Jonathan Edwards wrote this lecture, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” to preach to the congregation of his church during the period of Great Awakening, a time of religious revival. He knows how to persuade and uses numerous techniques to do so. In his sermons, Edward’s expressive, informative, and argumentative writing style and his use of simile, metaphor, personification, imagery, and tone creates a fearful, emotional image in the minds of his readers.…
In the excerpt Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards, he demonstrates many different Puritan ideas. Edward feels just as the thoughts that are changing later on were based upon. He believes God as a deity who longs for his people to lead great, generous lives. Rather than talk gently about sinful behavior, Edwards considered it most effective to discuss God’s wrath. Rather than believing in the idea of predestination, he believed people had the power to save themselves by living a good life. His relationship with God was very strong, which encouraged him to to create better individuals by writing his sermons. The purpose is to aware of people of their behavior and conduct here on earth is for more significant more essential…
Jonathan Edwards, author of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” and Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of “The Minister’s Black Veil,” were both strong, influential writers. Although both Hawthorne and Edwards were strong writers, the way they conveyed their message to their readers were quite different. Both Edwards and Hawthorne shared a main directive. Their writing style was not only effective but also quite different. Edwards who was more blunt and straightforward in his writing, used that approach to be an efficient writer.…
Martin Luther King, was a man of equal and respectful treatment. In 1963, with a frustrating yet respectful tone, King gave a speech “I have a Dream” which had the intriguing purpose to inform the nation on how African-americans should be granted the same freedom with no violence. This speech was presented in front of 250,000 people, mainly those who were for King’s cause. While listening to this speech the main rhetorical device, metaphor, is presented.…
Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God” approaches the audience with a call to action. Jonathan does not soften his blows of aggression towards those listening to his sermon. Edwards’ use of imagery and syntax add to the emotional effect of the sermon. “The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string.” This metaphor is directed to those that sin, and is used as a more blunt approach to those who do bad, than Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”. Plato approaches the topic of ignorance with ease and softness, using an epic metaphor to compare humans finding self-knowledge to those in a cave. Edwards uses many similes as well, but with a more aggressive impact. “And the fiery…
In his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” from the 1740’s, The American minister Jonathan Edwards, uses similes and metaphors to intimidate and manipulate the hearts of his puritan listeners. He uses a metaphor to dramatize human weakness. He states the human has as much chance of keeping out of hell " as a spider's web would have to stop a fallen rock." Meaning that the sinners will be presumably going to hell if they don’t do something about it. Another metaphor reads, “ The wrath of God is like great waters that are damned for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and might is its course, when once it is let loose .”, meaning that all the sins throughout the time have built up and eventually the damn will break and Gods wrath will be let loose upon the sinners of the world. What the sinners depended on peace and safety but to the angry god, “peace and safety were nothing but thin and empty shadows.” Edwards states, “ you have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment.” The sinners have taken advantage of God, used him, manipulated him, but they are the ones that need him the most and they expect him to help them not enter the “wide and bottomless pit, full of fire and wrath.” “God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart and strains the bow, and it’s nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment away from being made drunk with your blood.” Edwards is saying that God would string a bow and point it at your heart to know he means commerce, and he is willing to stick that arrow up your heart just so you would know your lesson. Therefore, Edwards uses many similes and metaphors to…
When first reading Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” shocked readers how it started right in about the wrath of God and Hell. His diction and images create a tone of alarming immediacy – act now for your own good.…
I found "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" written by Jonathan Edwards as a terrible misconception. From the things I've learned through my own faith and Theology classes I've taken God is nothing like the god that Edwards portrays. Edwards's god is one of destruction and hatred. Where as the true God is full of love and compassion for his children. This sermon suggests that God is ready at any moment to condemn man to Hell. In Theology however we learned that God does not choose to send anyone to Hell, rather it is our sin that condemn us to this destiny. Edwards fills his sermon with scripture in an attempt to solidify his beliefs. However upon closer examination these quotes are bits and pieces of the complete text. These instances…
In the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards, with a contemptuous attitude, attempts to provoke a religious revival in the Puritan communities of colonial America using the very powerful motivator of fear. He instills, very literally, the fear of God within the hearts of unconverted people within the church. Edwards renders his audience emotionally unstable with the terrifying body of his sermon, it allows his conclusion of salvation to be the solution of the entire unconverted congregation.…
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is religious speech written by Jonathan Edwards, an American person who studies God, while preaching in a crowd in Enfield and Northampton. He preached on July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut, is (a request to/a court challenge to) 'sinners' to recognize that they will be judged by God and that this judgment will be more afraid/scary and painful than they can understand. Three themes stand out as especially important for understanding Edwards's approach to his message: His (putting pictures into your mind) helped to paint scary pictures in the minds of his followers of the results they would face in the future if they didn't feel deep sorrow for past sin.…
Damned or not Damned! A unique look at “Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God”…
Jonathan Edwards’ delivers his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” to the congregation at Enfield, Connecticut, in 1741. He speaks to them in a way that shocks them into following he correct path of life. Edwards declares, “You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but don't see the hand of God in it, but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation.” This is an Example of how Edwards’ uses an angry tone to portray his topic. This is the best possible way to get someone to do something they would ordinarily refuse to do. On the other hand, Benjamin Franklin speaks about his own personal experiences as a grandfather tells his grandson all of the things he did in his life. He speaks in a voice that may inspire others but mostly puts them to sleep, unlike Edwards. Franklin expresses, “My inclinations for the sea were by this time worn out, or I might now have gratified them.” This is an example of how Franklin speaks in a tone to tell the story of his travels. The writers explain tone through…
As once a founding father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin once stated, “do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” Though this quote might have been years later than 1741 during the time of the Great Awakening. Jonathan Edwards gave the inspiring speech “Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God” to puritans who left the church and left Edwards feeling that puritanism was in danger. He uses fear as a tactic to get the unfaithful puritans to rededicate their lives to God and gives them hope to repent for the mistakes they have made. Edwards uses frightful imagery, and violent then hopeful metaphors to get puritans who strayed away from strict religion to come back and have a second chance at a pure life.…
individualism is “a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control”. what this means is that the individual has control over what goes on in the society rather than a government or any one force controlling what the individual does, individualism could be shown in many different forms. examples of different forms individualism could be shown is through the way you dress, your moral beliefs, or even your actions.Individualism is shown through romantic, revolutionary, and colonial text in Sinners in the hands of an angry god, speech to Virginia conviction, and self reliance…
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a sermon given by Johnathan Edwards, a preacher and a theologian. Published in 1741, Edwards’ sermon is one of most defining pieces of literature during the First Great Awakening in the United States. The Day of Doom is a poem written by Michael Wigglesworth, a Puritan minister. The poem became wildly popular in Puritan New England when it was published in 1662. Both texts discuss the themes of divine judgement and punishment. Edwards’ sermon illustrates that it is God’s will that keeps evil men from being sent down to hell. Wigglesworth describes the Day of Judgement in which God will decide who will be saved who will be sent to hell. These pieces of religious literature both describe a harsh God who has ultimate judgement and no mercy when it comes to punishment.…