“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

Jonathan Edwards---one of the most powerful and persuasive Puritan preachers in New England

Preached during the Great Awakening---period of spiritual revival of Puritanism

This speech is said to have caused listeners to rise form their seats in a state of hysteria

Persuasive Speeches

• Purpose is to convince others to think or act in a certain way.

• Effectiveness depends on 4 things– 1. Speaker’s Qualifications---is he/she

knowledgeable or credible?– 2. Audience---speaker must consider age, gender,

background, etc. of audience members– 3. Occasion---Speech might include current events

or events people can relate to– 4. Techniques used

Techniques of Persuasion

• Use of logical argument

• Appeal to past tradition

• Use audiences emotions

• Negative to Positives presentation

Questions to Answer as a class or in small groups

1. To what does Edwards compare God’s wrath?

2. Tone of the Sermon? When/where does it change?

3. What might you say about the speaker’s credibility?

4. What do you know about the audience that might make them more likely to be persuaded here?

5. What was the occasion for this?

6. Techniques Edwards uses (be specific)

Homework(Pick 1)

• Reaction Paper (emotional response) to this sermon. Similar experiences???

• Reflection Paper on Why is God so angry?

• Drawing/Rendering of ONE of the similes used in the sermon highlighting God’s wrath