Church 117
I. Introduction
II. A Window into a Debate: Cawdrey v. Owen III. Identifying Owen’s Earliest Ecclesiology IV. The Influence of Cotton’s Keyes
A. The Key of “the Keys” B. Summarizing Cotton’s Keyes
V. The Earliest Signs of Owen’s Congregationalism
A. “A Country Essay for Church Government” (1646) B. Ministry in Coggeshall, Essex (1646-49)
C. Eschol; A Cluster of the Fruit of Canaan (1648) D. Congregational, not Independent
VI. Two Pillars of Owen’s Later Ecclesiology A. The Nature of the Church: Catholic-Visible and/or Visible? B. The Authority of the Church:
Who Holds the “Keys of the Kingdom”? C. Summary and Analysis
5. The Coming of the Kingdom:
Eschatology and its Political-Ecclesiastical Significance 179
I. Introductory Matters
A. Varying Assessments of Owen’s Eschatology B. Rethinking Apocalyptic Historiography C. Clarifying Eschatological Terms and Views II. The Major Eschatological Themes
A. The Latter Days B. Antichrist Destroyed C. The Jews Called
D. The Adversaries of the Kingdom Broken 1. Shaking and Translating
2. In Defense of Regicide 3. Four Months Before E. The Churches Enlarged
F. Churches Edified by Free and Plentiful Light G. Summary
III. The Subtle Eschatological Underpinnings A. Interpretive Cautions
1. Providence 2. Computations
3. Eschatological Specifics
B. Warnings and Human Responsibility 1. Liberty
2. Personal Reformation 3. Reformation and Unity C. One Added Nuance
IV. Conclusion
6. Conclusion 247
I. Political/Ecclesiastical Works and Endeavors II. Summary of Findings
Summary 269
Samenvatting 275
Bibliography 281
