Jonathan Edwards Rhetoric

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a sermon written by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a theologian and philosopher in the British Colonies of America. He was raised as a puritan in Connecticut and grew up to be one of America’s most influential protestant revivalists of that time. He delivered many sermons, the most well-known being “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards gave this sermon on July 8, 1741 in Northampton, Massachusetts. The main purpose of this sermon was to convey to the audience the reality of hell, the need to change their wicked lives, and, ultimately, that they should fear the wrath of God. Edwards does this to motivate the audience to live their lives as perfectly as they can in order to not anger God and to avoid Hell.

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”.

Religion had a powerful impact on Puritans lives. Many Puritan people had faith in a supreme being, God, and the teachings of his Divine Son, Jesus Christ. They’d assume that if you weren’t a good Christian they would suffer in hell, but if you were one would be saved by god. An example would be in the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” the speaker strongly describes about how being a bad Christian has its consequences and the good things that come of being a good Christian. “Many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.”(152)This explains how they had a strong feeling towards god’s ways. By being concerned about their religious life and being good Christians.

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 Sermon “ Sinners in the Hands of an angry god” contributed into the Great Awakening, showing that Hell was real, and whoever defied god was put down. Edwards used dark imagery to get his our heads, the meaning that everyone is predestined and anyone can be sent to hell. Edwards says in his sermon that “ God's enemies are easily broken into pieces, they are a heap of light chaff before the whirlwind”(2). Edwards hoped that the imagery and language of his sermon would awaken audiences to the horrific reality that he believed awaited them, should they continue life without their devotion to Christ? This made many people horrified and help start the great Awakening, making Christians more aware of the power of Christ, and increase their devotion to Christ.

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.

Jonathan Edwards, a negative and realistic man, focused on how God is a judgemental god and sinners will be put to a painful death, they should be fearful. He says in the first few lines of his speech, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, “So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit.” (Edwards, Pg. 23) Edwards implies that everyone deserves to be in hell and he goes on to say that God is an angry God and that no one had done anything to try to ease His anger. Edwards also played a large role in the Great Awakening. He wanted people to experience Christianity in an intense and emotional way. In his speech, he said, “O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: It is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell.” (Edwards, Pg. 26) Edward’s speech was opportunity knocking at everyone’s doors. He influenced people to want to be saved in a way that made many fearful of what could happen to them if they weren’t saved or a child of God. Edwards believed that God set the world in motion, but was not active in everyone’s life. Edwards believed that God created the world and

On July 8th 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon “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 time runs out. He does not only preach about the ways that make God so omnipotent, but the ways that he is more superior to us. In his sermon, Edwards uses strong, powerful, and influential words to clearly point out his message that we must amend

Edwards misused many texts and took a verse out of context. He used it to prove what context denied : God will not restore his people. He applied the imagery of fire to frighten unidentified listeners into repentance. He invoked God’s temporary negative corporate sanctions to scare men regarding permanent negative personal sanctions and invoked God’s wrath against public corporate apostasy top justify preaching against invisible personal

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.

Through the use of hopeful repetition, Jonathon Edwards conveys to the readers optimistic thoughts the shows us how God upkeeps. . Edwards stresses the fact that God wants us to be on the right path of life “restrains” (3) from sending us into hell as in giving us a second chance. Edwards uses the word “restraint” to show how God is on our side and he expects great thing out of us, the loving side of God. Furthermore, Edwards uses the word “promise” (5) multiple times to show the readers that God is not just making a promise to let everyone into heaven. Trying to convey the theme of devoting oneself to Christ, Edwards uses the phrase “God made no promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment” (5) as a reference that only true Christians will get into Heaven. This pressures the unconverted because it makes them think, “Should I convert so I can get into Heaven?” With this thought process in mind, Edwards also exclaims that God’s wrath is “eternal and everlasting” (10). This means that people cannot just call themselves Christians and get into Heaven. They have to show God that they

On July 8, 1741, in Enfield Connecticut, the speech Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, was delivered. The sermon was given by British Colonial Christian theologian Jonathan Edwards. His goal and purpose was to teach and warn people of the dangers of sins and the horrors of the afterlife. The speech was given at his own congregation in Northampton, Massachusetts to an unknown effect. Edwards had started The Great Awakening from his preaching. He was also a descendant of four generations of Puritan ministers and the most renowned and influential of Puritan Leaders. Edward began his sermon by saying "In this verse is threatened the Vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, that were God's visible People, and lived under Means of Grace: and that, notwithstanding all" He also states "Gods wonderful Works that he had wrought towards that People, yet remained, as is expressed."(ver. 28. Void of Counsels)

Edwards appeals to ethos by quoting a text from the bible at the beginning of his sermon. He uses outside “facts” from a Bible which is well known and studied by many of the Lin 5 people. Edwards also appeals to logos by basing his sermon on reality of God and the existence of hell. The only way to be saved from hell is to believe and have faith in God. Though he uses both logos and ethos, Edwards appeals to pathos the most. Throughout the sermon, he is constantly using figures of speech to describe consequences of hell to force the audience to be fearful.

Jonathan Edwards’ memorable sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, was first delivered in 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut during the peak of New England’s first Great Awakening. When he delivered this sermon with horrid descriptions of hell, the congregation listened. It left a dramatic effect on the listeners leaving them weeping, and some even considering suicide! Jonathan Edwards conveyed his message to turn their lives back to religion and repent to their god by his use of tone, emotional appeal, and imagery.

Edwards' creative choice of words that he uses describes the power of God and the terrible Hell awaiting sinners. These words easily infiltrate into the minds of his congregation and frighten them beyond belief. These choices of words and his use of such vivid images are mostly successful in their intent, to scare and put fear into his audience. Edwards held his audience locked up with his promises of eternal damnation if proper steps were not taken. The congregation felt the intense impact of his rhetorical strategies and lived on the fear of the power of God. In this way, he was able to keep his followers from sin and away from the fiery pits of Hell.