A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God
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| Author | Jonathan Edwards |
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| Original title | A Faithful Narrative of the Surprizing Work of God by Jonathan Edwards 1737 |
| Country | British American Colonies |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical narrative |
| Published | 1737 |
A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God in the Conversion of Many Hundred Souls in Northampton is an essay written in 1737 by Jonathan Edwards about the process of Christian conversion in Northampton, Massachusetts during the Great Awakening, which emanated from Edwards' congregation in 1734.
Edwards wrote the Narrative to dispel rumors and to clarify how conversion to Christianity occurs. Edwards gives a background of the town and its relatively mundane history prior to the Awakening of 1734.
In the book, Edwards describes God's grace by using examples of various people from his local congregation, such as Abigail Hutchinson, a young woman who died joyfully. These examples illustrate the psychology of conversion by grace. He outlines several universal steps in conversion:
Edwards published the Narrative in England in 1737, Boston in 1738, and later in German and Dutch, and it brought him a large international following. Prominent Christians such as George Whitefield, a British minister, came to visit Edwards in Northampton after the publication.
The Narrative remains popular and modern day evangelists such as Timothy Keller often refer to this and other Edwards works as models for their ministry. The song "Amazing Grace", written in 1772, is sometimes compared to the "grace experience" described in A Faithful Narrative.
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