- How does Edwards' syntactical structure contribute to the purpose of the text? How does it reflect ideas of the time?
- What impact does Edwards' use of imagery have on his audience?How does it contribute his tone?
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Jonathan Edwards: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
This is a two part assignment: 1) write your own response in which you answer the one of the following questions, and 2) comment on one of your peers. Your responses should must be written in clear, concise paragraph form that are purposeful to understand the complexities of the texts and their meaning. Be sure to use textual support to support your analysis.
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ReplyDeleteMartha - you need textual support and analysis development in your response.
DeleteIn "sinners in the hands of an angry God," Edward's use of imagery leaves an overwhelming impact on his audience. His use of imagery creates a pessimistic tone leaving the audience overwhelmed. Edwards compares sinners to serpents to show how they are seen in god's eyes," you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful and venomous serpent is in ours" (Edwards, 98). Edwards is saying that without converting to Christianity these men will be looked as evil and wicked. comparing them to serpents also is symbolic because of the story of Adam and eve, ever since then serpents are seen as wicked and evil. Edwards main goal for this sermon is to get sinners, or natural men, to convert but he goes on to say that even those who are in the congregation may be damned as well. he states, " there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subject of this very misery to all eternity" (Edwards,99). Edwards overwhelms his audience by saying this because they will start to question what they are supposed to do to keep away from damnation, which will cause fear and anxiety until they begin to lose hope.
DeleteI like your thinking about the serpent and how that alludes to the bible ( about Adam and Eve) but i feel like your ideas are kinda disorganized and still questionable. like when you say "His use of imagery creates a pessimistic tone leaving the audience overwhelmed" you should include the purpose of that in the same sentence, not after the contextual evidence. (Cause thats like your thesis statement). and also you need to explain how the tone is pessimistic, as in finding words (diction) that supports your claim that is it.
DeleteBy using imagery, Edward makes his claims and descriptions of God and Hell much more relatable to the reader. Instead of seeing these are just intangible objects, Edward's audience is forced to compare them to their everyday life. It makes the tone of the story much more fearful because all of a sudden, the reader can imagine God and Hell in their life.
ReplyDeleteEmily is this a response to Martha or your post? Also, keep in mind this should be a well developed paragraph that includes textual support and analytical development.
DeleteEdwards' use of imagery creates a mood of terror to the non-Christian audience and a feeling of superiority to the Christian audience. In the passage Edwards states, "... and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock" (Edwards 98). Edward uses a metaphor to convey the idea that no matter how many morally right actions a non-Christian did, they would not be spared in hell. Edwards compares this to how a spider's web cannot stop a falling rock to imply that a non-Christian believer can never be able to escape hell. This contributes to the condescending tone to implicate that Christians were far better than non-Christians since they will be spared from hell by God.
ReplyDeleteWas Edwards' intended audience Christians/non-Christians? I believe the story was directed towards Puritans who have sinned. The purpose of this text was to convince the Puritans that if they continue sinning, they will be condemned to hell.
DeleteIf you are Puritan, do you not practice Christianity? Puritans separated themselves from Christian groups at the time but not Christianity itself. Technically, they still believed in the same things as Christians. It is safe to say that Christianity encompasses Puritanism. Hence, Puritans are Christians. Though I do see the mistake. The "Christian" label is general whereas the "Puritan" one is more specific. But in the end, if you put a Puritan colonist and a Christian from the Church of England in the crowd where Edwards' sermon was told, the idea that Berenice mentioned; that "imagery created mood of terror;" would be true regardless.
DeleteI suppose that knowing that he was more imaginative and was probably a lot more intelligent than the average early colonist, he felt a subconscious superiority while telling the sermons. I mean, he did matriculate at Yale when he was 13 as said on page 95. That, however, is too vaguely expressed in his sermons to conclude. I would argue that the tone used in the sermon was more a cautionary tone than a condescending one.
DeleteI knew by saying "Puritan" someone would comment on how puritanism is a form of Christianity. But what I forgot to mention was how the Puritans sinned, meaning a Christian person performing duties morally wrong. Berenice only stated the audience was "non-Christians" meaning people who do not believe in God, instead of people who DO believe in God, yet still perform immoral acts.
DeleteWith the using of imagery, Edwards creates a horrid picture of hell for the non-Christians to view as a reality because they were not committed to God. In the text it quotes, " There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth..." (Edwards 97). By creating such an image, Edwards is informing the non-Christians that God is ready to punish them for their nonexistent belief in him and that hell is as ready to accept them as he is to punish them. This quote is also used to frighten the non-Christians into converting because of the unnerving image of hell it paints. These ideas help provide to the superior tone of the passage to show that the Christians were in power and that God had mercy on them while he was vexed by the non-Christians and would punish them greatly.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean not committed to God? How is your quote "frightening"? What key words, phrases does he use to develop such a tone?
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ReplyDelete[indent] In the sermon [italicized] Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God [end italicization], Jonathan Edwards meticulously strings his sentences with the images of Hell in order to ignite a religious revival in each of his listeners. Throughout the sermons, Edwards' sentences seem stretch with almost with no end, no goal. But there is, in fact, a purpose. Edward proclaims to the audience:
ReplyDelete[indentation for block quote] 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. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. (98-99) [end-quote]
With “fire-and-brimstone” imagery at his disposal, it is clear that in this passage Edwards emphasizes that the power of God and the consequence of sin. He describes that, at His mercy, every single person in his audience is held in the "hand of God" over a “great furnace of wrath,” and that, if provoked, He will not hesitate to let anyone fall to their damnation. These images seemed to have no end as Edwards progressed with his sermon. And, truly, it is because of the arrangement of his words that these images will remain seared into the thoughts the audience. Edwards deliberately let several conjunctions and commas and semicolons govern this passage to prolong such imagery, leaving the audience little room to comprehend nothing more but a festering fear of sins and committing them. Choosing this syntactical, more radical approach instead of the typical, serene one further reflects Edwards’ awareness of the meandering of colonists from believing in God. He knew that fear would not be so easily dampened by free-will or ignorance as being reminded being chastised by a religious leader in a regular sermon would. As a result, he left the audience persuaded and awakened to the possibility of Hell.
I agree with your idea of Edwards using commas to prolonged the imagery, kind of repeating one idea but in different details. But when you said it was the arrangement of the words that got the imagery through to the audience, I wish you would have used an example if Edwards arranged his words in any other way, they would not have been as effective.
Delete2. Edwards' imagery creates this type of nonviolent intimidation thus causing his audience to accept his beliefs and cause this type of aura around Edwards."The God that holds you over the pits of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked..." (Edwards 98). His tone is then very condescending in the sense that Edward is judging all the sinners and using a negative connotation of the Bible to have this idea that those who are not in the faith and even those in the congregation are not fully saved represented by this quote "And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit hear in some seats of this meeting-house in health, and quiet and secure, should be there before to-morrow morning" (Edwards 99).
ReplyDeleteJonathan Edwards using imagery in his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to leave the people he preaches to in a state of fear. Instead of preaching about the positive aspects of Christianity, Edwards describes what happens when a person where to not believe in Christ. Edwards' graphic imagery is expressed in one of his preaching of terror, "it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of fire and wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God" (Edwards 98). Edwards' use of "held in the hand of god' is claiming that all are unworthy and that nobody is exempt from God's wrath. The description of hell as a furnace and full of fire strikes the familiar fear originated from the Salem witch trials, where people were burned to death. Also, Edwards tone is identified as authoritative and shameful. This can be seen when he preaches, "Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead" (Edwards 98). Edwards is talking to listeners as if it were a child receiving punishment through his use of "you" followed by something he claimed was evil. From his authoritative and shameful tone, combined with the fear of past religious quarrels, the audience would have been greatly influenced to convert to Christianity in an attempt to protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said, but in the middle of your responce, you start to talk about in god's hands. Are you referring to people that they have no control on what happens to them or that no one is safe? Also, your second quote confuses me a bit as you go and talk about shameful tone, even though you only talk about a state of fear in your thesis. The reference to the salem witch trials was very well put and gave me a image to go off.
DeleteEdwards uses syntactical structure for the purpose of show how everyone has the possibility of going to hell. "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful and venomous serpent is in ours" (Edwards 98). Edwards creates an image, or idea, of an angry, remorseless God, as Edwards describes God as someone who would have no problem with letting everyone go to hell for an eternity. Edwards compares how God sees a human with how a human sees a bug, this conveys the idea that God does not see human life as meaningful or purposeful. Throughout the entire quote Edwards uses the word "you", this reinforces Edwards' idea that hell is not just for a certain group of people, but for the readers themselves. This was created the same time as the Great Awakening, so this reflects on the idea that God is powerful, as he can send anyone to hell, and how necessary purity towards the Christian faith is, so that you won't go to hell. Edwards' imagery of an angry God would scare the audience of colonists, as it would put them in fear that God would be remorseless with them as the others that Edwards was talking about. This contributes to an angry, hateful tone, as Edwards is as angry with the rest of the colonists as he explains God to be. Many words that contribute to this imagery and tone are: loathsome, abhor, abominable, hateful, and venomous.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that Edwards uses "you" many times in the sermon, however, he also wrote a part specifying a specific type. He says,"so that thus it is, that Natural men are held in the hand of god over the pit of hell" (Edwards, 97)
DeleteI liked the fact that you remembered Edward comparing God's view of humans to our view of bugs however, i'm not sure if I agree with you statement that God sees humans as meaningless or un-purposeful. At the end of the piece Edward writes that "...Christ has flung the doors of mercy wide open..." (Edwards 99). This makes it seem as if God does see purpose in everyone and wants to welcome them all into heaven but he can't unless they accept him and want to be welcomed. I do however, agree with your statements on the word "you." Since Edward was preaching this is a sermon there is a good chance he wanted each person to feel like they are having a personal conversation (I see my father- a pastor- use this ALL the time). I also really enjoyed the fact that you tried this all back into the Great Awakening. It really strengthens your case.
DeleteIn "From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", Edwards uses imagery to strike fear and terror into his congregation. He uses imagery to scare his listeners. Edwards writes "There is a dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of. There is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up" (Edwards 97). Edwards describes hell as a dreadful pit where no one would ever want to end up eternally. In another part of his sermon, Edwards reinforces his idea by describing the sentencing process. Edwards writes "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligations at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood" (Edwards 98). Edwards describes that "The angry God" makes the decision to send someone to hell for eternity is merely a game for him.
ReplyDeleteThe use of imagery in Edwards' piece establishes the tone of his sermon. Edwards describes many terrifying and sinister images. He uses these images and combines them with harsh and threatening phrases to create the threatening tone of his sermon. Using these images, he strikes fear into his congregation which he hopes will encourage them to become believers in Christ so they will be saved from the pit of hell.
Who do you think was specifically Edwards' listeners?
DeleteI personally said he used those harsh descriptions of hell to convey a tone of pessimism but I can see where you are coming from with saying that he used imagery to establish a threatening tone. I agree with what Yiren said as well. You should mention who his audience was, it may help in understanding why he took the tone that he did in his piece in my opinion. I also liked how you used the quote about “the bow of God’s wrath” to reinforce your point that sending someone to hell was a game for him. I had not thought of it that way. before.
DeleteIn sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathan Edwards uses imagery to establish the sence of fear onto Christians in order to restore faiths in Christianity during the Great Awenkning. Edwards uses the words “flames” and “hell” frequently associating with the consequence of non-Christians. He writes “...and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell” (Edwards 97). From this quote, Edwards creates images of an angry God by his words “provoked”, ‘fierceness”, and “wrath” as well as indicating the punishment for unfaithful Christians by the ‘angry’ God. However, the tone of the sermon shifts from accuring and furious to cheer and amiable at the end. “And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day, wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God.” (Edwards 99) This shift emphasizes the purpose of the sermon, which is for religious revivial of Christanity, by advising Christans to follow their God for the only oppotunity to escape hell.
ReplyDeleteI understand that Edwards creates an image that God is the only path that will not lead to eternal damnation, but does Edwards use imagery to restore faith in Christianity or to secure it? By instilling fear into the present-Christians, Edwards was attempting to snip-away any doubts that the Christians had during the Great Awakening. With Edwards' bold choice of language, he was most likely trying to scare Christians into keeping their faith, rather than trying to give them the tools to have their own religious epiphany or revival. I agree that his sermon did renew many Christians' look on their religious beliefs, but to the extent where it affected how they viewed God- which was now an image of a very provoked and angry one.
DeleteBy using imagery, Edwards paints a picture in the mind of the Puritans that God is not as nice and loving as he is proclaimed to be as stated, "The God that holds you over over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire..." (Edwards 98). By stating this, Edwards shows that God does hate some people and it would bring him joy to be able to send them to hell. Edwards also states, "and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock" (Edwards 98). Here, Edwards is emphasizing that no matter how much good the Puritans do, it will never overpower all the sins they have commited and they are still bound to go to hell. By using imagery, it builds on the tone of fear and how no matter what the Puritans do, God is still angry about everything they have done so they are bound to feel his wrath.
ReplyDeleteI understand that what you are saying is true but I believe that the main idea of Edwards piece of literature wasn't to tell the Puritans that their God was evil but to scare them into stop sinning. Edwards states the following, "The use may be of awakening to unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of everyone of you that are out of Christ." (Edwards 97). Edwards meant for all those who didn't believe in Christ to reawaken their beliefs or they would go to hell.
DeleteI have to agree with Ivonne. The purpose of the piece was of convince people to come back to faith. Edwards was an agent of the Great Awakening, in which the church tried to bring people back to faith, not to scare them off. What Edwards called for was an awakening of natural men, or unfaithful people, "lest you be consumed... in hell" (Edwards 99).
DeleteI agree with Ivonne because in the passage, Edward does seem to just be scaring the non-Christians in order for them to believe in God and therefor, stop sinning. In the passage Edward states" the devil is waiting for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them and swallow them up"(Edward 97) Edward also declares " Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners...and have an opportunity to obtain salvation"(Edward 99) By writing this Edward seems to want to scare the non-Christians by explicitly explaining what is waiting for non-believers in God in hell and also telling them that they have an opportunity to change their future by starting to believe in God.Because many people do not want to suffer they would begin to believe in God in order to obtain salvation.
DeleteAndrea, if you declare that God does want to send some people to hell no matter if they always do actions of good kindness, than how does he decide who he wants to send to hell and who he does not?
I agree with Nicolas and Ivonne, because Jonathan Edwards wanted everyone to stay faithful, sparking the great awakening. "his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of god" (Edwards 99)
DeleteI agree with Ivonne, I believe that Edwards' purpose of the sermon was to keep Christians faithful to their God instead of painting negative image of God to the Puritans.
DeleteDo not listen to what anyone here says! I disagree with all of you, and I agree with Andrea. This is an interesting interpretation of the piece. You backed it up with relevant textual evidence, and therefore made it believable.
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ReplyDeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards' use of imagery created a persuasive influence on Christian sinners. His persuasiveness creates a fearful tone in the story that if people don't convert into Christianity, they will go to hell. In Edwards' sermon, imagery is expressed through his preaching by stating “...in the God over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked” (Edwards 97). God is here is shown to hold a sinners life in his hands and they are at his mercy; he is not concerned for the person, as they have done nothing for Him to make Him care. Edwards uses of fear and despair by creating an image of hell and scaring the audience that if one does not confess their sins, they will suffer in hell and God will not save them because the sinner caused God to send them in the fiery pits of hell.
ReplyDeletei agree with what you are saying but i don't think that the quote supports your argument enough. but maybe with one more quote or one that shows the fear that hell brought people. also i wasn't sure he wanted people t convert i think he just wanted people to regain the faith that they had lost.
DeleteIn Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Edwards audience see’s his use of imagery as fearsome but crucial. Because the language he uses is so raw and straightforward, it flusters his audience. “The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood” (Edwards 98). However, Edwards’s use of imagery is so real and descriptive that his audience drinks it all in, absorbing every one of his words. His use of descriptive words helps his imagery to be so real, that it becomes crucial and is the only thing his audience learns from, so they do not sin. The author’s diction impacts his imagery, which contributes to the very serious tone. From the “flames of divine wrath flashing about it” to the “pinning and perishing”, these words indicate none other than the serious tone Edwards is trying to portray.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the tone is serious and that Edwards' imagery flusters the audience. However, I think you need to mention more about what they do after they get flustered. His imagery does scare the audience, but what does it scare them into doing, and how does it change how they act?
DeleteIn his sermon, Edwards uses imagery to strike fear in the people who began to lose faith in God to try to make them fear him. He takes a different approach to make people regain the faith that they once had in God. He shows how God is ready at any moment to send into hell, "The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God"(Edwards 98). He explains and describes how God already has an arrow aimed at the heart of a sinner. It makes people frantic since it makes it seem as though you can see the laser of a sniper following you. He makes the people want to give forgiveness to God, this is his way of trying to get people back into the religion of Christianity during the Great Awakening. he describes how angry God has become, “...and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell” (Edwards 97). he uses the words "suffering", "fierceness" and "wrath". This specific diction had portrayed the tone of anger or wrath. it scares people so they come back in fear of being thrown into hell for all of eternity. edwards imagery shows how the tone of the sermon was anger.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your description of Edwards tone, and I also really like your connection between how people during the Great Awakening were frantic and fearful of going to hell as they would be if they saw the laser of a sniper. I think this simile really helped me understand your claim.
DeleteGreat Awakening, was a religious revival between 1730 and 1750. Jonathan Edwards, as a Puritan theologian, preacher,and philosopher, attracted people in droves and brought them frenzied mass conversions with his sermon. In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"， Jonathan Edwards' use of imagery created a picture of the "natural mans" hold by the powerful, angry, dreadful god over endless hell, in order to restore faiths in Christianity during the Great Awakening.
ReplyDelete"the devil is waiting for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them and swallow them up;"(Edwards 97)
Edwards showed sinned Christians that "it is only the power and mere pleasure of god that holds you up" (Edwards 97) from the dreadful hell, and if god withdraw his hand, everything will have "no more influence to uphold you out of hell". Then Edwards wrote that "you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful and venomous serpent is in ours"(pg 98) so humans are nothing but bugs in gods eyes, god might withdraw his hand at anytime. All of these gave a tone of terror, angry, and dread. But suddenly he shifted his tone:”And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open....”(pg99)
He is saying that now all of the sinned people are still living and they can use the great opportunity Christ gave them to wash them from their own sin. So the god will not punish them to the hell.
I think your argument about how he uses fear to restore peoples faiths is good. but you should maybe try to use less quotes to support it? or use the same amount but explain the quotes uses/purpose in more detail and how they relate to imagery,
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Edwards sets the tone from the beginning sentence, “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, and are already sentenced to it…” (Edwards, 97) which carries on for about another paragraph, explaining how humans are so small compared to God; He has the power to condemn us to a life in hell, but we ultimately decide whether or not He cuts the mere string that holds us over the fiery pits of hell. As a Christian, the impact Edwards’ use of imagery has is terrifying, but eye-opening nonetheless. The way he depicts people who may not live a Godly lifestyle as these tiny, helpless creatures can only make the audience fell obligated to be on the His good side when the time of judgement comes. Burning alive in pure agony versus “feasting” and rejoicing is not a hard decision to make for most. Edwards states that, “You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder.” (Edwards, 98) which is written as if he is speaking to each individual person; “YOU hang by a slender thread” sets up a tone that not only is God a provoked and angry decision maker, but that Christians (and anyone else that hears Edwards’ message) should be ashamed and terrified by what a life full of self-absorbency and sinning can do. When Edwards uses fatal instruments such as bows, arrows, or fire to portray an image of “sinners if the hands of a angry God”, he bores an uncertainty into every readers’ minds about how they’ve lived their life so far, and what they must do to change it.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with the statement that Edwards was making the reader/listener uncertain of there condition. In many cases the listener would be certain that they were either a devout puritan or a sinner. Edwards makes it clear that if you have not atoned for your sins, God has no problem roasting you alive. If anything the listener would feel doomed or scared for their souls.
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ReplyDeleteIn the time period of 1730 to 1750, a religious revival called the Great Awakening came about. Jonathan Edwards was a preacher and a philosopher who still had faith in god when others lost theirs. During this time period through his writing, he tried to bring people back to the idea of believing in god through fear. In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", Edwards use of imagery to impact the audience into believing and having faith in god through fear and terror by painting images of a angry, mad god holding "natural mans" over hell.
ReplyDeleteEdwards states " it is only the power and mere pleasure of god that holds you up" (Edwards 97). Edwards is saying that even though you have lost faith in god and don't believe in him like you use to, he is keeping you from hell just for himself. This strikes fear in people because they are not in control of the situation. Edwards quotes "you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful and venomous serpent is in ours"(Edwards 98). In god's eyes, humans are just little critters that mean nothing to him. It is saying that we don't matter and he could care less what could happen to us. This two quotes gave the audience a tone of angry, terror and pure evil, which made people rethink what they believed in and for some, brought back their faith in god through fear of him.
(Question 2) Within the text, Jonathan Edward uses imagery to instill fear within the colonists in an attempt to encourage them to accept christianity during the Great Awakening. He does this by saying, “The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise of obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.” (Edward 98). By using using a bow and arrow, he utilizes the colonist’s fear of the natives to scare the colonists into accepting christianity. In spite of his aggressive teachings, he uses words such as “extraordinary” and “rejoicing” that show his shift of tone that is evident towards the end of his sermon. “But here you are in the land of the living, and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation.” (Edward 99) By saying this, he expresses the reward of obtaining salvation, which therefore supports his ultimate ambition of reconverting the colonists.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your ideas and they are well supported yet I believe that Edwards was not trying to encourage the colonists into accepting Christianity but instead he was making them believe that it was the only thing that will keep them alive. I do agree with you that Edwards was instilling fear within the colonists but he wasn't using this fear to further encourage them, he was using this fear to make them believe that they would die by the hands of God if their faith wasn't put into him. This idea is shown through the quote you referred to, " . . .and that of an angry God, without an promise of obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood." (Edwards 98). I also really enjoy your comparison to the Natives and the bow and arrow image because it shows the ironic concept that the colonists were to be scared into Christianity by the use of the people they feared, yet God was being compared to the Natives and the colonists were to put their faith in him.
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards uses imagery to rise fear upon the Puritans who have lost faith therefore encouraging them to reawaken their beliefs in God. Throughout his sermon Edwards uses words like 'fierceness", "dreadful", and "misery", to describe the hell that lays under all those who don't believe or have lost faith in God. The usage of these words rises fear in the Puritans and encourages them into believing in God again for if they don't they will burn in hell. Edwards uses the image of an angry God who is evil and mad at all those who don't believe in him. He states "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you... you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful and venomous serpent in ours" (Edwards 98). to explain that if you don't believe in God and have never been extracted from sin God sees you as something unworthy of saving. At the end of the sermon Edwards uses imagery to prove that God is only evil to those who don't believe in him by saying "And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day, wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God." (Edwards 99). Words like "opportunity", "mercy", and "kingdom" express the tone of relief and happiness because it tells the Puritans that God is merciful and is waiting for all those who are willing to repent and follow the path of good and believe in him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea that he uses imagery to "reawaken their beliefs in God". I also liked how you pulled out specific words from your textual evidence because that really helped me understand your view more clearly. I wish you talked more about the authors tone throughout the whole response and not just at the end. Overall I really thought this response clearly and concisely answered the question.
DeleteI agree with Katie, that I also agree with your idea that Edwards used imagery to make them believe in God again. I also like that you wrote how Edwards tried to make it seem as if God also had an evil side as well as merciful, because I did not think of it that way at first. I also like how you use many quotes, but try not to fill the response with too many.
DeleteTo say that Jonathan Edwards sermon’s leave the congregation he preaches to in a state of fear is very true. By the way he uses “you”, his words are also so descriptive that he makes his audience feel as if Edwards was talking to them personally. However his audience allows him to put them into this state of fear by continually listening to his sermons. When his congregation keeps going to hear Edwards preach, his vivid descriptions can almost put a negative connotation of God in their minds.
ReplyDeleteIn Jonathan Edward's, "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God",’’ the use of imagery had a great impact on his audience due to the scare tactics. For instance the tactics that he uses are simply put there so that even the simple-minded people may see what would become of them if they do not convert. His use of God holding them over the fiery of hell, a bottomless pit of never ending suffering for which there is no escape except for those who are born again in to the faith. "Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of Hell longest, will be there in a little time! Your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and in all probability very suddenly upon many of you. You have no reason to wonder that you are not already in Hell" meaning that for those who do not convert, your fate will be certain and the time will not be prolonged and you own circumstance will not change for that it may happen without recourse to many and evil is present here and now and those who seek the glory of God will be saved (Edwards 99). With stating this, it scares the people who believe and don’t believe by stating that those who do not believe in God will be damned for eternity and you do not know when your own hell will come to you. The tone is also created with this thought by adamantly persuading the non-believers to convert because Edwards later on goes on to say that where is no hiding from the wrath of God no matter how healthy you are and how good your deposition is in life (Edwards 98). The imagery that is used builds up fear in the audience to believe in God or forever be damned and due to this fear, the tone that Edwards use is building up throughout all his sermons throughout the wrath of God.
ReplyDeleteIn "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God", Jonathan Edward uses imagery to impel his audience (the non-Christians) to believe in God in order to not go to hell. Edward explicitly explains on how having faith in God will be their only path to salvation and that anything else is worth nothing."you healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteous, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock."(Edward 98) All your good characteristics will be no help to you when you die. Only God decides whether to save you or let you perish in hell forever. Just like it does not matter how excellent the spider's web is, because at the end ,material things like the web will not stop the rock from falling ."It is only the power and pleasure of God that holds you up"(Edward 97) Only God is powerful to save you from hell. God is the only exit to the tunnel;he can put you in hell in a blink of an eye but does not because he still believes there is a chance to change your future."But here you are in the land of the living, and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation...Christ has flung the doors of mercy open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners."(Edward 99) Edward displays how God does not want the non-Christians believers to suffer. On how God does not want his children to follow the same foot steps as the helpless souls that are in hell. God wants to save them but can not if they do not believe in him. The non- Christians are still living because God has still hope on them and is giving them a great opportunity to save themselves, a chance to get salvation, a chance to be different from all those miserable souls in hell.Subsequently, this leads to Edward's sermon" Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to have a concern tone.In Edward's writings, he hopes that it will lead the non-Christians to become aware of the situation that they are and will eventually begin to have faith in God and therefor, not go to hell.
ReplyDeleteWhat was so interesting about this text was that his target audience wasn't only the non-Christians but also the Christians (as shown on page 99). I really enjoyed your part where you said how he doesn't want them to become like the people who already were in hell. The purpose of this sermon was that even if you are in the congregation you are not safe.
DeleteI agree with you when you say that Jonathan Edwards uses imagery to persuade his audience to believe in god using the logic that they will go to hell if they did not, but i am curious about the feelings of the audience which impels them to convert or what tone is set by the imagery which can relate to the feelings or emotions needed to be conveyed.I feel you need to touch a little bit more on the psychology of the audience and other tones set by other parts of the story.
DeleteEdward’s syntactical structure in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” contributes to Edwards purpose to establish fear of God’s wrath, and being sent to hell for all eternity. Edward’s imagery through the phrases “hell’s wide gaping mouth open” and “you hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it” put fear of the hell God will put them in if they do not put themselves in God’s graces (Edwards, 97, 99). Edward’s use of imagery reflects the time of the Great Awakening by using emotional and sensitive sermons to persuade people to go back to their roots in having faith in God. Edwards’ imagery impacts his audience’s faith in God, and their view of hell. The imagery used restores the fear of God’s wrath in Edwards’ audience. Edwards’ diction such as “unobliged forbearance of an incensed God” and “his wrath towards you burns like fire” contributes to Edwards’ abhorring and angry tone towards the “natural men” (Edwards, 97, 98).
ReplyDeleteWhen you say "restores the fear of God's wrath" when was there originally fear in the people he preached to? I feel as if you talk about how there is fear but never really touch on what the fear is. Also, I feel as if your sentences are a little out of order.
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards uses imagery in order to illustrate a physical representation of Hell, in hopes of scaring his audience away from the path of evil. The imagery also amplifies the tone by asserting the author's confidence in the existence of Hell and the damnation of sinners. On page 99, in order to describe Hell, Edwards uses phrases such as, "great furnace", "a wide and bottomless pit", and "full of the fire of wrath". This instills fear in the audience because the language being used is ominous, frightful, and painful to imagine. The language is also powerful and strong, it lets the audience know that Edwards completely believes that this outcome could happen to anyone in the audience. Because the situation Edwards describes is a result of a sinful life, his audience has the obvious revelation that they should stop sinning. In this way, his use of imagery scares the audience into leading a holier life in order to avoid the "fiery pit" that he invents.
ReplyDeleteI really like the ideas that you have and I think your explanations support the ideas well, but I think you should have included textual evidence (like a quote instead of snippets) to back up your ideas. Other than that, your ideas were clear and concise, and well explained.
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards, Edwards uses imagery to establish a fearful impact in his audience. By using a direct tone, Edwards makes his audience gullible to the idea that if they don't regain faith in God that they will be given an eternal punishment in hell. Edwards says "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, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell....." (Edwards, 97). This quote says that the "natural men" or people who have not received God's grace "have deserved the fiery pit". This means that if you are reluctant with your faith in God, there is no escaping hell because God is angry at you. The in-depth descriptions that Edwards uses to describe hell create a picture for Puritans that they don't want to experience. For example, "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: you hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn is asunder;...." (Edwards 98-99). These descriptions scare the Puritans into regaining faith so that they won't have to deal with "God's wrath" in hell. Moreover, by using a direct tone and a myriad of imagery, Edwards impacts other Puritans fearfully in an effort to scare them into continuing to have faith in God.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Edwards use of tone causes his audience to be fearful that they will go to hell and I also liked how your quotes helped explain your thesis . I think your ideas were clear and incisive.
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God", Jonathan Edwards uses imagery to create a sense of fear within the audience. Edward uses fear tactics by describing biblical place called "hell" using negative connotation such as "a great furnace of wrath,a wide and bottomless pit, full of fire and wrath"(Edwards, 98). He uses this description to describe a place of misery where no one wants to be. His purpose to drive the audience into having more faith in Christianity with the fear of going to this devastating place if faith is lacked. Negative connotation can be seen when Edwards says "abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful and venomous serpent is in ours"(Edwards, 98). With this negative connotation he creates a aggressive and intimidating tone that strike chills in the audience. With the audience being shaken by his tone, it only adds on when he describes fearsome place of "hell". Edward's purpose of writing was to bring more people back into Christianity. He is able to achieve by instilling a sense of fear with the imagery of hell itself which drives the audience to crawl to Christianity to be saved from this place. During the Great Awakening where people were losing faith in Christianity, Edwards restores the faith of his audience with the persuasion of fear created from the dark imagery in his writing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that Edwards use of fear tactics drove the audience to strengthen their faith and I really like how you explain the connection to the Great Awakening. This really helped me to understand your claim.
DeleteIn "Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God", Johnathon Edwards’ use of imagery frightens the audience and creates a hopeless tone. By using imagery, Edwards depicts non-Christians as having no control over their fate. He writes, "and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell than a spider's web could stop a falling rock" (Edwards 98). Edwards frightens his audience and sets a tone of hopelessness, by implying that no matter how good the non-Christians are, they will go to hell. Later, Edwards goes on to say, "and now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day where Christ has flung his door of mercy wide open" (Edwards 99). Throughout most of the passage, Edwards has created the element of hopelessness and fear, but when he reaches this point he insinuates that there is a silver lining for the "sinners". He manipulates their emotions just enough so that they would become Christians.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Edwards expresses his anger by using imagery to install fear into his fellow believers, who are starting to lose faith into religion as a whole. “Bottomless pit, full of fire and wrath, that you are held over in the hands of god”(Edwards 98) Edwards explains throughout his sermon that god has control over you and you must imagine nobody can do anything with out god looking over their shoulder. “ You are ten thousands times so abominable in his eyes, as the most hateful and venomous serpent in ours” (Edwards 98) Edwards uses this confident angry tone to ensure people to staying strong in their belief or else they would be seen as evil and as types of people who are irrelevant to this religious society. Jonathan Edwards uses graphic imagery in order to show people his anger of people losing faith in religion.
ReplyDeleteEdwards' sermon uses powerful terrifying imagery in order to scare the people. Recall that "natural men are in a hand of god over the pit of hell" (Edwards 97). Edwards uses men to relate to all humans and in the hand of god to show the powerlessness humans have in choosing their fate in the after life. The fiery pit paints a picture of a painful and torturous afterlife. Notice how Edwards used men and dreadful or fiery pit together throughout his sermon. This is further reinforcement to his tone, one of urgency and necessity, where it is needed to rekindle people' faith, "lest they be consumed.... in hell" (Edwards 99).
ReplyDeleteYou say that Edwards' sermon uses powerful terrifying imagery in order to scare the people.. into what? Also try to make this "Recall that "natural men are in a hand of god over the pit of hell" (Edwards 97). Edwards uses men to relate to all humans and in the hand of god to show the powerlessness humans have in choosing their fate in the after life." flow better.
DeleteEdwards' use of terrifying imagery in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" galvanizes his audience into believing in the power and strength of God, and contributes to his authoritative tone. During the period of time before the Great Awakening Christians were beginning to lose faith in God, but pieces of literature similar to this, and "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson" while different in tone serve to enlighten their audience in the ultimate sovereignty of God. In the text Edwards' compares the futility of the congregations good works to a spider's web stopping a falling rock. He states "Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead,....;and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink...into the bottomless gulf,...and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock." (Edwards 98). Edwards' authoritative tone makes it clear that it is God who controls the congregations destiny. He goes on to write graphic imagery involving God as an archer who is terrifyingly close to piercing your heart. He writes "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an Angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood" (Edwards' 98). The use of vivid imagery in this quote "awakens" his listeners and promotes the ideology that God is in complete control of everything including your salvation or damnation.
ReplyDeleteI think that your arguments are strong but I feel like you could make it stronger by adding more quotes and also giving more examples to what you stated. For instance when you said ,"The language is also powerful.." you should show an example of it and maybe explain in further detail how the tone was set, not in too much though. Other than that, I truly like what you stated and I think that your back up is strong.
ReplyDeleteEdwards’ use of imagery establishes God’s sense of mightiness over all people, so that people reading Edward’s writing will feel disempowered fearful of God and worship him once more. During the time of the Great Awakening, Edwards and many other religious preachers caused great emotional reactions and was banned from his post by other Puritans. He traveled to Stockbridge to work as a missionary to the Natives there and later became president of the Princeton University. In “Sinners of an Angry God” Edward uses imagery to create a sense of God utilizing complete dominion over all people, in order to encourage a more obedient Christian.
ReplyDelete“There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flame of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of.” (Edwards 97). God is described to take of the form of a powerful dreaded figure which is to be feared. Edwards uses dictation when he mentions “dreadful” to establish a tone of God’s unescapable wrath. Traditionally, in literature flames, or fire will be used to give a more angry tone to a figure (glowing flame).
The first paragraph is mainly background information about Edwards which is not necessary. I also think you shouldn't start with a quote in the second paragraph. You must introduce the quote first.
DeleteOn the other hand, I like the quote and you explain it very well. The quote captures the negative and threatening tone of the sermon.
I agree with Luis because I feel like you should've just started with In "Sinners of an Angry God"... instead of the information above. You could've connected the great awakening to why Edward is trying to create a sense of God utilizing complete dominion over all people. The quote you used was good but I feel that you need one more quote to support your ideas even more.
DeleteIn replace of my last, incomplete post.
ReplyDeleteIn "From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Jonathan Edwards uses diction and imagery to create a frightening tone in order to scare readers into what he is teaching. Edward preaches about a terrifying Hell and the one and only God who can save someone. Edward describes a “...a fiery pit of hell..dreadfully provoked...wrath in hell..” Edward (97). However, Edward knows that in order to make people really turn to God he needs them to see how their life is affected by this awful place. He writes that non-christians “..in all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell than a spider's web could stop a falling rock" (Edwards 98). By using this imagery, Edward not only makes people see what would happen to them without God, but he puts the situation in terms that anyone can relate to. It makes the tone of the story much more fearful because all of a sudden, the reader is forced to imagine God and hell in their life. However, instead of only implanting fear in his readers hearts, Edward continues his story by saying “...Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open…” (Edward 99). After all the fear of hell and what happens to a person without Christ in their life, Edward gives his reader hope and tell them that God takes them in and forgives them of everything they have done in their past life.
The idea that the reader is "suddenly forced to imagine God and hell in their life" is great-- the entire argument is very well thought out. I also enjoy how you finished on somewhat of a happy note, much like the actual sermon. Something that would strengthen this would maybe be some background info. Possibly talk about what his motives in using the imagery are or even writing such a thing in the first place. Elaborate more on who his audience is instead of just referring to them as the readers. Other than that, I'd say your use of quotes is also pretty awesome; you did a great job of explaining how they referred back to your original statements.
DeleteIn “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Edwards uses the imagery of God’s power over the fate of Christians to scare believers into being faithful to the rules of Christianity. Humans by nature wish to be in control of our surroundings and our futures. When someone is in a situation of being powerless they will try and seize control of their fate by any means necessary. To give this feeling to the reader Edwards says, “and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock” (Edwards 98). In this situation the people congregated at the mass would feel powerless to their destiny. This creates a tone of hopelessness and despair. Now they are more willing to accept the tenets of being a Puritan. After he describes the situation of those doomed to hell he writes, “And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners”(Edwards 99). This allows for a solution to a problem and the tone framed by Edwards earlier in the piece. The reader/listener is now reassured and Edwards receives another of his flock.
ReplyDeleteEdwards’ use of imagery in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is intended to frighten and chastise those have not converted to Christianity. He uses language such as “hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them”(Edwards 97). To describe hell in such a frightening way that people will be scared into conversion lest they suffer eternal damnation. Edward reprimands those that are not Christian and says to them “It would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time”(Edwards 99). So that they know God’s wrath is great and that hell awaits them. Through this use of imagery and language Edward is able to convey a pessimistic and aggravated tone towards his audience so that they may understand that they are in desperate need of saving.
ReplyDeleteI agree entirely with your response and I also really like how you explain both of your quotes fully. I think Jonhnathan Edward tries to make his audience feel unworthy by making them question themselves. He shows that God has ultimately all the power and you won't survive unless you are a Christian just as you stated that they are in desperate need of saving.
DeleteI agree with your overall argument that Edwards is trying to scare his sermon attendees straight, but do not agree with your point that he reprimands those who are not Christian; all of his sermon members were Christian. The problem at the time was not how many people were Christian but how devoted those Christians were. A large percentage of the Christians in the colonies no longer felt a strong devotion to the church, as shown by those in the Chesapeake, and the Great Awakening was meant to change this. Edwards was trying to warn his Christians that they were not being devoted enough to the church and if they didn't show their devotion soon, they would suffer eternal damnation.
DeleteIn the story " Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards uses frightening imagery in order to instill fear in the audience. In the text it states "..., neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them." (pg 97) This quotes expresses God anger to natural men who haven't received his grace. It also sets the tone of the story which is enraged. Throughout the entire story Edwards uses imagery to show God's hatred and to make them question their worth as a person.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you conveyed your thoughts on the quote, but what do you mean by "natural men"? Also, I thought you could explain the quote a little bit more You could like break it down so your readers can understand it better and how it relates more to the enraged tone.
DeleteJonathan Edward's intense imagery in his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" contributes to a tone of dissatisfaction with the devotion-less Puritans of his time. Written and preached in 1741, this piece's purpose was to scare the Puritans of America into more faithful devotion. Edwards tells his audience that they are "wicked" and "abominable" in the eyes of God for being so aimless in their belief (Edwards 98). Coming from a man so divinely enlightened as Edwards, this scares the Puritans into believing that a life without Christ is meaningless. This type of imagery in preaching was very common in 1730-1750, when the Great Awakening was sweeping over colonial America. Puritans who had been slowly loosing faith were beginning to realize that leading a religiously devout life was much better than an eternity in hell. Edwards declares, "…you hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath thrashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder…" (Edwards 99). In these paralyzing images, Edwards claims that it is only God's grace that is keeping a person from the pits of hell, which contain an unbearable amount of torture. He expects his audience to embrace the favor God must have for them, and give their thanks to Him. This use of scare tactics proves to be very useful in keeping what was the first mass movement of the American people afloat and successful.
ReplyDeleteEffective response. The quotes used accurately show imagery within Edwards' argument. The only comment would be that Edwards was a Calvinist, meaning that he believed in predestination. You did touch on that, but explaining how his motives for the sermon were based on his own extreme religious beliefs revived Christianity as a whole would have reinforced the thesis. Also, Puritans themselves were not losing faith, as the Puritans were naturally a very devout group of followers. They were rather losing control of their own message, as many other religious beliefs at the time deemed the Puritans as too strict.
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Edwards uses Imagery to instill fear into the readers. In the beginning of the profile, it said that Edward uses the technique "preaching of terror" to instill fear into the sinners or doubters of God. "And if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock” (Edwards 98). This is saying that if you don't believe in the only thing that is saving you from the brinks of return, then what is there to actually believe in. " To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing"(Edwards 99). Edwards is trying to compare a utopia where you can enjoy life in which you can achieve by believing in god or a hell where you suffer for the rest of your life. This creates a tone of despair and anguish because it's saying that it's too late for the sinners to turn back. Edward also uses words like hell, fiery,anger, wrath, destruction, misery, dreadful, devil, hateful, and venomous to bring his emotions to life and to paint a picture of fear into the readers mind.
ReplyDeleteI think that you did a good job of describing the tone and the author's use of words. However, I felt like you just jumped from one quote to the next. You should connect the two quotes in some sort of way so it would make sense.
DeleteThe gruesome imagery in Jonathan Edwards' story, "from sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", has a galvanizing impact on its readers. The various phrases he used in his story to describe hell emit a grim tone from the very beginning. Edwards writes that "men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell" which indicates that men could be dropped, or thrown into hell by the hands of God (Edwards, 97). He also writes that "if God should let you go, you would immediately sink" which is also letting the reader know that it is God's decision whether you will burn in hell or not (Edwards, 98). Edwards uses the image of a human being in God's hands over hell, and then God letting this human go, to denote that God decides a person's fate after death; their life is in God's hands. This would make the audience reading this want to be on God's good side and obey him so that they would not end up in hell.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a really good job explaining the idea of Edwards use of imagery, you also connected the quotes to the idea of the Great Awakening.
DeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", Jonathan Edwards' use of imagery to show despair and suffrage makes his audience feel fear and further supports his tone of judgment and pity. Edwards uses words like "wrath" and "lake of burning brimstone" (Edwards 97) to strike fear into the audience. He also uses words like "nothing to take hold of to save yourselves" (Edwards 99) and "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as you hold a spider, or some loathsome insect" (Edwards 98) to show his audience just how quickly their lives can change. He wants to let them know that it is only by God's benevolence that they are still alive but that they are pushing God's patience by not repenting for their sins. Edwards' belief that his sermon attendees are evil sinners that need to repent and that they are all so close to damnation shows not only that he is judging them, but that he feels sorry for their existence.
ReplyDeleteEdwards uses imagery when saying "... and all your righteousness would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock" (Edwards 98). This quote will show that he is judging them and thinks they are under him since he is basically saying that they have no chance at doing anything in life.
DeleteThe cruel imagery used by Jonathan Edwards in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" has an immense impact on his audience. Edward's story describes total damnation for the colonists who have given up on God. Edward says "the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them." (pg 97). The imagery Edward uses causes a tone of terror and alarm causing the audience of the story to be fearful of God , want to be obedient to God and once again rely on religion.
ReplyDeleteIn his sermon " Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards uses brutal imagery to depict his malcontent tone of fear that the Puritans should be faithfully devoted to Christ. He uses language such as "There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open, and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of." (Edwards 97) He establishes diction by using words like "The wrath of God" to display God as a powerful leader who's wrath is immeasurably indestructible in a sense.
ReplyDeleteI feel like your idea is developed, but your analysis is half-baked, so to speak. If you expanded on Edwards' tone and use of imagery and what purpose he had in saying things the way he did. It feels unfinished, but the beginning of something good.
DeleteJonathan Edwards uses his sermons about Christianity to move his audience to extreme terror by using vivid imagery depicting the fate of those who did not believe in Christ. From the very beginning of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", Edwards says "natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell"(Edwards 97), establishing not only a frightening vision, but also a chilling tone. Throughout the entire passage, Edwards continues using descriptive imagery such as "If God should withdraw his hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it (Edwards 98) that shows just how powerful and fearful God is. The horrifying pictures that are being painted along with the intimidating tone of Edwards convinces the audience that those who are not Christians will receive a gruesome,slow death in the "bottomless gulf"(Edwards 98) where "the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them and swallow them up" (Edwards 97). Nobody wishes for death, much less hell. The imagery that Edwards uses not only scares the audience, but it pushes them into believing in Christ in order to be the ones that are "rejoicing and singing for joy of heart"(Edwards 99).
ReplyDeleteI think you are definitely on the right track and had good textual evidence. However I think your first sentence is a little bit wordy and could be simplified (Jonathan Edwards uses vivid imagery in his sermons about Christianity to incite terror and illustrate the fate of every sinner in the congregation)I don't know, maybe just change it up a little bit. There are definitely a lot of quotes in this paragraph maybe one to many. Also leave a space between the quotation mark and the citation, maybe that was just a typo. Noice job though!
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ReplyDeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" preacher Jonathan Edwards seeks to construct an idea of an avoidable, yet impending, doom. Throughout his sermon Edwards seeks to incite fear into his audience, assuring them that they are being held aloft by the mercy of god: "...and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf..." (Edwards 98). This hypothetical free-fall induces an idea of an uncontrolled destiny. Once the time has come nothing can be done. Only if a sinner should acknowledge his or her sins would hell be avoided. Furthermore, in the first paragraph of his sermon Edwards uses multiple references to fire and suffering along with a lack of pauses to create a sense of urgency. He attempts to convince the sinners of the fragility of life and the proximity of death, urging them to admit now rather than suffer later. Throughout his sermon, Edwards uses fear to steer his congregation towards salvation and Calvinism and away from his planted idea of impending doom.
ReplyDeleteYou're thesis statement doesn't address the prompt. Although, I do agree with how you say Edwards uses predestination in his texts.
DeleteIn Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, his use of imagery sets the tone for his speech as a whole. His purpose in using a intense and vivid form of imagery such as in “There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open and you have nothing to stand upon nor any thing to take hold of; there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up" (Edwards 97), to instill fear and despair to those in his audience that have steered away from a faithful life centered and devoted around God. The seriousness of the tone is one that advises the non-believers that if they remain unloyal, that they are to find themselves in hell.
ReplyDeleteIn Edwards' speech, he uses language and imagery in order to evoke a sense of fear within the colonists who may be doubting God and what he has done for them. By describing the underworld collectively known as Hell, as "everlasting destruction" (Edwards 98) and a "world of misery" (Edwards 97). Edwards stated that this literal hell was to await them if they did not devote themselves to avoiding all sin in their daily lives, and to convert and devote one's self wholly to this endeavor of worship. Despite having a significant contrast to Mary Rowlandson's narrative, the two texts both had a very similar purpose: to inspire and jumpstart the movement of the Great Awakening. Rowlandson used her story of being "saved" by God from the "savage" Native Americans that had captured her; Edwards instead threatened the possibility of eternal suffering in hell if they failed to have more faith in their god, stating that "Your wickedness makes you as heavy as lead" (Edwards 98) and that if you failed to uphold your faith in Him, that "...you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge in to the bottomless gulf..." (Edwards 98). This use of a negative tone and dark imagery evoked this sense of foreboding in the audience.In addition, this inspired the audience, in a way, that their belief in God would control their fate and where they ultimately ended up in the afterlife, playing a part inspiring the Great Awakening.
ReplyDeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Edwards uses imagery to reintroduce religion into the colonists live by intimadating them of the fiery fate that awaits them if they do not convert. This contributed to the Great Awakening, a renewal of religious beliefs in America. The imagery he uses in his sermons attempts to scare people into conversion by illustrating horrors of hell. He describes it as, “a world of misery"(Edwards 97) and a "lake of burning brimstone" (Edwards 97).This gruesome description of the afterlife awaiting sinners was used intimidate them into joining the puritans. This fear of hell then created a fear of God because he was the one who could decide a person’s fate. This fear of God’s wrath was the cause of many conversions. Edward also convinces the colonists that, if they displeased Him, God could end their lives at any moment. He says they “hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder” (Edwards 99). This makes the viewers believe that at any moment they could be tossed into the fiery pit. It motivated people to convert because it would give them a sense of safety, otherwise they would be left with a constant fear of being sent to hell without warning. Edwards uses many puritan opinions and takes them to the extreme, illustrated by his use of imagery. This gives his sermons an aggressive tone that is focused on overwhelming/scaring its audience.
ReplyDeleteIn "Sinners of an Angry God", Edwards instills fear into the minds of non Christians and Christian questioners. Edwards' piece contributes to the rise of The Great Awakening. By using verses from the Bible such as "... it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up" (Edwards 97), Edwards is able to cause reactions of desperation which leads to questioners no longer questioning and non-believers converting. Edwards' allusions help display his unsatisfied and preaching tone. In his piece, Edwards writes "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fit...." (Edwards 98). Edwards lists descriptions of what will happen to you when you defy God. Through this, he is able to manipulate the non-believers into converting so they won't be punished in those ways. Edwards pushes the non-believers into pursuing the life of a Christian throughout his entire story by listing the consequences of not converting.
ReplyDeleteGood support and textual evidence, but this text was aimed towards sinners not non-believers. If it was aimed towards non-believers he would have been more focused on proving the power of God rather than explaining the wrath of God.
DeleteThrough the use of figurative and descriptive language, Jonathan Edwards creates a vivid picture of hell in the audience's mind in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." His purpose was to persuade the audience, who in this case were the colonists, into having more faith in God. This is shown when he says, "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood." In this quote, Edwards constructs a metaphor in which he compares god's wrath to a bow and arrow that is aimed straight at the heart of the reader. He does this to emphasize his point that there is nothing stopping God from sending you straight to hell, and that you must have faith in Him if you do not wish to be eternal pain.
ReplyDeleteIn "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Edwards uses imagery to frighten the audience in hopes of convincing them to have faith in God. He states that God "looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire." (Edwards 98). In saying this Edwards reminds humans that God holds the power to send them to hell. Having frightened the audience, he explains how there is an opportunity to escape God's fury. He claims that "Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners." (Edwards 99). This shows a change of tone from hopelessness to having faith in humanity. According to Edwards, the only way to achieve this is by converting to Christianity. However, for those that do not convert will be sent to the fiery pit of hell.
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DeleteYou back up your information well with actual texts. You also explain what the quotes mean and how they're used. Overall, it's a good response but some parts are confusing. You need to have a more thorough explanation to your thoughts.
DeleteIncorporating both tones was a good idea. Also you tied both them together at the end. You didn't sate who the audience is so it was confusing when you refereed to "audience" and "humans".
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ReplyDeleteJonathan Edward uses both horrific and comforting imagery in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". In order to revive the belief of Christianity in “natural men” during the Great Awakening (Edward 97). “...hell is gaping for them and flames gather and flash about them and would fain lay hold on them and swallow them up…” (Edward 97). Edwards delineation of hell enforces a threatening tone that shows the danger of not receiving God. The author then states “...Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open...calling and crying with a loud voice to sinners…” (Edward 99). Edwards pictorial description of Christ turns the tone hopeful giving desperate non-believers a chance at redemption with God.
ReplyDeleteEdward's use of imagery throughout "Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God" creates a lot of terror towards the audience. He constantly states that God has the power to send you to hell and that is can be accomplished very easily, as supported by, "there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up." This quote frightens the audience and contributes to the tone, which is fear. There are many more quotes that support the idea that you must be good to God or you will go to hell. But good to God according to Edward is seemingly impossible. He's basically telling us that we're all going to hell no matter what we do. "Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment." This quote highly supports that there's nothing you can do to save yourself from bad. It also increasingly adds on to the dread that the audience develops throughout the whole piece; as a whole we comprehensively see that the imagery used in this piece greatly affects the tone of fear indulged into the audience.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't able to say what page I got the quotes from because I read the piece outside of the text book. I left the textbook in my locker.
DeleteIn “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards uses imagery in his sermons to ignite fear in his followers. He constructs this fear around God, portraying and confronting the image of God as a symbol and the core belief of Christianity. Instead, God is constructed as the one being who stands between man and hell. Edwards reinforces this idea by explaining that “There is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up” (Edwards 97). By constructing God in a negative aspect, Edwards was able to effectively insert dread within his followers’ minds to turn back to Christianity. These sermons were the basis and the flame for the Great Awakening, the first large-scale movement for the colonists. At the time, many people were looking for new religious beliefs to follow due to the acceptance of religious freedom, and therefore the teachings of Christianity were fading. Christianity needed a new and fresh message to revive, and John Edwards’ sermons achieved that. Being a Calvinist, Edwards believed in predestination, the view that many people were born predestined for hell, and that God only saved the faithful from eternal suffering. Edwards turns this belief into a radical message that constructs God as the last straw, and while doing so, ignites the revival of Christianity and the Great Awakening.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who reads this would be able to tell that you understood the content in the story. It was clear and right to the point to what you were trying to say which was putting fear in his followers using imagery. Good job overall.
Deleten “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” John Edwards preaches his sermon to invoke the cruelty of hell. Edward states "natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell" (Edwards 97). Here, he is creating the visual representation of how easily God can let go and sinners actions may easily have great effects of misfortune. He tries to strike fear and realization of how much danger men's sins may put them in. Edwards writes "Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinner; a day, wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God." (Edwards 99) Here he gives an image of God physically standing at a door waiting for men to come and redeem themselves for their sins. He explains that they have every opportunity to come and recoup for what they've done and that it is up to them. Edwards tone shows his passion for how easily a man's sin can give him danger and the "great furnace of wrath, a wide bottomless pit, full of fire and wrath" (Edwards 98) can be brought to a man's presence. He continues to repeat how awful hell is and that God cannot make a man redeem himself, how it is the man's own will to redeem himself.
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Jonathan Edwards’ is a religious man that sparked the great awakening in America. Edwards thinks strongly about hell and that is in his teachings about hell he tries to create imagery for his audience about hell. He mentions “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much like one holds a spider, or a loathsome insect, over fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but cast into the fire...” (Edwards 98). Edwards uses similes to try and use imagery for his audience about what hell is like. His use of imagery throughout the story Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God helps set his tone of anger because of how he believes that if people sin, then they will go to hell.
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