The Methods of Thomas Paine and Jonathan Edwards: Searching for a Spiritual Connection

Jonathan Edwards and Thomas Paine may seem, on the surface, to be completely unlike, but each pursued the same goal. Jonathan Edwards was the most famous of the early Revivalist preachers, shouting fire and brimstone to his rapt congregations. Thomas Paine, on the other hand, wrote in an almost philosophical style, convincing readers through logic. Both men desired that human beings would learn to have true belief, based on internal knowledge and revelation.

Jonathan Edwards attempted, in his Great Awakening speeches, to reconvert his congregation. He intended to convince people that it is necessary to not only understand religious ideals, but to be moved by them. It was not enough, in Edwards' eyes, to blindly follow the Christian doctrine. One must experience a fervent delight at God's sovereignty, in order to fully understand it.

One way in which Edwards attempted to change the belief of his congregation was to show them that their existence is entirely in the hands of God. Human beings are largely concerned with their own happiness and well-being, and do not consider the precarious position they are in, claimed Edwards. He intended to show his congregation the extremity of that position, and to frighten them into true belief, so that they would live their lives in a better fashion.

Edwards' work is filled with Biblical allusions, as would be expected. However, it is also riddled with complex language and concrete descriptions. It is these descriptions that remain the most moving part of the work. For example, Edwards says that "God holds you over the pit of Hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire." ( AL, p504) This is an extremely vivid image.

In fact, an assignment in high school was to illustrate a passage from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," and the above passage, along with the lines that follow, were my choice. Despite an utter lack of artistic talent, my finished drawing was so dark and disturbing that when my mother stumbled across it years later, she believed I had been involved in some sort of cult. This example demonstrates the ability of Edwards' work to produce imagery and fear in those the message reaches.

Thomas Paine, a deist, worked in another fashion. Paine's writing is reminiscent of a philosopher's. He logically and methodically explains his beliefs, in a manner that engages the reader from the start. However, Paine's work was highly controversial, and he was frequently shunned for it. Paine's presentation of the Christian religion as "as near to atheism as twilight is to darkness," ( AL, p721) must have seemed the most horrific thing that could have been said to the people of the time.

Despite the seeming moral depravity of his writing, Paine desired exactly what Edwards had: to persuade people to experience God for themselves. However, Edwards intended for this experience to return his congregation to their former Puritan ways. Paine, on the other hand, was convinced that revelation, "something communicated from God to man," ( AL, p720) was only a revelation to one person, and that organized religion was always an attempt to terrorize the people and gain power for the church leaders.

In the largely Christian and often Puritan New World, religious leaders were looked up to and respected. This caused the people of America to turn away from Thomas Paine. Even Jonathan Edwards eventually overstepped his bounds, condemning respected town leaders. Both men intended the people of America to experience God within themselves, though each utilized an entirely unique method of persuasion.