It's good to see the attention people are paying to Jonathan Edwards lately. In addition to public podcasts, articles, etc., I've had several private conversations on the topic.
https://www.mobom.org/jonathan-edwards
I see this influence as part of the Lord's preparation of young Joseph Smith to become a translator, revelator, and prophet.
As President Nelson has taught, "Good inspiration is based upon good information."
The narrative of Joseph Smith as an ignorant farm boy who ushered in the Restoration by saying a prayer out loud contradicts Joseph's own 1832 history. The Lord prepared Joseph from a young age. He was a religious seeker who applied himself to the scriptures and had an "intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations."
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-summer-1832/2
In my view, the influence of Edwards corroborates Joseph's claim that he translated the plates (instead of merely reading words that appeared on a stone in the hat), that he received revelations "after the manner of his language," and that he sought "out of the best books words of wisdom."
This understanding of Joseph Smith is an example to each of us who are religious seekers. We all need to study for ourselves and hear the voice of God in our own language.
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There is an unfortunate thread among some LDS scholars, however. They have taught caricatures of Jonathan Edwards, framing him as teaching a false Christianity that contradicts the Restoration.
I posted an example of this here:
https://www.ldshistoricalnarratives.com/2025/03/dirkmaat-and-jonathan-edwards.html
Hopefully in the future LDS scholars will be more careful and accurate as we explore Edwards' influence on the Restoration.
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