Posted: March 24th, 2024

Rhetorical Analysis Model of Christian Charity

In John Winthropʼs sermon, “Model of Christian Charity,” Winthrop uses persuasive diction and figures of speech to reinforce his idea of a “city upon a hill,” which is having absolute unity and conformity in able for the colony to prosper, in which others will look to as an example for guidance.
His entire sermon is in a first person plural to refer to the Puritans that he is speaking to and saying that they are a group that is not diverse. Winthrop states that they must be “knit together, in this work, as one man,” which means that every individual is meant to make a commitment to the group; that those individuals are meant to work together as common destiny. By referring that the Puritans must follow the ideas of being the city upon a hill, suggesting that they all come together no matter what their differences are to become a much larger entity, in which others around them will follow for guidance. Not only does John Winthrop insist on the unity between and among the individual Puritans, he also searches in a unity between God and humans.
Winthrop talks about the deep bond that the Puritans have with God; he is not only binding them together, but he is also showing the higher purpose that God intends to have. Winthrop states that is order to keep the bond with God they must follow his ways and keep their “Covenant with Him,” so they will be able to prosper. Winthrop is combing politics with religion that foreshadows this type of theocracy to come and also dramatically setting this as an example of a spiritual and physical unity that Winthrop seems to impulse on among his people and between his people and God.

Winthrop shows his desire for his city upon a hill through his motivational speaking to the Puritans and suggesting them to have this sense of community to succeed their goal and to have faith in God and in his ways, to succeed in this pride of accomplishment.

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