Jonathan Edwards's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God": A Casebook [Paperback]

The authors have provided a fascinating, accessible, insightful study of America's most famous sermon, and in addition traced its reception over the next two centuries. By itself this book is a diachronic probe deep into America's religious past, using one of its most provocative events to measure the evolution of her religious mind over its most important two centuries.
--Gerald McDermott, Roanoke College

For those desiring a succinct, yet penetrating introduction to Jonathan Edwards, Wilson H. Kimnach, Caleb J.D. Maskell, and Kenneth P. Minkema have produced an eminently helpful volume which utilizes "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" as an entry point to the worldview of Jonathan Edwards. The casebook begins with an introduction by Maskell and Minkema who provide a brief overview of "Sinners," its history, and why it remains important reading 250 years later. Maskell notes a chief reason for reading the sermon is that "it evokes a worldview, a vision of reality that Edwards held and of which he seeks to remind his hearers" . . . a vision which continues to resonate, though faintly, with many Evangelicals today.

Following the Introduction, William Kimnach examines the religious history of the sermon, its structure, and Edwards's goal of making the unconverted hearers realize their "life in a divine context," and see themselves as God sees them (sinners in danger of Omnipotent wrath), hopefully enabling them to experience a "new sense of the heart" and spiritual rebirth. Kimnach notes the rise of such awakening sermons as an attempt to combat the spiritual decline in Puritan church congregations. "Sinners" was a calculated production in which Edwards drew upon not only an established tradition of awakenings or "harvests," but also a Lockean sensational psychology that Edwards utilized to "uproot" the minds of the unconverted in order to expose them to the converting power of God.

Caleb Maskell then examines the theological concepts present within "Sinners" which are core to Edwards's vast corpus. Though common currency in Edwards's day, the theological vocabulary referring to sin, God's wrath and mercy, hell, etc. are all but lost upon 21st century ears. Maskell serves the reader well by mapping out the ideas central to Edwards's theological enterprise, and then concludes by examining the reasons why he preached "this ferocious sermon."

Following these essays is the authoritative text of "Sinners" along with selections from a variety of Edwards's writings chosen to further illuminate his vision of the world. These selections include a cross-section of philosophy, reflection upon revival, sermon, theological treatise, and personal correspondence.

The casebook also provides the reader with selections from contemporary documents which give an additional lens through which Edwards's ministry and context may be examined, including an eyewitness account of the preaching of "Sinners." The final section surveys various interpretations of Edwards and his sermon over the past two hundred years, beginning with the sympathetic perspectives of the New Divinity minister and historian, Benjamin Trumbull (1735-1820), and Joseph Tracy, author of "The Great Awakening" (1842). Among other less enthusiastic interpreters are Harriet Beecher Stowe who assessed Edwards's sermons as "refined poetry of torture," and Mark Twain who viewed Edwards as "a resplendent intellect gone mad." Yet, Theodore Roosevelt recommended Edwards as a model of manliness, Perry Miller denoted him as a man ahead of our time, and Billy Graham preached "Sinners" in hopes of birthing a new Awakening.

The "Sinners" casebook concludes with a chronology of Edwards's life, a glossary of significant names and terms, along with teaching resources and suggested readings. "Jonathan Edwards's Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God: A Casebook" will be a significant help to the reader or teacher looking for a sure way to begin navigating the ocean of Edwards's theology.

At long last, this masterful teaching aid is here. The editors have reproduced the definitive edition of this most famous Edwards sermon along with a host of study helps: an historical and literary introduction to "Sinners" (by Kimnach); a theological primer on the themes within the sermon (by Maskell); a dozen companion texts by Edwards himself that place it in context; five contemporary documents that testify to the power of the sermon and/or the revivals of the so-called Great Awakening; and sixteen interpretations of Edwards and his doctrine, including fascinating comments by a wide array of readers, both friends and foes alike, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, Robert Lowell, Perry Miller, Billy Graham, and Marilyn Robinson. Appended to the book are a brief chronology of Edwards' life, a glossary of names and terms, discussion questions, web resources, a handy bibliography, and even a list of audio productions of the sermon.

This is an ideal teaching tool. I recommend it strongly for high school teachers, home schoolers, Sunday school teachers, and college professors-at Christian or secular schools-anyone who wants to teach "Sinners" with excellence, helping students understand what Edwards was actually trying to do by preaching this frightening, classic, and spiritually powerful sermon.

Can anyone remember the biblical text on which it was based (without checking!)? How about the alternate text for the sermon in the Psalms?

-By Douglas Sweeney, Director of the JEC at TEDS

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