hellfire preaching
Pulpit terror tactics
Hellfire preaching is a style of Christian sermon that emphasizes damnation, eternal punishment, and the torments awaiting sinners.
The preacher vividly depicts the horrors of hell to frighten listeners toward repentance and salvation.
The approach was central to revival movements and remains associated with fire-and-brimstone evangelism: The tent revival featured old-fashioned hellfire preaching that left the congregation shaken.
- fire and brimstoneWrathful divine punishment imagery
- brimstoneArchaic word for sulfur
- damnationEternal punishment decree
- lake of fireFiery underworld punishment realm
- pulpitChurch speaking platform
revival · repentance · sinners · eternal · flames · salvation · wrath · mortal sin · sermon · thundering · judgment · tent · street corner · altar · sweating · turn or burn · fire · congregation
- colonial faithPilgrims, Puritans, Calvinism, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth Colony
- Evangelicalismevangelicalism, born again, born-again, evangelists, evangelist
- evangelismgospel outreach, evangelize, evangelist, born again, evangelizing
- sermonsSunday sermon, homilies, Easter sermon, exhortations, messages
- American RevivalsSecond Great Awakening, revivals, camp meetings, Charles Finney, evangelicalism
- revivalismrevivals, revivalism, revivalist, revivalists, camp meeting
hellfire preachingpositive reinforcement
Strengthening behavior through rewards
preach, hellish, firing, preacher, preachers, preaching, preached, preachings