More Fun With Puritans:
The (First) Great Awakening,
Jonathan Edwards, and
Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God
October 25th, 2007
What Was the Awakening?
• Puritans (again)
• Religious revival
• First one in America,
although others followed
• Swept through the colonies
• Targeted church members The cross! It’s back!
Why Did It Happen?
• A return to the past
• Simplicity
• Orthodoxy (straight thinking)
• Old Puritans came here, new ones stayed
• Lots of guilt, lots of salvation – sound familiar?
• Move away from ceremony – make religion
personal
• Salvation – God is fixing what we broke
Any Problems?
• The new focus led to decentralization
• Puritans split
• Old wanted to keep the rituals and
doctrine; new wanted to move away
• Great Awakening didn’t last long
That Was the Awakening…
What About Edwards?
• Born in 1703
• Native of Connecticut
• Wanted the simplicity and
orthodoxy of the Puritan past
• Became pastor at Northampton in 1729,
and stayed until 1750
• Also served as a traveling minister in New
England
Edwards as Boy Genius
• Only son (10 sisters)
• Grew up devout
• The makeshift pulpit
• Spoke Latin, Greek
and Hebrew by 12
• Entered Yale at 13
• Graduated as
valedictorian at 17
• Seventy resolutions
• Kept a diary
About That Diary…
• Unsure of self
• Conversion complete at 36
• Was dismissed eleven years
later because his beliefs were
too conservative
• Eventually preached to
Native Americans
Edwards as Speaker
• Most famous work: Sinners in the Hands of an
Angry God
• Sermon delivered in 1741 to an audience in Enfield,
Connecticut
• Sinners wasn’t a normal speech for Edwards
• He usually appealed to logic and reason
• Spoke in a monotone
• Stared at the bellrope as he spoke
• Hysterical audience
• Persuasive speech – what is it?
Elements of Persuasive Speech
• Always remember: Edwards is trying to
convince people to behave or think in a certain
way. (And he’s a Puritan, so he isn’t wasting
words – every one he uses is carefully chosen.)
• What should you be looking for as you read?
• The what and the why – what is he saying, and
why is he saying it? (The what is to show you
understand the concepts; the why is to show that
you’re thinking about what you’re reading.)
More Elements of
Persuasive Speech
• Qualifications: What are Edwards’ qualifications?
Does his reputation speak for itself, or does he
have to gain the audience’s trust? (For
whichever one you choose, make sure you can
convince me that you’re right – look for proof to
support your opinions.)
• Audience – Does Edwards understand his
audience (their backgrounds, interests, beliefs,
etc.)? Is his speech written specifically for them,
or could he read it to anyone? (Remember to
explain and defend your choice.)
Last Questions to Consider:
• Occasion – When did Edwards write the piece?
Where was he reading it? Does he make any
references to current events from his time?
• Technique: Is Edwards presenting a logical
argument? Is he appealing to past traditions? Is
he appealing to the audience’s sense of reason,
or to the emotions of the churchgoers? How
does he get people to listen to what he’s saying?
What are the specific techniques Edwards uses,
and why does he use them?
Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God
• Second part of the speech
• Chock full of images and symbols
• Why is it important to look for symbols
when reading Puritan works?
• Why does it work?
While You’re Reading
• If you find words you don’t understand,
underline them.
• Circle images and symbols; figure out
what they mean, and why Edwards uses
them.
• Remember – Edwards is a Puritan, and
Puritans tried not to waste anything.
That’s All for Today…
• See all of you tomorrow!