Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards

â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† was written by theologian Jonathan Edwards and is considered to be one of the most famous of all sermons because it is a common topic of debate for many people (who are in a religious setting). But, I am compelled to consider that there could be more to Edwards’ legacy and purpose than meets the eye. Jonathan Edwards was the son of a minister and a highly intelligent, willful mother (Griffin, 2007). Edwards was known for being an intellectual and profound speaker. Because he was highly intellectual, I can imagine that he had very firm opinions and ideas about the way things operated, including how the government ran the country. Edwards’ message in, â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God† was preached in a religious climate during the era of the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening preceded the American Revolution, an era when American’s fought against political issues such as high taxes, demanding their freedom and independence (Wikipedia, 2014) . The idea of an awakening implies a slumber or passivity during secular or less religious times. However, this can be applied to a non-religious context. I propose that â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† be examined from the perspective of compelling people to consider their weaknesses and insufficiencies (along with the insufficiencies of others) in order to encourage them to equality, and removing social hierarchy and fear. From that perspective, â€Å"Sinners in the HandsShow MoreRelatedJonathan Edwards And Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God1936 Words   |  8 Pagesglorify God while we are living our lives. Fo r over a thousand years God’s word has been preached by many faithful men who follow Him. However, there were some of those faithful men who used God’s Word and their own improvisation to convict sinners and to put their trust in God. Those times resulted in an era called the Great Awakening of the 18th century and they also put an end to the segregation era of the 20th century. Two of the faithful men during those eras were Jonathan Edwards and MartinRead MoreJonathan Edwards Essay Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God2232 Words   |  9 PagesSinners in the Hands of an Angry God Rhetorical Analysis Essay 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 toRead MoreSinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards Essay647 Words   |  3 PagesSinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards grew up in an atmosphere of strict puritan discipline. He became a very religious and devout believer at an early age, and excelled in academics, entering Yale University at the age of thirteen. Many years later he became the pastor of a church that grew with his teachings. His lifestyle reflected his teachings and was a well respected man. His sermons spoke directly at many people and he impactedRead More Use of Rhetoric in Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God570 Words   |  3 PagesJuly 8th 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† in Enfield, Connecticut. Edwards states to his listeners that God does not lack in power, and that people have yet not fallen to destruction because his mercy. God is so forgiving that he gives his people an opportunity to repent and change their ways before it was too late. Edwards urges that the possibility of damnation is immanent. Also that it urgently requires the considerations of the sinner before timeRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Edwards s Sinners The Hands Of An Angry God 1376 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to the â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,† Jonathan Edwards , main purpose was to scare the audience and tell them that they are doomed to spend their lives suffering from God s wrath in hell. His sermons were intended as a wake-up cal l for those who underplayed the majesty of a holy God and overemphasized their own worthiness as a decent, hard-working, successful citizens. Edwards believed strongly that only a genuine conversion experience should qualify a person for church membershipRead MoreSinners in the Hands of an Angry God Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesOutline 1. Introduction a. Hook - â€Å"Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering.† ( A quote from Jonathan Edwards’ â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†) 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. 2. Body Points c. Body 1 i. Topic Sentence - Ethos is referred to as the trustworthiness or credibility of the speaker and theirRead MoreSinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis1034 Words   |  5 PagesPuritan author Jonathan Edwards was most well known for his sermon, â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†, in which he vividly described the hell waiting for all sinners. Edwards used fear tactics to get listeners to abide with what he was preaching. Jonathan Edwards uses repetition and imagery to get his point across in â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God†. The most common tool used by Edwards to frighten people into believing what he was saying was repetition. Jonathan Edwards was trying toRead More Jonathan Edwards Sinnners in the Hands of An Angry God Essay1030 Words   |  5 PagesJonathan Edwards Sinnners in the Hands of An Angry God Jonathan Edwards delivered his sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, in Enfield Connecticut on July 8, 1741, the year following George Whitefields preaching tour which helped inspire the Great Awakening. Weeping and emotional conviction among Edwards’ audiences came at a time of great spiritual thirst. While very foreign to mainstream American opinion today, this extraordinary message was fashioned for a people who were veryRead MoreComparing Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God and Patrick Henrys Speech in the Virginia Convention: Who Made the Best Argument?739 Words   |  3 PagesJonathan Edwards creates a more effective argument for the intended audience in â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† than â€Å"The Speech in the Virginia Convention† written by Patrick Henry, by utilizing various techniques. Patrick Henry makes a strong argument however in the end, Edwards’ sermon grows to be more effective. Edwards creates the argu ment by strengthening the writing through tone, structure, fallacies and knowledge of the congregation that became his audience. Henry’s piece uses methodsRead MoreGod’s Unconditional Love vs. God’s Unending Anger Essay1181 Words   |  5 PagesEveryone must accept God as their savior or they will go to hell. This is a very familiar message that is preached by Christian religious leaders in places of worship around the world. As simple as this message may seem, the way it is delivered to the people makes all the difference in either turning them into believers, or scaring them away from religion altogether. John Winthrop and Jonathan Edwards were both religious leaders that lived centuries before the present time. They shared the same