Wrath, Sin, and Judgment and the Naive Optimism of Liberal Christianity
Wrath, Sin, and Judgment and the Naive Optimism of Liberal Christianity
By The Ven. Dr. Christopher A. Brown
www.virtueonline.org
October 21, 2011
"Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God"
In the 1740's the American colonies experienced a religious revival called the "Great Awakening." One of the climactic events during this period was a sermon preached on July 8, 1741, in Enfield, Connecticut by Jonathan Edwards, untitled, "Sinners in the hand of an Angry God." Edwards was an unlikely revivalist preacher. A graduate of the third class of Yale University, he was the pastor of a Congregational church in Northampton, Massachusetts, and eventually became the president of Princeton University. He is recognized as America's first philosopher, and has been called our nation's greatest theologian. He read his sermons - without departing from the written text - in a calm, steady tone, without dramatic gestures. Yet his preaching sparked revival in his parish in Northampton, and his sermon that day in Enfield, Connecticut, had a powerful effect on his listeners. An eyewitness, named Stephen Williams, wrote,
"We went over to Enfield where we met dear Mr. Edwards of Northampton who preached a most awakening sermon from these words, Deuteronomy 32:35, and before the sermon was done there was a great moaning and crying went out through ye whole House.... 'What shall I do to be saved,' 'Oh, I am going to Hell,' 'Oh, what shall I do for Christ,' and so forth. So yet ye minister was obliged to desist, ye shrieks and cry were piercing and amazing... astonishing power of God was seen, and several souls were hopefully wrought upon that night, and oh ye cheerfulness and pleasantness of their countenances."
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
By The Ven. Dr. Christopher A. Brown
www.virtueonline.org
October 21, 2011
"Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God"
In the 1740's the American colonies experienced a religious revival called the "Great Awakening." One of the climactic events during this period was a sermon preached on July 8, 1741, in Enfield, Connecticut by Jonathan Edwards, untitled, "Sinners in the hand of an Angry God." Edwards was an unlikely revivalist preacher. A graduate of the third class of Yale University, he was the pastor of a Congregational church in Northampton, Massachusetts, and eventually became the president of Princeton University. He is recognized as America's first philosopher, and has been called our nation's greatest theologian. He read his sermons - without departing from the written text - in a calm, steady tone, without dramatic gestures. Yet his preaching sparked revival in his parish in Northampton, and his sermon that day in Enfield, Connecticut, had a powerful effect on his listeners. An eyewitness, named Stephen Williams, wrote,"We went over to Enfield where we met dear Mr. Edwards of Northampton who preached a most awakening sermon from these words, Deuteronomy 32:35, and before the sermon was done there was a great moaning and crying went out through ye whole House.... 'What shall I do to be saved,' 'Oh, I am going to Hell,' 'Oh, what shall I do for Christ,' and so forth. So yet ye minister was obliged to desist, ye shrieks and cry were piercing and amazing... astonishing power of God was seen, and several souls were hopefully wrought upon that night, and oh ye cheerfulness and pleasantness of their countenances."
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
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