Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

Background Information Important role in the shaping of The Great Awakening (1730-1755) Grandfather of Aaron Burr (3rd VP of US and killed Alexander Hamilton in a Duel)(founding father and 1st sec. of state.) Was the fifth of eleven children He entered Yale College in 1716, at just under the age of thirteen. He was a scholar-pastor his rule being thirteen hours of study a day.

The Great Awakening A series of several religious revivals Began in the 1730’s . The Great Awakening was a backlash against what many believed was a church that had grown far too lenient.

Edwards preached a return to Calvinism which stressed predestination, the belief that only a select few chosen by God would be saved. No individual could earn grace by doing good deeds, so everyone was equally powerless to control their own fate.

Structure and Delivery of a Puritan Sermon 1. Epigraph-reading of a Biblical epigraph, explanation of its meaning and its Biblical context. 2. Exposition- demonstration of scriptural evidence, reasoning, establishing the validity of the doctrine

Structure cont. 3. Application-statement of how the doctrine applies to one’s personal, spiritual and family lives and to the immediate community. 4. Epilogue-call to action, emotional appeal.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (1741) Sermon written by Edwards and preached on July 8, 1741 “Their foot shall slide in due time.” Deuteronomy 32:35 (5th book of the Bible)

“Fire and Brimstone” tradition

Parallel between the Puritans and the Israelites (chosen by God to be God’s first followers) “Vengeance of God on the wicked, unbelieving Israelites”

Themes Imminence of destruction Seeds of destruction are there, just momentarily stayed, restrained by God. The danger of death and damnation that faces the unconverted

Imagery Figurative or descriptive language in a literary work used by the author to create a mental or sensory image in the reader.

An Angry God