John Owen (1616-1683) was born in Stadham, Oxfordshire. He graduated form Queen's College Oxford in 1632 aged 16 with a BA and then with an MA in 1635. At Oxford he was influenced by the philosopher Thomas Barlow.
During the civil war he went to live in London. During this time he went to hear the renowned preacher Edmund Calamy, Calamy was unable to preach at that time but his replacement made a great impact on Owen and Owen converted.
Owen first major work A Display of Arminianism was published in 1643. The next year he became the pastor at Fordham and married Mary Rooke, he also published The Duties of Pastors and People Distinguished. In 1646 he became a Congregationalist and founded a church at Coggeshall, Essex.. He became the Dean of Christ Church and then the Chancellor. He was appointed as Chancellor by Oliver Cromwell.
In 1658 he took part in the formulation of the Savoy Declaration. When Cromwell died in 1658 Owen joined the Wallingford House Party.
He was invited to go to Boston, USA, to become their minister but preferred to stay in the UK.
He died aged 67 at Ealing and is buried at Bunhill Fields. He has been described as one of the greatest theologians of the Puritans and as the British Calvin.
- His works include:
- Justitia Divina (1653)
- Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance (1654)
- On the Mortification of Sin in Believers (1656)
- Communion with God (1657)
- Schism (1657)
- Of Temptation (1658)
- Two Questions Concerning the Power of the Supreme Magistrate about Religion (1659)
- Discourse on the Holy Spirit (1674)
- Person of Christ (1678)
- Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer (1682)
- Holy Spirit and His Work, as a Comforter and as the Author of Spiritual Gifts (1693)
A website devoted to Owen is http://www.johnowen.org/
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