Jonathan Edwards, a Congregational minister, was one of the Great Awakening’s most prominent preachers. His sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was preached on July 8, 1741. He received his master’s degree from Yale in 1722, and then apprenticed for his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard, a well-known preacher of the day. In 1729, Edwards became the sole preacher of his Massachusetts congregation.

A contemporary claimed Edwards began his day at 4:00 a.m. and then studied 13 hours a day. One observer of his preaching noted: “He convinced with overwhelming weight of argument and with such intenseness of feeling.” The text of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” came from Deuteronomy 32:35: “Their foot shall slide in due time.” His sermon contained vivid biblical imagery, becoming the most famous sermon in American history.

Sign up to receive The Book in your inbox daily at https://museumofthebible.org/thebook

Copyright © 2018 Museum of the Bible. All rights reserved.