Thanks to Richard Bailey for pointing to another new Brainerd bio–a scholarly, critical tome published by OUP–entitled, The Lives of David Brainerd: The Making of an American Evangelical Icon, by John Grigg. In addition to reconstructing Brainerd’s life from archival research and drawing upon the best scholarship of the Great Awakening and Indian missions, Grigg also “argues that both Edwards and John Wesley crafted their versions of Brainerd’s life in order to address specific problems in their own churches, and he examines how subsequent generations of evangelicals utilized Brainerd for their own purposes.”
Here are a couple of endorsements:
“David Brainerd is an icon–the missionary martyr–not only in the world of Protestant missions but also among scholars. A work of many years’ labor tracking down the scattered pieces of his subject’s life, John Grigg’s study sets a new standard. Grigg looks at Brainerd in the context of his times, bringing to bear the latest approaches of colonial religious history. Just as important, he examines Brainerd’s continuing reputation–the Lives , not just the Life — from the 18th century to today. Scholars across many disciplines, pastors and seminarians, and fans of Brainerd will value this new resource.”
— Kenneth P. Minkema, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University“David Brainerd, the well-known diarist and colonial missionary to Native Americans, is one of those figures whose fame has outstripped solid investigation of his life. But no more. For the first time, John Grigg has succeeded in situating Brainerd solidly in his own times. He has also illuminated the rich, complicated history of later uses made of Brainerd’s much-noticed life. Grigg’s comprehensive research has resulted in a very fine book.”
— Mark A. Noll
