John Owen

John Owen – Life, Theology, and Famous Quotes

Dive into the life, theology, and enduring legacy of John Owen (1616–1683), the English Puritan theologian, minister, and author. Learn about his biography, theological contributions, key works, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

John Owen (1616 – August 24, 1683) was an English Puritan minister, theologian, and academic who remains one of the most influential figures in Reformed Christian theology.

Owen’s life unfolded amid the turbulence of the English Civil Wars, the Commonwealth period under Oliver Cromwell, and the Restoration of the monarchy. He engaged both ecclesial and political spheres, serving as preacher, chaplain, vice-chancellor, and controversialist.

This article traces his early life, theological contributions, personality, and lasting influence, along with several of his compelling quotations.

Early Life and Education

John Owen was born in Stadhampton, Oxfordshire, England, in 1616.

At the age of 12, he entered The Queen’s College, Oxford, where he conducted an intense course of study, earning his B.A. in 1632 and M.A. in 1635.

In 1637, when Archbishop Laud introduced reforms and stricter enforcement at Oxford, Owen found himself at odds with those high church innovations and left the university.

These early experiences shaped Owen’s theological and ecclesiological convictions, leading him into the conflicts and controversies of his era.

Ministry, Political Engagement, and Later Life

Early Ministry and Presbyterian vs. Congregational Controversy

Owen’s first ministry appointment was as rector of Fordham, Essex, in 1642. Coggeshall, where he more publicly embraced Congregational (or Independent) polity in church governance.

He became well known for preaching before the Long Parliament.

Meanwhile, Owen published The Display of Arminianism (1642), defending Calvinist doctrine from synergistic or Arminian positions.

Service under Cromwell & Oxford Leadership

Because of his alignment with Parliamentary forces and his preaching, Owen became closely associated with Oliver Cromwell.

Cromwell appointed Owen as Dean of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1652–1657).

During this period, he produced many of his major works: On the Mortification of Sin, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Communion with God, among others.

Restoration, Persecution, and Final Years

When the monarchy was restored in 1660, Owen lost his academic preferments and was ejected from his positions due to his Nonconformist stance.

From then until his death, Owen continued to write and minister despite legal restrictions under the Clarendon Code. He produced major works on apostasy (1676), the Holy Spirit (1677–78), justification, and church government (e.g., Treatise on Evangelical Churches).

He also defended Nonconformist beliefs against critics, engaged in disputes over separation and schism, and corresponded with English and colonial churches.

Owen suffered from health struggles (kidney stones, asthma). August 24, 1683, at Ealing, Middlesex (some accounts say London), and was buried in Bunhill Fields.

His funeral was attended by many from dissenting circles, and his reputation continued to grow posthumously.

Theology & Contributions

John Owen’s theological contributions are profound and wide-ranging. Below are some of his most significant emphases:

1. Sin, Mortification, and Sanctification

Owen is especially known for his work On the Mortification of Sin in Believers. He argued that spiritual life contends continuously with sin, and the believer must actively “mortify” (put to death) sin by God’s grace.

He taught that sanctification is both positional (in Christ) and progressive (in life), requiring vigilance, dependence, and spiritual means (prayer, Scripture, the Spirit).

2. The Atonement & The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

One of Owen’s most famous works, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, defends the doctrine of limited (particular) atonement — that Christ died particularly and effectually for the elect, rather than universally for all without exception.

He emphasized that God’s grace and Christ’s satisfaction are the foundation for redemption, not human merit or synergy.

3. Communion with God

In Communion with God, Owen explores the believer’s fellowship with God, through Christ, by the Spirit. He discusses the intimacy, assurance, and growth of communion — how believers draw near to God and are transformed.

4. The Holy Spirit & Pneumatology

Owen wrote extensively on the Spirit, including regeneration, sanctifying work, assurance, and the Spirit’s role in prayer. His multi-volume On the Holy Spirit is a key resource in Puritan theology.

He held that the Spirit is essential in applying Christ’s work to believers — effectually working regeneration, sustaining faith, illuminating Scripture, and enabling sanctification.

5. Ecclesiology, Separation & Church Government

Though Owen supported Congregational (Independent) church polity, he was also involved in contentious debates over separation from the Church of England.

He defended the Nonconformists against charges of schism, argued for liberty of conscience, and engaged in disputes over the proper relation between church and state.

He also contributed to the drafting of the Savoy Declaration (a Congregational confession) in 1658.

6. Justification, Apostasy & Assurance

Owen defended the doctrine of justification by faith alone (sola fide) and wrote against apostasy. In his later years, he addressed doubts, apostasies, and reassured believers of perseverance grounded in Christ’s faithfulness.

He insisted that true believers persevere not by their own power but by Christ's sustaining grace, yet he took care to distinguish between true faith and presumption.

Personality & Character

John Owen’s life was not an easy one. He endured personal sorrows: the deaths of his first wife Mary and most of their children in infancy or early childhood.

He was intellectually rigorous, disciplined, and ascetic in his habits—willing to sacrifice comfort for study and prayer.

Yet he was also pastoral, engaged in church disputes, and concerned about how theology translated into spiritual life. He believed that theology must be “experimental” — not mere speculation, but lived in the soul.

Despite political turmoil, persecution, and changing regimes, Owen maintained consistency in convictions and upheld integrity.

Famous Quotes of John Owen

Here are several of Owen’s notable quotes, capturing his theological depth and spiritual heart:

“A man preacheth that sermon only well unto others which preacheth itself in his own soul… If the word do not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.” “A sermon is not made with an eye upon the sermon, but with both eyes upon the people and all the heart upon God.” “In the divine Scriptures, there are shallows and there are deeps; shallows where the lamb may wade, and deeps where the elephant may swim.” “On Christ’s glory I would fix all my thoughts and desires, … the more I see of the glory of Christ, … I will be more and more crucified to this world.” “If private revelations agree with Scripture, they are not to be despised.” “Therefore, on God alone will I rely for my keeping. I will continually look to Him.” “If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation.” “The greatest sorrow and burden you can lay on the Father, the greatest unkindness you can do to him is not to believe that he loves you.”

These quotes show his emphasis on Christ-glory, the centrality of Scripture, the role of the Spirit, and the seriousness of prayer, faith, and pastoral integrity.

Lessons from John Owen

1. Theology must lead to transformation
   Owen insisted that theology without spiritual life is empty. True doctrine must shape one’s affections, prayer, and holiness.

2. Perseverance is rooted in Christ, not self
   Even in trials, Owen believed that believers must rely on Christ’s sustaining grace, not their own strength.

3. Depth matters
   He urged believers to move beyond shallow faith into the deep things of God, where strong souls are formed.

4. The battle with sin is ongoing
   Sanctification is not passive. Owen’s emphasis on mortification teaches that believers must actively resist sin, empowered by the Spirit.

5. Courage in doctrine and dissent
   Owen lived in an age of religious coercion. He defended convictions, held to conscience, and engaged controversy without retreating from principle.

6. Holistic ministry
   Owen was a pastor, theologian, academic, and writer. His life shows that ministry can integrate public, private, intellectual, and spiritual vocations.

Conclusion

John Owen stands among the greatest of the Puritan theologians. His intellectual rigor, spiritual intensity, and pastoral heart continue to speak into Christian theology and the Christian life. Whether through The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Communion with God, or his writings on the Holy Spirit and sanctification, his legacy endures.