Essay Sample on Analysis of Jonathan Edwards' Sermon

The brutal choice of words by the sermon is one of the components that struck me as surprising. Unlike modern preachers who are sensitive with the words they use; Jonathan Edwards embarks on detailed and extensive criticism of the actions of most people (which he believes are ungodly) and gives the ultimatum of Hell. Analysis of the sermon by Jonathan Edwards entails a critical review of its message to showcase that he was looking to encourage the congregation to abide by God's will and lead righteous lives that will please the Almighty

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His style of delivery was also surprising in that it entailed little to no remorse for those who refused to repent but instead introduce the reality of God's wrath (Dunagin-Miller & Kaufmann, 22). Therefore, the irony of presenting God as merciful and angry at the same time is what makes the sermon riveting. As a member of the church, I would be enthralled by the preacher's level of honesty. At the same time, I would pay attention to the primary theme of preaching, which is to encourage people to lead righteous lives. Current religious messages are based on perceptions that the preachers hold. With that in mind, Jonathan Edwards would be disgusted by modern sermons as they adopt projection to deduce instead of being informative. His disappointment would come mostly due to the inference that sermons are creating. A difference modern and traditional religious message is in the style of delivery (Christian Praise and Worship in Songs, Sermons, and Audio Books). In recent times there is the use of dynamic tone in the delivery of sermons while monotone was used in the past (Wainwright, 53). Cultural differences have brought about the need for multicultural societies have created the need for preachers to be sensitive with the choice of words and avoid the use of monotone to adapt to different congregations.

All the same, the scope of Edwards' preaching appeals to the need for people to atone for their sins to wins God's approval. While the style of delivery of the speech might be different from what is standard in the modern age, Edwards remains one of the wide renown revivalist preachers who have had a massive impact on the world.

Works Cited

Christian Praise and Worship in Songs, Sermons, and Audio Books (2010, December 29). Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God - Classic Audio Sermons by Puritan Theologian Jonathan Edwards. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQg7EzPeg5Q

Dunagin-Miller, Christine, and Jodi Jan Kaufmann. "Reimagining Cancer through Painting: An Arts-based Autoethnography." Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal 2.1 (2017): 20-31. doi:10.18432/a.r.i.. v2i1.25655.

Wainwright, William J. "Jonathan Edwards." The History of Evil in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. Routledge, 2018. 51-65. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351138406/chapters/10.4324/9781351138406-10