Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Sermon by Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

The Great Awakening A Christian movement in Europe and Colonial America in the 1730s and 1740s Powerful preaching that gave listeners a sense of deep personal need for salvation by Jesus Christ. Avoiding ritual and ceremony, the Great Awakening made Christianity intensely personal Encouraged a deep sense of spiritual conviction and redemption, and by encouraging a commitment to personal morality.

Background Edwards was a Christian theologian (studies religion and its influences) This sermon is from July 8, 1741 in Connecticut

Jonathan Edwards’ Sermons Sermons included references to Hell, his observations of the world, and pieces of scripture Inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment in Europe, his sermons were the key to the start of the First Great Awakening “That world of misery … is extended … under you.”

Critically read the sermon… After you have read the sermon, please answer the following questions on the bottom of the 3rd page: How does Edwards portray God in his sermon? What is Edwards’ purpose? To what extent is it possible to make up for sins? Or are people just doomed? What literary devices does he use to achieve his purpose? How does Edwards use ethos, pathos, and logos within his sermon? (Be specific) Ethos (based on credibility/trust) Pathos (based on emotion appeal) Logos (based on logic)

This particular sermon’s purpose … One church in Enfield, Connecticut had been largely unaffected during the Great Awakening of New England. “The fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out …” Edwards was invited by the pastor of the church to preach to them to teach his listeners about the horrors of hell, the dangers of sin and the terrors of being lost.

Literary Focus: Imagery Imagery: visually descriptive or figurative language, esp. in a literary work Imagery is a literary technique used by authors to evoke emotion in readers

So, what do you think? After reading Edwards’ sermon, and thinking about the values of this community, are you running off to join a Puritan village? Why or why not? What might be appealing about this kind of community and what might be off- putting?

Group Work: Students in the Hands of an Angry Teacher As a table group, you are going to create your own sermon in the same vein as Edwards. Your sermon must include vivid imagery and utilize rhetorical devices such as ethos, logos, and pathos to appeal to your audience. Do your best to be persuasive in your argument!

Four Square Chart In groups of four, you will be creating a four square chart Square 1: Briefly summarize the overall message of the sermon Square 2: Draw an image to represent the message Square 3: Pick two key sentences/most important sentences Square 4: Pick five buzzwords from the sermon

10 Considerations God may cast wicked men into hell at any given moment. The Wicked deserve to be cast into hell. Divine justice does not prevent God from destroying the Wicked at any moment. The Wicked, at this moment, suffer under God's condemnation to Hell. The Wicked, on earth - at this very moment - suffer the torments of Hell. The Wicked must not think, simply because they are not physically in Hell, that God (in Whose hand the Wicked now reside) is not - at this very moment - as angry with them as He is with those miserable creatures He is now tormenting in hell, and who - at this very moment - do feel and bear the fierceness of His wrath. At any moment God shall permit him, Satan stands ready to fall upon the Wicked and seize them as his own. If it were not for God's restraints, there are, in the souls of wicked men, hellish principles reigning which, presently, would kindle and flame out into hellfire. Simply because there are not visible means of death before them at any given moment, the Wicked should not feel secure. Simply because it is natural to care for oneself or to think that others may care for them, men should not think themselves safe from God's wrath. All that wicked men may do to save themselves from Hell's pains shall afford them nothing if they continue to reject Christ. God has never promised to save us from Hell, except for those contained in Christ through the covenant of Grace.

Questions What type of God is presented in this sermon? What happens to people without God? What happens to sinners? What are some metaphors used in the piece? To what extent is it possible to make up for sins? Or are people just doomed?