Great Awakening, Edwards, and Rhetorical Techniques

The Great Awakening

• Timing and context:
  • By the early $1700 ext{s}$, Puritan influence was waning and church attendance was declining.
  • As colonies prospered, people focused more on their present lives than their eternal ones.
• Core idea of the movement:
  • Preachers argued that a renewal or revival was needed to become more “awake” in life and to strengthen the relationship with God.
• What the Great Awakening was:
  • A religious revival that took place during the $1730 ext{s}$ and $1740 ext{s}$.

Jonathan Edwards

• Background:
  • From Massachusetts and descended from a line of Puritan ministers.
• Key belief:
  • Colonists needed to return to the original Puritan vision.
  • Church attendance alone was not enough to save one’s soul.
  • People must acknowledge their wickedness and sinfulness and ask for God’s love and mercy.
• Notable work:
  • Sermon: "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" (Edwards’ most famous sermon).
• 20th-century comparison:
  • Billy Graham preached this sermon in 1949 during a tent revival, described as a "Canvas Cathedral"; his tone conveyed strong emotion similar to Edwards’ aims.
• Closing exhortation from the sermon:
  • "Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come."

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

• Use of imagery:
  • The sermon is filled with powerful, frightening images intended to frighten listeners into accepting God and avoiding hell.
• Primary message:
  • There is nothing that keeps wicked men out of hell at any moment except the mere pleasure of God.
• Key textual example:
  • "…the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the meantime is constantly increasing and you are every day treasuring up more wrath…"
• Purpose of the rhetoric:
  • Edwards used intimidation, fear, and emotional intensity to persuade listeners.

Persuasion and Appeals

• Recognition of persuasive purpose:
  • Edwards’ sermon is full of persuasive appeals that aim to move listeners emotionally.
• Emotional appeal (Pathos):
  • An emotional appeal tries to connect with readers’ or listeners’ feelings.
• Ethos, Logos, Pathos (Aristotle’s three appeals):
  • Ethos: from Greek for character; credibility, reputation, moral character; English words ethics/ethical derive from this.
  • Logos: from Greek for reason; reason and logic; English word logic derives from this.
  • Pathos: from Greek for emotion; aims to provoke an emotional response; English words pathetic and empathy derive from this.
• How Edwards uses these appeals:
  • Primarily relies on emotional (Pathos) rhetoric to induce fear and urgency, enhancing belief and adherence to guidance.

Quotation Marks and Commas

• Punctuation and meaning:
  • Quotation marks and commas influence how we read a text and infer meaning.
• Use of quotation marks:
  • Edwards often quoted exact Bible phrases to emphasize his points.
  • Example: Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, "Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?"
  • Quotation marks indicate the exact words being used.
  • Quotation marks should enclose exact quotes at their beginning and end.
• Commas with quotations:
  • Commas can help distinguish the speaker’s words from the quoted material; they typically appear before and after the quotation when the quotation is integrated into a sentence.
  • In the example above, a comma comes immediately before the quotation: …ground?", and if the quote is a question or exclamation, no comma follows the quote.
• Practical note:
  • Proper punctuation signals where the author’s words end and the quoted text begins, clarifying attribution and emphasis.

Imagery and Language in Edwards’ Sermon

• Imagery as a persuasive tool:
  • Vivid, frightening images were used to spur listeners toward repentance and faith.
• Language choices:
  • Strong, urgent diction and biblical allusions reinforce the sermon’s gravity.
• Purpose of imagery:
  • To evoke fear of divine judgment and motivate immediate action toward spiritual renewal.

Connections, Implications, and Real-World Relevance

• Connections to broader themes:
  • Demonstrates how religious revival movements use emotion and vivid rhetoric to influence behavior.
  • Illustrates early American rhetorical practices combining theology with mass persuasion.
• Foundational principles:
  • Emphasizes the belief that personal conviction and a direct relationship with God are essential, rather than relying solely on institutional attendance.
• Ethical and practical implications:
  • Use of fear as a persuasive tool raises questions about ethical boundaries in preaching and public messaging.
  • Highlights the power of rhetoric to shape belief systems and social behavior.
• Real-world relevance:
  • Modern revival and evangelical movements (e.g., the Canvas Cathedral in the 20th century) continue to use emotionally charged rhetoric to engage audiences.
• Notable dates and references:
  • Early 1700s: Puritans’ influence wanes; focus shifts to present life.
  • $1730 ext{s}$ and $1740 ext{s}$: Great Awakening period.
  • 1949: Billy Graham’s tent revival using powerful, emotionally charged delivery (Canvas Cathedral).
  • 20th century: Ongoing influence of revival rhetoric in American religious life.