Final answer:
The depiction of God by Jonathan Edwards reflects the Puritans' fear of d*mnation and their focus on predestination, illustrating their tenuous relationship with God and the importance of religious conversion and piety to ascertain one's status as 'elect'.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jonathan Edwards's portrayal of God as one who holds sinners above the flames of hell in his famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God reveals much about the Puritan relationship with their deity.
The vivid, terrifying imagery used by Edwards is indicative of the Puritans' belief in predestination and the constant threat of d*mnation without God's grace. This approach aimed to provoke an emotional response to encourage deeper religious commitment and was part of a larger evangelical fervor known as the Great Awakening, which swept through the Connecticut River Valley and beyond.
Puritans lived with the tension of not knowing their salvation status, while trying to interpret signs of their 'elect' status through pious living and seeking religious conversion. The covenant between God and the 'elect' was also central to the Puritan community, aiming for a society that embodied Puritan religious ideals.