John Owen (1616–1683) was one of the greatest Reformed theologians of the seventeenth century, known as the “Prince of the Puritans,” a Doctor of Divinity, and a pastor.
In 1646, he was invited to preach before Parliament and subsequently entered public service. He served as Dean of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Owen was frequently called upon by Parliament and by Oliver Cromwell in London for consultation on matters of religion and government. Despite his many responsibilities, he found time for his writing. During this demanding period, he wrote three short treatises that remain widely read: The Mortification of Sin, Of Temptation, and Communion with God.
Owen is also well known as a leading advocate of the doctrine of “limited atonement.” His The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (1647) became a classic defense of this doctrine. Those who hold to the doctrine of universal atonement—the belief that Jesus Christ died for the sins of all people—are criticized by Owen and other proponents of limited atonement for teaching an atonement that does not effectively accomplish salvation.
