In18th century, two movements were spread across America. They greatly influenced the way how people think about religion, and more importantly they challenged the authority. They were the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment. Philosophers such as Jonathan Edwards and Thomas Paine brought their theory and belief to the public and caused great impact. Although they might have different belief, but Jonathan Edwards and Thomas Paine were more similar than they appeared.
In Jonathan Edwards’s famous work, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards’s attitude appeared to be an extreme Christian. At the start of this work, he wrote, “So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the
Jonathan Edward’s role as minister establishes his ethical and moral stance. Yet he chooses to instill fear and worry within his listeners, “so thus it is , that natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of Hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked. ”(267) When appealing to the moral reasoning of the convention members Patrick Henry assures them that God will
Invoking fear is Edwards most successful tactics in this piece. He depicts God as an angry being who will cast everyone into the pits of Hell whenever he pleases. One of the most powerful invocations is, “They are already under a sentence of condemnation to Hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentences of the law of God.. is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are
Both Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson like many of the founding fathers of America share a ideology concerning independence and freedom in general. Although the two were notably talented writers, the difference in their arguments was their respective deliveries, writing styles, and their timing. Personally, I agree more with the way Thomas Paine chose to present his point of view. Common sense, for example, was a significant eye-opener for many Americans. One of the only reasons it made such huge impact was because it was written in a style that was easy to understand for the average American.
In 1741, Jonathan Edwards writes and delivers the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” His primary focus was to persuade the audience by use of fear to abide by the Puritan religion - much like many Judeo-Christian preachers do today. Edwards encorporates allusions, imagery, and diction to enforce his philosophy upon his audience. Throughout the sermon, Edwards targets the attention of his audience through biblical allusions.
Well respected preacher and philosopher, Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741), enhances the remarkable consequences of remorseless sinners. Edwards’s purpose is to impress upon the Puritan Congregation an abhorrent idea stating that if a sinner does not feel guilt and attempt to correct it, they will anger God and burn in hell. He establishes an audacious tone in order to initiate the fear of going to hell within his religious listeners. Edwards’s most powerful rhetorical strategy is expressed through his noticeable manipulation of pathos, found along with his mentions of logical and ethical foundations.
Jonathan Edwards was someone who, during his time, had spoken about many things when he preached, but the people listening left with very different ideas then what he intended. Edwards's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," summaries the Puritan view of a fearful God through his imagery and his views as a Puritan preacher.
Throughout his sermon, Edwards talks endlessly about how God shows mercy to all of humanity in the deepest depths of hell by the earth itself. As Edwards said in his sermon, “You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment” (55-57). In Edwards opinion they were sinning against God with no way to change in hope of salvation. He tells his followers that God already chosen a path for all toward to hell instead of heaven. In “To My Dear Loving Husband.”
God Gives Us Free Will Jonathan Edwards preaches that if people follow God and obey him they will experience his great mercy. “Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God,” he explains this concept in his sermon. Most people back in 1741 and to this day would be persuaded by his sermon about the Lord because of how passionately and strongly he spoke about his beliefs’. In this sermon Edwards refers to Gods everlasting wrath. He describes Gods anger towards those who do not follow and believe in Him.
Thesis: Jonathan Edwards in the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” compels his listeners to believe in God and reach salvation by creating the sense of fear among its listeners arguing that otherwise they would end up in Hell. Summary: In the sermon, Edwards explains in detail to his audience how Hell will feel like. He uses figurative language to simulate how they will be judged by God and sent to hell if they don’t believe.
“Who it may be are at ease, than with many of those who are now in the flames of hell” (Edwards, page 124, line 9). Jonathan Edwards means do not sin or you will be in hell with every other person who has sinned and gone to hell. Although Jonathan Edwards and Anne Bradstreet both write about their beliefs and they both believe in God, they believe in God in different ways. Jonathan Edwards writes/preached “You will go to hell if you sin at all, and do not fully give yourself to God”. Anne Bradstreet believes more in praying during hard times like in her poem “Burning of our House” and saying her belongings are not hers, but rather God’s belongings.
Jonathan Edward was a religious man and believed in Christianity; he used the way of salvation of the people by preaching. He recalled people of the hereafter world that all people are responsible for their actions and behaviors in this world otherwise God will punish them in the eternal world. According to Jonathan Edwards in “sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” that describes the wrath of God toward sinners, “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” (436). Here he implies, if you people do not avoid bad behaviors and actions, you will count as sinners and will be going in
One of his well-known sermon is “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” preached at the meeting house in the village of Enfield, Connecticut, on Sunday, July 8, 1741, at the height of the great awakening. In this sermon, Edwards focused on the consequences of leading a sinful life, the power of God and repenting of ones sins, in order to be saved from hell. The purpose behind this piece of writing was not to terrorize or dismay the hearers, but to make them repent and believe in God again. This piece was aimed at those who lacked belief in God as well as churches.
Compare the backgrounds of Jefferson and Paine; did Paine have an advantage or disadvantage by not being born in the colonies? Explain. Paine had the advantage of being able to see the issues from the outside and from a lower point of society. To be able to understand a bigger group of people is far more of an advancement than to always target the smaller group. Which was the cause of the colonies not wanting to be under rule.
Thomas Paine is the author of “Common Sense” and “The Age of Reason.” Paine was a believer in one God, he hopes for happiness beyond this life, and he believes in equality among man. Paine also believes religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and to make fellow creatures happy. Revelation, when applied to religion, means something communicated immediately from God to man. Paine argues against “special revelation.”
Analytical Response Paper – “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards Thesis: Jonathan Edwards, the sermon ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” states that God continuously saves us from our sins. Summary: Edwards starts the sermon describing a picture of hell, and how God continuously saves us from hell. Edwards wants to warn people of the reality of hell, and the fact the God constantly gives humankind chances instead of letting them burn in hell.