Examples Of Sinners In The Hand Of An Angry God

In the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edwards displays controversial viewpoints and ideas concerning heaven and hell. As Edwards speaks to the congregation he warns them of the misery and suffering they will face if they do not repent of certain sins. He also describes God as angry which probably struck fear into the hearts on many. To illustrate his own point that hell is unenviable without repentance Jonathan Edwards creates the idea of an angry God using intense similes, a harsh tone, and strong emotional appeal in “Sinners in the hand of an Angry God”.

Imagine you are a Puritan, it is the Great Awakening, and one of the most well-known preachers of the time is telling you that there is a good chance you are going to hell. Without some serious skills in persuasion, this statement wouldn’t mean anything. Jonathan Edwards ' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" speech was extremely effective in persuading the Puritans to take their religious beliefs more seriously due to his use of many rhetorical devices such as: figures of speech, repetition and sound, syntax, and the triangle of rhetoric - ethos, pathos, and logos. The people were getting distracted by things other than religion

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is widely recognized as one of America’s most profound Theologians. Some might even consider him the master of Puritan revival, since he was the leader of the Great Awakening. During his time he was a devout Calvinist who had the power of single-handedly keeping the Puritan faith strong for over twenty-five years, by using vivid imagery to provoke his audience. Edward's dialect was exquisitely influential and yet wielded with class and ease. This essay argues that Edwards was a prestigious theologian in his time that helped shape modern religious culture.

Jonathan Edwards, a famous preacher in pre-colonial times, composed a sermon that was driven to alert and inject neo Puritanical fear into an eighteenth century congregation. This Bible based and serious audience sought after religious instruction and enlightenment. Through the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards offers a very harsh interpretation to humankind. Edwards utilizes various rhetorical techniques to evoke an emotional response in his audience and to persuade the members of his congregation that their wicked actions will awaken a very ruthless and merciless God.

Jonathan Edwards's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is moving and powerful. His effectiveness as an eighteenth century New England religious leader is rooted in his expansive knowledge of the Bible and human nature, as well as a genuine desire to "awaken" and save as many souls as possible. This sermon, delivered in 1741, exhibits Edwards's skillful use of these tools to persuade his congregation to join him in his Christian beliefs.

Edwards uses words like “wrath” and “omnipotent” to display the power that God posses, and chooses negative connotation words to describe the relationship between God and man (para. 15, 46). Making the comparison of the relationship between God and humans like a spider web or thread, the author wants the audience to know that it can be broken at any time, and that the “pit is prepared” down in hell for sinners (para. 17). Edward chooses diction that leaves humans hopeless, and at the mercy of God. He wants the audience to know that God is always in control, using words like “if God should permit” and “the mere pleasure of God” (para. 13, 7). Additionally, Edwards uses diction to portray God as merciless and immoral, saying that has God is “without pity” and “will have no compassion upon you” (para. 41). This leaves the audience despaired, and they feel as if they have no choice but to reestablish their relationship with God, or certainly face an “everlasting destruction” at any time God pleases to (para.

In the works of Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” uses numerous persuasive techniques and biblical allusions. Edwards’ sermon lectures Puritans, people who strictly pursue to live by the bible, on how they are straying from the path of the bible. During his sermon, the Puritans were terrified of what he had said ,because every little sin each Puritan had committed they thought they were going to go to Hell. Edwards’ play on words, as well as his use of persuasive techniques, and biblical allusion convinced the Puritans that they were severely in trouble of going to Hell.

Edwards use of metaphors allows his tone to be straightforward with their negative connotations. He compares God’s wrath to the great waters that are damned to the present. By incorporating that the waters are for them and the longer it is held the faster and mighty it is, he makes readers feel guilty for being sinful. Depite managing to comfort them by reminding them they have not yet been judged he changes his tone to criticize it is their

Within the eighteenth century, Christians were going through the Great Awakening, a wave of religious enthusiasm that swept through the colonies in an effort to make an impact on the religion within the areas. In the sermon written by Jonathon Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” he is trying to persuade nonbelievers into joining his religion in a way unused by many. To show nonbelievers the two altering sides of God based on what people believe and “they may imagine him to be so” (3), Jonathon Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” utilizes threatening tone, conveying repetition, and augmenting similes to express the fury and hopefulness of God.

It reflects on the Puritans’’ ideals and beliefs. Such as, they believed in salvation and that the fate of individual soul was predetermined by God. Also, that salvation was a private choice among God and the 'Elect'. Elects or Saints were the ones who were saved and the ones who weren't were 'wicked’.

Edwards uses terrifying and harsh diction to convey that the Puritan congregation needs to pursue a life of humility and righteousness. Word like “violent anger”, “threatened”, and “wicked” that have negative connotations describe what God’s wrath will feel like on non-believers. It also conveys the point that Puritans are predestined and will not have to deal with this, convincing people that they need to be serious about becoming a Puritan. The passage where Edwards describes Hell also has strong diction that conveys that the Puritan lifestyle should be pursued. Phrases like “Hellish desires reign”, “The pit has its

b. Thesis – Jonathan Edwards’s sermon portrayed Puritans as sinners of their religion through the use of rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos.

Perhaps the first thing noticeable in Edwards’ sermon is his horrifying imagery of Hell and what happens when one doesn’t accept God into his or her life. On page eighty-eight it is stated “Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead… and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink… and plunge into the bottomless gulf… and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of Hell, than a

Edwards uses imagery as a way to frighten his audience back into the pious ways of the Puritans. He uses darkly connotated words to vividly describe hell and the torment that it brings to appeal to the audience's emotions and senses. When referring to God sending the sinners to hell, there is a great deal dark images drawn in the readers mind to help them picture what they are doomed to. "God has so many different, unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending 'em to hell, that there is nothing to make it

This example only further demonstrates that Taylor used his writing for intimate relationships whether with God himself, as most of his works, or for human relationship as in the case with the peculiar Elizabeth Fitch. Nonetheless, Edwards Taylor’s audience is meant for himself and his worship of god through the use of vibrant and colors and thoughts. It is not until his work is released in 1937 that critics and esteemed authors elaborate on the true meaning and symbolism of his works. Despite worshipping the same God, Edwards depicts his God in a vengeful and almost violent way to instill fear in his listeners. In order to grab the attention of his listeners, Edwards implement lots of imagery that causes shock or fear so that people actually listen to his words. Taylor on the other hand incorporated lots imagery as well but fit instead served the purpose of reverence not dread. Jonathan J. Edwards, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University reveals that Jonathan Edward’s intention in writing was to comfort those who were already sinners. However, at the same time he wanted to force those who were in the wrong (away from the church) to consider their spiritual state. He did not want to just