For this week's blog entry, I'd like you all to take a look at the "Sinners In the Hands of An Angry God" sermon by Jonathan Edwards (15.1) and the entry by Benjamin Franklin (15.2) about George Whitefield (both found in the Mapp/Rushforth collection).
Address the following questions:
1. What are the difference between Edwards and Whitefield? (in terms of belief about God, about human nature?)
2. Why are both men so effective? What attracted follows to them (you may need to reference your textbook to effectively answer this question)?
3. How can we identify both of these men as part of the Great Awakening?
4. Why is the Great Awakening important in the "creation" of America?
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Neil Maude
ReplyDeleteIn Jonathan Edwards writing on Sin and Salvation we learn a great deal about what the great awakening is. On the topic of sin and human nature Edwards feels that all humans are naturally sinful and damned to hell. It is clear throughout his writing with statements like “they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it.” On salvation Edwards speaks of how god is the sole determinant of one’s salvation, for example Edwards states in his writing that “God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction.”
In this passage from Franklin’s autobiography we see ones look into the great awakening and the preaching’s of George Whitefield. Differently from Edwards, Whitefield believes that all humans are naturally “half beasts and half devils.” However, they both find that humans naturally have fault in them interestingly enough. Whitefield also believes that good deeds are rewarded by God.
Both of these men are so effective in their appeals to humans die to the natural fear that is evoked from their work. They both put God in a place that greatly determines your outcomings. They also state that humans are naturally evil in ways which is concerning to the average human for obvious reasons.
Both of these men can easily be identified as greatly contributing to the great awakening. The great awakening wasn’t a awkaning of a single religion however, a all around increase in spiritual awareness and differences. Whitefield and Edwards may be on of these differences, but they certainly contributed the overall awareness of spirituality through their sermons and ideas.
The great awakening is hugely important to America. America was founded upon religious diversity, but also religion. Though the specifics details of each religion all agree with each other the United States came to be founded upon a God we trust in. Without the great awakening our country may be considerably different.
Samantha Nickolaou
ReplyDeleteQ#1. Edwards and Whitefield differ greatly in their beliefs about God and human nature. Edwards describes an angry and vengeful God who at his own discretion and whim could drop you into the fiery pits of hell, while Whitefield expresses benevolence on behalf of both God and human kind. Edwards preaches that no matter what actions human kind makes over the course of their lives, being good or bad, they are irrelevant in determining whether one ends up in hell or not. Whitefield on the other hand preaches that those who do good will be noticed by God and he will reward them.
Q#2. Edwards attracted followers with his fiery preaching skills and his sermons about "Sinners in the hands of an angry God". He attracts his followers by invoking fear into them, that if they were non believers that they are damned to hell, but they could leave their sins for salvation and could then be saved. Whitefield expresses the need for belief in God for salvation as well, but his tone is far less menacing than Edwards. He attracts his followers with powerful acts of kindness, and a subtle fear of the unknown.
Q#3. Both of these men can be considered part of the Great Awakening because they are spreading their beliefs about the fear of damnation and the hope of salvation. They are both trying to achieve a following of believers in hopes that their religious revival will inspire reaction.
Q#4. The Great Awakening is important in the creation of America because it provided a release for the religious diversity that exists in America today. With out it we would not have the vast majority of spiritual denominations that are spread throughout American culture. Also if the Great Awakening did not exist, a religious unity would have potentially taken America under siege and we would not have had the opportunity for diversity. The Great Awakening provided America with a religious backbone with an array of spiritual choices.
Peter Nickell
ReplyDeleteEdwards’s believes God is holding human life in his hands. At any moment, God could remove his hands and cast you into hell or he can open the “floodgate” that keeps hell closed off from the world. God “looks upon as worthy of nothing else” (258) than to be casted down under. He does not like us yet he still holds us from eternal damnation. This is what Edwards believed, Whitefield had a different outlook on the human race, he said that we were “half -beast, half-devils” (260). However, he also believed that we could redeem ourselves through good actions. He often collected money and was able to make people donate money for his causes (which were noble) in exchange for God’s favor.
Whitefield was said to attract people of sects of Christianity. He did not limit himself nor denounce anyone else, he believed as long as people loved and feared God, they could be saved. Edwards spoke of how we were all damned but he also offered a solution. Both men offered a chance to escape the depths of hell which all beings were doomed to being with. Both men offered a chance for eternal happiness next to God in heaven opposed to a life of burning which was especially nice in a world where people were not sure of anything (in the colonies).
Both men preached at levels that all could comprehend. It simplified religion so all were able to understand their sermons. They also preached with emotion, often times raising their voices which was uncommon prior to Great Awakening. Also with the push of religion came new ideas as well as willing charity and a wanting to better the lives of the domesticated less fortunate. There also came the feeling of all men being created equal which helped push the idea of Democracy to the citizens of the colonies.
Jenni MacDuff
ReplyDelete1. Edwards portrays God as extremely angry. He preaches that "your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead...and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink [to hell]." He feels that human's have an evil nature, and if you don't believe in God and follow God it does not matter how good of a life you lead; you will go to hell. He preaches that God's hand is all that is keeping you from going to hell. Whitefield also views humans as "half beasts and half devils," however he has a much less harsh approach than Edwards. He does not instill as much fear in the people he preaches to. He also believes in salvation through good deeds, and he often had collections for things such as building an orphanage/school.
2. Edwards was effective by using the fear tactic. He scared his followers with the thought of damnation. He told people that they could be saved if they followed him and became God's people. Whitefield on the other hand, was able to attract people with his extremely eloquent and convincing speech. Franklin noted that Whitefield had such a way with preaching, that he could completely change people's minds. He compared Whitefield's speech to "a pleasure of much the same kind with that receiv'd from an excellent piece of musick."
3. Both of these men can be considered part of the Great Awakening, because they used their preaching skills to wake people up out of a religous slumber, and get people to fear damnation and wish to be saved.
4. The Great Awakening was important to the creation of America, because it provoked spiritual arousal of many different religions. America is known as a melting pot, and the many religions of our country are so important to who we are. People from England came here partially to express religious freedom, and our country would not be the same if people lost their desire to lead a religous life.
Madeline Dick
ReplyDelete1. Edwards viewed God as a vengeful deity, whose sheer will prevented people from dropping off the face of the Earth into the pits of hell. His view of human nature is no more optimistic. He believed that people are naturally sinners and are condemned to eternal hell, unless they convert to a life without sin and remain subservient to their God.
As much as Franklin admired Whitefield as a person, he repeatedly distanced their religious beliefs in the excerpt from his autobiography. Whitefield’s view of mankind was similar to Edwards, as he describes humanity as “half beasts and half devils.” However, he also preached that humans had the ability to redeem themselves if they so chose.
2. Edwards was effective because he employed the use of scare tactics. The diction in his sermon was full of horrible imagery about the wrath of God and all the non-believers’ fates in hell. On the other hand, Whitefield relied on his skills as an orator. Franklin admits that Whitefield managed to persuade him into donating all the money he had in his pockets, although Franklin had previously resolved not to contribute anything, by his aptitude as a speaker.
3. Both men are identified as contributors of the Great Awakening. They helped to inspire the re-interest of various sects of Christianity in America during the 1700’s. This religious awareness defined the Great Awakening.
4. The Great Awakening was important to the “creation” of America because it occurred right before the American Revolution and the writing of the Constitution, the time when the United States was effectively created. Religious themes and sentiments can be seen in a lot of political literature during this time.
1. Edwards and Whitefield had fundamental differences in their beliefs about God. Edwards says that God can pass judgment on anyone at anytime. Whitefield does not seem to address this idea to the extent that Edwards did. In terms of human nature, Edwards believes people should be scared stiff about the wrath of God and that every waking moment should be spent staying out of hell. Whitefield simply believes that through faith and charity, a spot can be preserved in heaven.
ReplyDelete2. Both men were very effective because of their delivery. Their public speaking skills were so refined that people were compelled to listen. People were attracted to Edwards because of the fear of damnation and hopes of salvation. Whitefield’s main attraction was honesty and kindness. People wanted to emulate him.
3. These men can identify with the Great Awakening because of the effectiveness of their sermons. They opened colonists’ eyes and ears to very theological questions that might not have been asked of themselves before.
4. I believe the Great Awakening is important because it gave colonists more direction at the time. I do not feel that they completely lacked direction before, however the experience forced them to look inward and ask new questions of themselves. As a result of the colonists’ new desire to question beliefs about God, theological studies expanded rapidly through schools and churches.
Lauren McTigue
ReplyDeleteEdwards is far more certain about a "fire and brimstone" God existing who has an enormous wrath, but chooses to save these people out of his own "pleasure." Whitefield, according to what can be gathered from Franklin's account, is not so threatening in his sermons and opens his sermons to all denominations that care to listen. Edwards explains over and over that humans are, by nature, evil-hearted and that it is entirely God's doing that they wake up each morning. Whitefield does not believe that people are inherently good as he refers to them as "half beasts and half devils," but he is more accepting and believes that people can help save themselves (albeit through giving money).
Edwards is effective in his sermons through the constant repetition. While reading the sermon, I noticed that it essentially said the same thing over and over yet this was only engraining his point, and ultimately fear, into the listeners. Whitefield's effectiveness lay in his accepting demeanor and ability to preach the same message to all sects.
Both Edwards and Whitefield can define the Great Awakening in their own ways, as gathered from these readings. Edwards preached the idea of damnation and pushed for his listeners to be fearful of God, whereas Whitefield preached a great deal about how to reach salvation, despite them being damned. Whitefield was also a traveling, itinerant preacher which was a common component of the Great Awakening and its effect on Americans.
As explained by Rushforth/Mapp, these conflicting styles of preaching affected Americans by lessening the religious unity that had existed prior to the middle of the 18th century. This is a very important point in the creation of America because conflicting religious views have existed since this time and while it has brought conflict and disagreements which have negatively affected this country, it is also what makes America. The ability to speak out (which helped in leading to the American Revolution) and the ability to question norms and accepted beliefs allowed Americans to push for their own freedom in all aspects of life.
Matt Adamitis
ReplyDelete1. John Edwards tends to focus on how sinful and loathsome human beings are. He devotes much of his attention to how imminent damnation is, and that God's grace is the only thing keeping anyone out of hell at any particular moment. Edwards also stresses how angry and vengeful God is, that he detests humans in a way that is incomprehensible to us, but that he still offers salvation to those who seek it. Georgre Whitefield, on the other hand, seems to focus less on human fallibility and God's retribution than he does on the power of doing good and charitable works. While Ben Franklin notes that he does "abuse" his congregations by calling them "half beasts and half devils", it seems that Whitefield was more concerned with humans committing themselves to charity in order to reach heaven.
2. Whitefield was so attractive to his followers because of his abilities as a speaker. Franklin noted that his sermons were so "well tuned" that anyone could be interested in hearing thm, and they would be able to take away from them the same kind of pleasure as they would from a pieve of music. Edwards is effective by "scaring the hell" out of his followers. He is very descriptive about what awaits those who continue their sinful ways, and it is only after hearing his lengthy descriptions that one learns the way to salvation.
3. Both men were part of the Great Awakening because of their abilities to reach a large amount of people and inspire them to religious actions. Franklin observed that when Whitefield was in Philadelphia people went from being "thoughtless or indifferent" about religion, to not being able to walk around "without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."
4. The Great Awakening was important in the creation of the United States because of the religious thought and action it inspired. The diversity and acceptance of religions that came out of it were a type of precursor to the religious freedom granted in the future U.S. Constitution.
1. It seems that a major difference between Edwards and Whitefield is their level of tolerance. Edwards is convinced that people can only be saved one way, through Jesus Christ, and until a person chooses to accept Jesus as their savior, they could die at any moment, by the choice of God, and face eternal damnation. Whitefield seems to be more tolerant of other beliefs and ways of being saved rather than just through Jesus Christ. Edwards also believes that humans are inherently evil and are only able to restrain their evil natures because of God, where as Whitefield seems to believe that humans can be good as well as evil.
ReplyDelete2. Both men are so effective because they know how to theatrically speak to a crowd. Both men address the topic of salvation with great conviction, and are able to stir up the congregation because they are speaking of the way to salvation for anyone who will believe. Even Benjamin Franklin found himself wanting to give to the congregation at the end of Whitefield's sermon, "I silently resolved he should get nothing from me [...] he finished so admirably, that I empty'd my pocket wholly into the collector's dish". Edwards also spoke very passionately about the hell that awaits the non believers, even within the congregation, and the absolute power of God. "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood". Edwards also very passionately ends his sermon "the rest will be blinded. If this should be you, you will eternally curse this day and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it". After hearing passionate words such as these, and those of Whitefield, no wonder Benjamin Franklin felt compelled to give all of his money.
3. Both men can be identified as part of the Great Awakening because they are calling their congregations to repent and open their eyes to the new sects of Christianity. Both men also call people to a more strict Christianity, which relies on the idea of human nature as evil and God as the only way to goodness. Although both men did not preach exactly the same idea, both had many of the same basis for their sermons, which were crucial ideas to the Great Awakening.
4. The Great Awakening is important in the creation of America because it introduced new sects of Christianity to America. It also made the idea of questioning the norms of religion popular, which would lead many of the colonists to begin to question many of the norms of society as well. This will later include the norm of colonial rule, which leads to the Revolutionary War and the creation of America.
Michelle Booker
ReplyDelete1. Both of the men had a great belief in God. But from the reading it sees like Edwards worship of God was out of pure fear of damnation. While Whitefield’s preaching were centered on the nature of man and charity. The Whitefield reading does not give text from one of his sermons but it is clear that Edwards was a very animated orator, who used a lot of visual descriptions to get his point across.
2. Both men seemed to be very effective because they were passionate, charismatic, and they were using religion (a institution that operated on salvation or damnation). People often times are interested in hearing what others think of what will happen to people after they die. Also, the two men actually believed in the words they were preaching and that is another reason people considered them genuine. A good example would be Franklin’s recantation of him not intending to give money to Whitfield but by the conclusion of his sermon his pockets were empty. The preachers were good at persuasion and implanting fear into the hearts of the people with images of hell and God’s vengeance.
3. Both of these men were a part of a different approach to church service and worship. They helped bring about a different form of Christianity and were therefore shunned from the church. Note that many of the preachers who joined this new style of oration were not permitted in a formal church.
4. The Great Awakening is important in the creation of America because it was a break from the formal European form of religious practice. It can be argued that it was the first era where Americans defined their own method of worship.
Dan Kristan
ReplyDelete1. Edwards believed that humans were almost universally damned and the only way to be saved is through a great deal of prayer. He makes many mentions of how God "holds you over the pit of hell," and that He does not love you, and in fact "abhors you" and is vengeful and angry. Whitefield, on the other hand, believes that although humans are "half beasts and half devils," meaning that they are uneducated and naturally evil, they can still be improved as people and be saved by doing good works and contributing to the church.
2. People listened to what Edwards said because he was preaching frightening, radical things, and they were afraid they would go to hell if they did not take heed of what he said. Whitefield was successful because he was an excellent speaker, made himself understood to all people, and his voice reportedly projected very far. Also, Benjamin Franklin published many of his sermons, so they were able to reach even more people.
3. The background text states that "by emphasizing the need for salvation over details of doctrine and church governance, revivalism emphasized Pretestants' common experiences and promoted the coexistence of denominations." Both Whitefield and Edwards were preaching that everyone needed to be saved. These were big picture ideas without all the red tape of older religions, and this made it more palateable, so to speak, for the masses.
4. The Great Awakening was important because it make people more aware of themselves and their actions. As Benjamin Franklin noted, "It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants." People (generally) got kinder and more charitable, and were united about something, which helped pave the way for rebellion against the British.
A.J. Jewison
ReplyDelete1. Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were both powerful religious speakers with different agendas. Edwards' played on fear, and called the people within his audiences "wicked sinners," dangling over the pit of hell. Whitefield, according to Franklin was an "honest man" who's purpose in sermon writing was for the benefit of the community. Whitefield built an Orphan House in Georgia and even allowed for people of other faiths to preach within his meeting house.
2. Both Edwards and Whitefield were powerful writers and speakers. Edwards' sermons are filled with such vivid imagery that any listener within his presence would be captivated. He says, "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God," and compares the fate of men to that of an insect dangling helplessly over a fire. Whitefield was blessed with the power of speech. According to Franklin, Whitefield's voice could be heard for miles.
3. Edwards and Whitefield were both radical in their approaches to preaching religious salvation. They often strayed away from traditional doctrines, and instead adopted their lofty, loud, and vivid sermons to achieve power. Little of Edwards' speech is quoted text from the Bible, for example. Perhaps this made other sects uncomfortable and weary of such a prominent, powerful speaker.
4. The Great Awakening helped assert that the colonies (and later the United States) would be a greatly Christian religious land. Apart from the traditional Christian sects already rooted in the colonies, the power of the Great Awakening influenced religiously ambivalent people to have faith. The expansiveness of Edwards' and Whitefields' sermons sealed the deal. This last would be a Christian land.
Jigisha Dalal
ReplyDelete1. Johnathan Edwards and George Whitefield believe in god and human nature in their own way. Edwards feel that all humans are naturally sinfully and that God's hands are the only thing that is keeping you from going to hell. For example, he states, "...if God should let you go, you would immediately sink." He believes that God can pass judgment on anyone at anytime. On the other hand, Whitefield views humans as "half beasts and half devils," but in a less angry way and wants humans to redeem themselves if they chose. He also believes that you can go to heaven though faith and good deeds, and those who do good will get rewarded.
2. Both men are so effective because they knew how to speak to people. It stated that they were both "well tuned" and that anyone and everyone could have been interested in hearing them speak. People were attracted to Edwards because of his fear of damnation, and Whitefield for his kindness, honesty He was also very convincing when talking to.
3. Both men can be considered contributors part of the Great Awakening because they both used their skills to teach people things that they might never think of, and make them fear hell and wish to be saved.
4. The Great Awakening was very important because it helped find religious diversity. Because, English men came here to express their freedom , this was very important to them and with this diversity came more ideas and good deeds (charity). Many men started to feel as if they were treated equal by other people from the colonies.
1. Edwards and Whitefield differed in their beliefs of God. Edwards saw God as angry, with the ability to cause destruction whenever HE pleased. All humans were damned to hell because they were sinful.Only God determined Salvation. Whitefield saw humans as half beast, half devil, but believed salvation could be earned by devoting oneself to God, as he believed God rewarded those to did good deeds.
ReplyDelete2. Edwards gained followers through fear tactics. His powerful sermons evoked fear of the wrath of God into all of his followers. Whitefield on the other hand was known to show a lot of kindness. Furthermore, he persuaded his followers through his eloquence during his sermons.
3. Both men were a part of the Great Awakening because of their ability to motivate and lead large groups of followers. Both believed a religious revival was necessary and believed people needed to fear damnation in the hopes of being saved.
4. The Great Awakening gives us a basis for the diversity on spiritual beliefs in the US today. The ability to question religious norms and to practice religious diversity is why the English came here, and that concept lays a foundation for why many immigrants still come to the US; to live and worship freely.
E Garcia:
ReplyDeleteQ1)The difference between Edwards and Whitefield regarding the belief of God is that Edwards assumed all humans are naturally sinfull and damned to hell. He believed that human have evil nature. He portrays God as angry and vengeful that punish with fiery pits in Hell. God can punish you by removing his hand and send you to hell.
Whitefield also saw human beign like Edwards. He stated they are half beast half devils. But that people could choose to live by doing good deeds that will be rewarded by God.
2) Their views attracted me since until these day those same belief are still carrying on. God will either reward or punish you by your behavior and actions. Everyone has a devil inside and its up to them to control it. Edwards attract viwers by stating the punishment of being damned to hell. While Whitefield attracts viewers by by stating how you could be save by being honest, kind, and helpful.
3)This men are part if the Great Awakening since both men showed the reciprocacity and punishment of God and how someone could be saved from damnation.
4) The Great Awakening is important of the creation of America since America was founded by people that were escaping prosecution from religion policies of the European Religion. Because of this reason, we have so many religion and respect from different religion that our own. And especially at that time this views were look as guidelines.
Rachel Marciano
ReplyDelete1)Edwards talked about how humans were naturally sinful, and that they were already sentenced to hell. He preached that God was the only one who could grant salvation to humans. Whitefield says that humans are "half beasts and half devils," and that good deeds would eventually be rewarded by God.
2)Edwards used his preaching skills and sermons to attract his followers. He instilled fear to his followers, and said that any non-believers were damned to hell. Whitefield used acts of kidness and talked about the need for beliefe in God to attract people to follow him.
3)Both were an influential part of the Great Awakening because they both talked about God being the key to salvation. They helped people in that time gain a religious awareness and helped them strive for salvation.
4)The Great Awakening was important because it started a religious revolution, and helped the colonists find their way. It also brought about acceptance of diverse religions in America.
1. The difference between Edwards and Whitefield's take on God and human nature is that Edwards describes God as vengeful and angry whereas Whitefield talks about a benevolent God. Edwards describes humans as sinful and how they were predestined to hell. Whitefield says that even though humans commit sin, they are still able to be rewarded by God by doing good deeds.
ReplyDelete2. Both men were influential religious figures and were able to gather large followings. Edwards was able to use the threat of eternal damnation in his sermons to instill fear into his followers. Whitefield preached about good deeds and how acts of kindness were the key to salvation. He also was a very honest, eloquent, and persuasive speaker which attracted many people.
3. Both Whitefield and Edwards were important parts of the Great Awakening because they both helped spread religion and religious awareness to many people. They used salvation as a means to attract follolwers and as a way to better shape people's behavior.
4. The Great Awakening is important in the creation of America because it paved the way for diversity and acceptance of different religious beliefs. America was settled by people who were looking for freedom from religious persecution in Europe and that played a large role in establishing and accepting the different religious beliefs and followers.
While the differences between Edwards and Whitefield can most noticeably be seen in the approach they took to delivering their sermons, variances in belief about God and human nature were also overwhelmingly present. Edwards believed that sin was inherent in people, and hell could be inevitable to just about anyone. Edwards preaches that devotion to god, and living a good life, lessens one’s chance of visiting Satan in the fiery depths of hell, but points out that god is not obligated to send anyone to heaven. Whitefield’s approach, while also preaching the inherent sin in man, was more relaxed, and proposed that one could be saved through devotion to god and prayer. Whitefield also preached that dedication to the well-being of your fellow man was also part of contributing to God’s work.
ReplyDeleteWhat made these two men so effective in their sermons was how they conducted them, and the significance of religious answers during the time in which they began to preach. Edwards inflicted fear into the hearts of his followers, convincing them that if they did not better their lives in the ways he presented, they would surely face pain and suffering in the afterlife. Whitefield was much more charismatic in his approach to his sermons, and provided a better way of life to his followers. Also, he was very skilled in the conduction of his sermons because he traveled a great deal with the same teachings. This allowed his many opportunities of trial and error until he eventually perfected his presentation.
Both of these men can be identified as part of the Great Awakening because they provided answers to people who were searching for spiritual meaning. The presented a new approach to religion, one that did not afford people the ability to put anything in line before god. People changed their lives as a result of their sermons, and found they could better their lives by applying Whitefield’s and Edward’s teachings to their everyday lives.
The Great Awakening is important to the creation of America because it transformed and innovated many of the traditional aspects which people previously had found in religion. People began to get deeply entrenched in their religious beliefs, and found a new meaning to replace the one that had escaped them through their old congregation. This inspiration loosened the ties on religious diversity, and helped branch off new sects of religion from the traditional structures which had existed for thousands of years.
1. Edwards had thought that god was angry at all sins, and that most humans were predestined to be sentenced to hell, and they in fact deserved to be there because they were wicked. But Whitefield believed that people were sinful, but could have redeeming qualities, that the gods would reward them for.
ReplyDelete2. Edwards used the tactic that is now referred to as fire and brimstone sermons. These are used to strike fear into the hearts of the people listening, and is very powerful indeed. Not everyone is interested in hearing about how they are damned however. Some people prefer Whitefield's preaching style, which is that good deads will go rewarded, and he preached focusing on good things, as opposed to the bad. People love hearing how great they can be.
3. The Great Awakening owes a lot to these two men. They both spread the word of god, or at least there interpretation of it, and helped spread religion across the Americas. They also used this to make people act in a way that would benefit all of them, not just themselves.
The main differences between Edwards and Whitefield concerns their approach to God and his ultimate intensions. While Edwards feels that no matter what ones does on Earth, they are destined to either Heaven or Hell, Whitefield exposes a benevolent God and one who would see the deeds of one's life and punish or reward them. Edwards feels that human nature is evil in its enception and that salvation is saved for the predestined. Whitefield however, believes in the good of mankind and that by living a life of duty to God and mankind, salvation may be awarded to even those not predestined. Their effectiveness, like all religious figures, is tied to the fear or hope they aspound to their followers. Edwards' attempt to shame and scare colonists into a life in servitude of God is contrasted by Whitefield's attempt to bring hope to those who had none due in part to their belief in predestination. These men are a major part of the Great Awakening because they helped a nation realize that there is no one path to salvation. The Great Awakening refers to the movement of many religions across America and not simply Catholicism or Protestantism. Many people at this time were conflicted due to the persistent rhetoric of religious figures. Most had often heard that they were going to hell no matter how they lived their lives. The Great Awakening gave many of these people hope that perhaps by living a good life and serving God, they could reach salvation. Religious diversity marked this era of America and through the possibilities afforded to the masses, a fervent feeling of hope began to exist for those who had previously had none.
ReplyDelete1.Where Edwards and Whitefield really differentiated in their believes was on the topic of predestination, and in Edwards extreme believes that each person was "being held over the pits of hell" and essentially damned from birth. Whitefield seems to take a more humane appraoch to preaching, not speaking with the hard edge of Edwards.Whitefield seemed to genuinly care for his fellow man, and engaged in philanthropic activities that benefit members of the community. Whitefield believed that people were good, and could be redeemed and reach salvation.
ReplyDelete2. Edwards is effective due to the use of fear tactics in his writing and surely subsequent preaching. He was harsh, and made people paranoid about the fact that they were most likely going to hell, accept if they relinqueshed everything for God. Whitefield was effective because according to Franklin, he was not only an excellent public speaker, but a natural leader as well. He reminds me of a good poliitcian.
3.Both of these men were part of the great awakening because they both valued the increase and implementation of Christian religious faith in their respective communities. They were also both very passionate about religion, and wanted people to follow suit.
4. I think the great awakening as a period in colonial life, contributed to many of the cultural and religious nuances of the New England area today. I believe that their is great emphasis placed on generousity in the north eastern US, as well as exisiting guilt with doing things that may not be right.
Jeremy Kohlenbrener
ReplyDeleteEdwards, believes that humans are naturally sinful and damned to hell.
He believes that god is the only one that can grant salvation. And the only reason that anyone is alive at that time is only because God allows it to happen out of “pleasure” as he says that, “it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction.” Edwards feels that humans take too much for granted the pleasures that are allowed to them such as the sun or the earth and feels that they are taking advantage of them to sin. When really it is god that allows them to have these pleasures and to sin and that they should serve God in return for these pleasures.
Unlike Edwards who believes that humans are naturally sinful, Whitefield believes that humans are neither naturally evil nor naturally good. Instead, Whitefield preaches that humans are naturally half beast and half devils.
Both men are effective because they both use effective tactics to draw people to god (conversion). Edwards uses a tactic of fear and remorse to make people believe that they needed god. Edwards scared them into believing that there was this presence that not only controlled everything but also controlled you, and that this being only had to remove his hand to unleash the gates of hell to punish you for the sins you have committed. His offer of merely accepting god and serving him to avoid eternal destruction was appealing to people of the time. Basically, Edwards scared people into becoming his followers. While Whitefield wasn’t as frightening he used the salvation that god offered to his followers. And by speaking among the people rather than in formal settings he attracted far more followers.
Both of these men have their places in the Great Awakening as providing awareness to religion and god. The Great Awakening was an awakening to religion and god and these two men were the metaphorical alarm clock to that awakening.
The Great Awakening is important in the “creation” of America because it showed that America provided a place for people of all different religions to come and practice their beliefs free of persecution. I don’t think that the Great Awakening had much to do with the actual founding of the United States because the founding fathers were against having a set of religions andreally wanted to avoid religion together. That is why only god is mentioned in things like the dollar bill as opposed to a specific religion. The Great Awakening brought people to America but had nothing to do with the founding of the United States and the Revolution beyond peoples’ individual faiths.
Gloria Valadez
ReplyDeleteEdwards believed God was a vengeful and angry God who at any given moment could release his wrath before his people. He described that as Humans, we are sinners and are damned to hell and only God himself could save us. Therefore, humans could be saved through God's grace only.
On the contrary, Whitefield believed in sinful human nature as well as benevolent acts that could reach salvation through their good merit.
Both of these men were a significant to the great awakening because they provided answers for people of faith who wanted to know how to reach God's glory. Edwards was very effective in that he was rigorous and Whitefield was effective in his great speaking skills.
The great awakening created diversity in the religious aspect of society. It broadened people's horizons and allowed them to expand and learn about faith in different ways.
Jordan Thompson
ReplyDelete1. Edwards and Whitefield have very different views in terms of the nature of God and how he feels about us as human beings. Edwards takes a much more scare tactic approach describing that "natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell." Edwards states that God is the only one who decides whether you go o heaven or hell and it has nothing to do with the life that you have lead. Whitefield on the other hand takes a much more pleasant approach. He believes that if you have lived a good life you will be rewarded by God.
2. Edwards was effective because he used a scare tactic approach. He made himself seem like an authoritative figure and people who were scared by his preachings listened to him in hope that he would show them then way. Whitefield was effective for the crowd who was attracted to his overwhelming kindness.
3. Both men can be considered part of the Great Awakening because they are both preaching about salvation. And they also are trying to stir a movement for Christianity and were by shunned from the church for using new ways to express Christianity.
4. The Great Awakening played a big part in establishing the colonies as Christian colonies. Therefore, the United States is mainly Christian and united "under God" because it was established from a Christian society. Christianity played a big role in the daily lives of the colonists, therefore anything they established, they established under Christianity.
In Jonathan Edwards' sermon, he speaks about the nature of God and people. He says that we as people are only able to be saved through the grace of God. When can see this by his quote, "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God". Whitefield says that we are "half beasts" and "half devils". He believes that we are not naturally good nor evil and that through our actions we are able to reach salvation.
ReplyDeleteEdwards was good at his sermons because of the fact that he could invoke fear in his followers. By listening to his sermons people felt that they needed to hear from him what they should do in order to be saved. Whitefield on the other hand was a very good orator and was able to attract different sects because of how he repeated himself and spoke.
The great awakening was not about just one single religion, but the awakening of people in the notion that they realized what they needed to do in order to be saved. Both of these men were great speakers with many followers and can be identified in the great awakening as being two people who spread the word and opened peoples eyes on what they were doing wrong and what they needed to do in order to be saved by God.
The great awakening was huge to the start of America because of its focus on not just one religion but many. America has been known as the land of freedom where people can come and make of themselves what they please. That same goes for the religion aspect. It showed that America was not forcing people to just choose a religion, yet allowed them to be able to choose what was best for them.
Edwards God was a vengful God, full of fire and brimstone. He seemed to scare his listeners - saying sinners would be punished in time by God. Whitfield on the other had was a good orater and spoke of heping the poor and helping orphans. The way he spoke about being merciful must have resonated with his followers.
ReplyDeleteThey are both effective because even though their message is slightly different point of view, they know how to use the right words to get their message accross to the people. Whifield had many followers from different faiths, I think because of his good oratory skills and speaking of helping the less fortunate. Edwards I think attracted people because they wanted to make sure they followed him and not be cast a 'sinner' and pay the price of his vengful God.
Both men were important in the Great Awakening because at this time in American history, America was in transition and was looking for its own identity. The public was looking for someone to unite all peoples and give them hope for the future of our young country. Both of these pastors inspired people and had a forum to deliver their messages and unite peoples of the new world.
BC
Edwards and Whitefield where totally different in their believes toward god. Edward believes that everyone sentenced to pits of hell, as he describe human that they are sinful in their nature. In this case Edwards believe that god himself the one who will determine everyone destination. While Franklin think that human half of them good people and half bad people “half -beast, half-devils”, but for both of these types everyone can save him/her self by doing good work on their life as god and that would fix the part that bad people still have the chance to change and be rewarded in the end.
ReplyDeleteBoth Whitefield and Edwards were very effective. Whitefield with his attractive speech was able to gain follower and aware people to seek god in their action, while Edwards approaches his follower by throwing the fear in their hearts and how they are in a dangerous situation if they didn’t listen to him and follow god’s way
Edwards and Whitefield had a cumulative impact on the Great Awakening throughout their hard working that resulted in inspiring many people to follow religion.
The Great Awakening is important in the creation of America because of what we see today that this country support religious diversity and how it is a great place that suits everyone, no matter how she/he believes on god, but most importantly that all of us believe on god and trust him.
Kaitlyn Guerrieri
ReplyDelete1.) Edwards and Whitefield have very different beliefs on God. The God that Edwards describes is a ruthless and angry God. He describes that if you disobey God, even slightly, you are comdemmed to hell. And those you are in hell deserve to be there. Edwards seems to be preaching predisnation, which means that no matter what a person does in their life time it has no effect on weather or not they end up in hell, because before they were born it was already decided. On the other hand Whitefield's God is more compassionate. The God that Whitefield is describing notices the good deeds and rewards those who do them.
2.) Edward's sermon works because he strikes fear into the audience. He states that those you are not followers will be damned to hell. However, if they do follow they can be saved. Whitefield communicates that there is still a need for God in there lives but he is not as forceful as Edwards.
3.) Edward's and Whitefield are part of the Great Awakening because they spread their beliefs. They both are attempted to gain followers in religious beliefs.
4.) The Great Awakening was important in the creation of American because it started the movement of religious diversity in America. The Great Awakening provided America with the support to begin religious freedom and tolerance as well as diversity.
Raed Khawaja
ReplyDelete1. Edwards and Whitefield were both very successful in spreading their beliefs pertaining to god and religion. However, they did not share the same message. Edwards spoke of an angry and gruding God who took advantage of his ability to destroy and cause havoc as he wished. He felt that human beings were naturally sinful and were damned to hell. Whitefield shared the belief to the extent that humans were half beast and half devil. But, Whitefield believed humans had a shot at salvation if they chose to do good deeds and live their lives well.
2.
Edwards chose to attain followers by literally putting the fear of god in them. They were so afraid of his horrific images and threats that he grabbed their attention and loyalty in one. Whitefield on the other ahnd elected to communicate his message through speaking convincingly and ecisively. He was able to use his command over words to be persuasive and gained many followers.
3. They both represented the ideals of the great awakening because they both guided people to their belief in salvation through god and made people think about life in this way by significant numbers.
4. The great awakening was a vital asset which has made America what it is today, a melting pot of religions and cultures with great tolerance towards one another. This tolerance wasa great departure from European ways at that time and provided great incentive and freedom to Americans.