Today I picked up and began reading, for the first time, the 3-volume set entitled “The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathon Edwards” by Dr John H. Gerstner. That is almost 2,000 pages of information that will surely have my friends over on the British Anglican Mainstream Forum despair of me ever settling down as comfortable “pew fodder” in an Anglican church.

It is true that I am far closer to Geneva than I ever was to Rome, and will not be joining those upset enough by the current goings-on in Anglicanism to swim the Tiber and put their spiritual welfare in the hands of Pope Benedict XVI. Nope, I start too low down the candle and am with the Reformers far more than not.

This possibly dismays my young friend Turgy (Turgonian of Transitus Tiberis and Epigone’s Eloquence), a bright young Dutch student who has recently taken that leap of faith though not out of Anglicanism, and who is hoping I might find the same path as did Cardinal Newman. Turgy is patient, reminding me that the Cardinal certainly took his time. But as much as I appreciate my young friend’s ability to acquire and process knowledge, and his developing understanding of the whys and wherefores of many things, I’m afraid I shall be quite a disappointment to him as I am definitely heading down a different path from the one that both he and Cardinal Newman took. We will compare the scenery and wish each other well, but only if the destination has us meet one day (as I hope it does) will we be able to rest and share the whatevers of our respective journeys at the end of them.

Turgy, you are full of promise and I would equally hope you turn and set out for the Holy Land via Geneva too. Shall I be just as patient too? Whatever, my young friend… I do wish you well.

And I will continue with my 3-volume set and be informed by Dr Gerstner who has to say that…

“Had Edwards become a professional philospher he would occupy many pages in the history of philosophy. Had he become a professional biblical scholar it would be difficult to find his equal and impossible to find his superior. As it was he became a professional philosopher-theologian-evangelist and here he is sui generis.”