The video below is a brief overview of the First Great Awakening.
As an introduction to the First Great Awakening and the role of Jonathan Edwards in that religious movement, first read below.
Jon Edwards The Great Awakening
Read the following excerpts from the Sermons of Jonathan Edwards and answer the questions below.
Sinners In The Hands of an Angry God (1741)
Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England (1742)
- Was “Sinners in the Hands…” an effective sermon? What was the basis of its appeal?
- What would you say the basis for the “ten considerations” of Edward’s sermon is?
- In “Some Thoughts Concerning…” how does Jonathan Edwards emphasize the differences between the Old World and the New? How accurate was his assessment?
- What are the main elements of the Great Awakening revealed in the sermons of Jonathan Edwards?
- How do you think someone like Benjamin Franklin (an American Enlightened thinker and founding father) would feel about this sermon? What effect might it have on him? Explain.