Journal: Interdisciplinary Journal on Biblical Authority
Volume: IJOBA 02:4 (Fall 2021)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous

IJOBA 2:4 (Fall 2021) p. 171

Book Reviews

By the Faculty and Students of Calvary University

Burns, E. D. A Supreme Desire to Please Him: The Spirituality of Adoniram Judson. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications. 2016. Pp. 256, paper $31.00.

E. D. Burns clearly spells out his purpose in this overview and biography of the life and spirituality of Adoniram Judson in the introductory chapter. His purpose is to answer the question: “In what ways and to what extent did Adonirum Judson’s spirituality affect the endurance and effect of his missionary labor?” (12). He further breaks this question into four sub-questions regarding Judson’s view of the Bible, his “self-denying submission to God’s providence,” the “promises of heaven,” and his Christocentric focus (12).

After a brief biographical summary of Judson’s life in chapter two, Burns immediately gets to answering his four questions in each subsequent chapter. By Burns’ own admission, the book is the result of over three years of research, and it shows throughout each page. Burns has done extensive research into primary source material, with extensive footnotes and references throughout. The book can be easily read in a weekend or truly delved into deeply to consider all the source material that Burns has painstakingly sifted through for the reader. While missionary biographies abound, Burns has done an exceptional job of recounting Judson’s heart for Christ and the centrality of his missionary motivations for those who would seek to follow in the footsteps of one of the early pioneers in the modern missions movement.

Burns states that the argument of this work is “that the center of Adoniram Judson’s spirituality was a heavenly minded, self-denying, submission to the sovereign will of God” (12--13).

Burns clearly articulates his purpose so that the reader is not left wondering what they are to get out of this work or why it is important for their consideration. His main research question and supporting questions are clearly articulated as lined out above. He has done an exceptional job of thoroughly researching primary sources as well as later works that reference primary sources. The extensive footnotes make it easy for the reader to connect

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Burns’ conclusions to their source as well as provide information for additional research, should the reader want to dig deeper into any aspect of Judson’s life and ministry. Burns proves his points well, arguing convincingly for the basis of Judson’s spirituality and calling the reader to question the role that each of these things, the Word of God, submission to God’s will, heavenly mindedness, and the love of Christ, play in the reader’s...