Welcome back to another episode of five minutes in church history.

Last week we were visiting with Dr. John Tweedale and he was sending us off to the beach with five

great reads. He's back this week. He has spent a lot of time with a very important figure

in church history, John Owen.

And if we're up to Dr. Tweedale, he'd probably tell us there are many, many things

we should know about John Owen, but this is five minutes.

So, Dr. Tweedale, what are five things everyone needs to know about John Owen?

Well, thanks Dr. Nichols, it's good to be with you again.

Number one, it's important to know that John Owen was a Puritan. He was born in the village of Stadham in

England in 1616 in the year that William Shakespeare died. Now when you think

of Owen as a Puritan don't think of him as a

funny dud. Owen enjoyed life. As a young man he liked throwing the

javelin, doing the long jump, and even playing the flute. He had books on birds, poetry, geography, and how to

brew your own beer. He was even known for wearing a powdered wig, a velvet

jacket, and yes, very posh-looking Spanish leather boots.

Owen was a stylish Puritan.

Number two, Owen was a prolific author.

He wrote over 8 million words. About a fourth of those

were on the epistle to the Hebrews alone. His most famous books though are Death of Death

and the Death of Christ on the Atonement,

mortification of sin on how to kill sin before it kills you, and on communion with God,

how to relate to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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