Voices of Conscious

Cornell Notes and The Puritans
 Do not write everything!
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 main ideas, people, events wait until the end of each slide – we will discuss
 Continue to organize your notes with headings
 Write phrases, not full sentences
 Use abbreviations and symbols
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 e.g.: use = to show relationships e.g.: shorten names after you write it out once

Who were the Puritans?
 God and religion central to daily lives
 New world seen as a gift from God
 Immigrated as families 1620early 1700’s
 Established Massachusetts Bay Colony
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Theocracy
 Advocated for education for all
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Bible

What did Puritans believe?
 Predestination
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Struggle between good and evil
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Search for grace
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Purification
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Universal education

What was a Puritan Sermon like?

What was a Puritan Sermon like?
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“Hellfire and Brimstone” sermon
Would seem “long” and “boring” today
 Memorized essay
 Heavily (and repeatedly) scripture based
 Seriously push sinner to behave/repent

Delivery
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 words (holy) more important than delivery
Spoke in monotone —no distract from the message
 Very serious: no entertainment
 Like a memorized essay (5 paragraph)

Why did Puritans write?
 To transform a mysterious God - mysterious because he is separate from the world.
 To make him more relevant to the universe.
 To glorify God.

What was the style of Puritan writing?
 Non-fiction ONLY
 Protestant
 Purposeful
 Reflected the reading public

Who were the Puritan Writers?
 William Bradford
“Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled…”
 Cotton Mather
“Ah! Destructive ignorance, what shall be done to chase thee out of the world!”
 Anne Bradstreet
There’s wealth enough, I need no more,
Farewell, my pelf*, farewell my store
* pelf: money or wealth held in contempt

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What is Puritan doctrine?
God is mad at the wicked and isn’t going to take it anymore!
You never know when you’ll feel his wrath —you’re probably suffering right now!
God is all power and can do anything he wants whenever he wants —especially when he’s mad at sinners!
God will let you repent —which would be a sign that you’re already saved.

Why did Puritanism decline?
 2 nd & 3 rd generation had limited personal experience with “grace” and religious struggles
 Growing numbers to religions and beliefs in
America
 Age of Rationalism in 17 th century

What are the signs of Puritan decline?
 The Puritans would say we as a society are declining (just like they did).
 What would they point out today as signs of moral/spiritual decline?

What is “Sinners…” about?
 Topics:
 human sinfulness
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 the uncertainty of human/personal existence
God’s ultimate power over salvation
 the need for a Christian lifestyle
 the chance of redemption
 the importance of conversion

What is the Puritan Legacy?
 Need for moral justification/morality
 Quest for Freedom
 The Puritan work ethic
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Morbid fascination with death
“The City Upon the Hill”
 Education

Jonathan Edwards
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Early 1700’s
 Preacher theologian missionary
 Founded revival movement
“The Great Awakening”
 Most famous and dramatic sermon: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Keep an eye out for: (but no notes yet!)
 Imagery: vivid descriptions
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Voice: tone and credibility
Symbols: objects/events that represent something else
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Metaphors: comparisons of two unlike things (no like or as)
Theme: morals and lessons
Wrath: vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger

A/B sharing
 Describe the tone of the sermon. Imagine your reaction if you were in the audience today.
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Evaluate the effectiveness of Edwards’s fiery approach.

A/B sharing
 Infer the main idea of this sermon.
 If positive, constructive behavior is a sign of salvation, then what would Edwards say about our society today?

What are the themes of “Sinners in the
Hands of an Angry God?”
 God is angered when you turn away from Him –
Hell awaits!
 God is powerful and merciful beyond our understanding
 Proper God-fearing behavior is vital

Boondock Saints
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“And I am reminded, on this holy day, of the sad story of Kitty Genovese. As you all may remember, a long time ago, almost thirty years ago, this poor soul cried out for help time and time again, but no person answered her calls. Though many saw, no one so much as called the police. They all just watched as Kitty was being stabbed to death in broad daylight. They watched as her assailant walked away. Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.“

What would the Puritans say?
• Do actions demonstrate grace?
• Is apathy evil?