SINNERS IN
THE HANDS OF
AN ANGRY GOD
A Sermon by Jonathan
Edwards
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: Jonathan Edwards
 B: October 5, 1703 –
D: March 22, 1758
 Edwards was a
Christian theologian
(intellectual preacher
who studies religion)
 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?
 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)
Group Work:
Four-Square Chart
 Square 1: Summarize the overall message
of the sermon
 Square 2: Describe (support with
evidence) the relationship Edwards’ feels
Christians have with their God AND with
Satan.
 Square 3: Select one type of imagery and
identify several quotes that contain that
image from the speech.
 EXPLORE IMAGES OF FIRE, WATER,
OR HANDS
 Square 4: Evaluate whether or not this
type of sermon would motivate or alienate
you to follow its prescribed morality.
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 offputting?