Seeking Divine Revelation in Chinese Philosophical Heritage: Jonathan Edwards and Reformed Catholicity

This study1 explores Jonathan Edwards’s engagement with Chinese philosophy within the framework of Reformed Catholicity – a theological vision committed to biblical fidelity, historical continuity, and Christian unity. Edwards showed a notable openness to non-Protestant and non-Western traditions, drawing on Roman Catholic writings about Confucianism and Taoism. He believed traces of divine revelation could be found in Chinese classics and viewed China as part of God’s redemptive plan. His perspective aligned in part with Catholic missionaries who saw Confucian teachings as echoing biblical truths, possibly inherited from the patriarchs. In contrast to Deists, who rejected the authority of Scripture, Edwards defended the Reformed insistence on divine revelation and redemption. Though he sometimes oversimplified Chinese thought due to limited sources, his work reveals a striking global theological imagination. This study highlights an overlooked aspect of Edwards’s theology and its relevance for cross-cultural dialogue between Reformed theology, Roman Catholicism, and Chinese philosophy.