Billy Graham Preaches Jonathan Edwards

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks on June 17, 2009

You could call it “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Evangelist,” but I don’t think anyone ever describes Billy Graham as angry. At any rate, during Graham’s famous Los Angeles crusade in 1949 he preached the infamous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards. The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale offers a digital exhibit on the curious case of the 20th century’s most famous preacher borrowing a sermon from the 18th century’s most famous preacher.

What’s perhaps most interesting are the edits Graham makes to Edwards’ sermon. Graham focuses more on mercy and grace, he brings up Jesus sooner and more often, and he gives more of an Arminian slant on God’s will than Edward’s Calvinist take.