The Chreia: ‘I tremble for my country...’

“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”

—Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1784-85.

Discovery List several facts about the author.

Founding Father of the United States

Discovery List several facts about the author.

Founding Father of the United States

Architect of the Declaration of

Independence and framer for the U.S.

government

Discovery List several facts about the author.

Founding Father of the United States

Architect of the Declaration of

Independence and framer for the U.S.

government

Sought the good of the country

Discovery List several facts about the author.

Founding Father of the United States

Architect of the Declaration of

Independence and framer for the U.S.

government

Sought the good of the country

Third President of the United States

1. EncomiumIntroduction: Write a sentence that introduces the author. Include a figure of description.

1. EncomiumIntroduction: Write a sentence that introduces the author. Include a figure of description.

The wisdom of (ethopoeia) Thomas

Jefferson should be pondered and

treasured.

1. EncomiumPraises: write three praises for the author.

1. EncomiumPraises: write three praises for the author.

He dedicated his immense talents and

abilities to establish a just and

righteous government for the people

of the United States.

1. EncomiumPraises: write three praises for the author.

He dedicated his immense talents and abilities

to establish a just and righteous government

for the people of the United States.

He sought the good of the entire country when

he might easily have dedicated himself to

personal enrichment alone as so many others

did.

1. EncomiumPraises: write three praises for the author.

He dedicated his immense talents and abilities to

establish a just and righteous government for the

people of the United States.

He sought the good of the entire country when he

might easily have dedicated himself to personal

enrichment alone as so many others did.

He accepted the burden of being the third President

of the United States.

1. EncomiumThesis: write a thesis statement, which states what you will speak about.

1. EncomiumThesis: write a thesis statement, which states what you will speak about.

Books might be written exclaiming

his wisdom but I will consider just his

concise saying on righteousness.

1. EncomiumRough draft: combine the introduction, praises, and thesis into a paragraph.

1. EncomiumRough draft: combine the introduction, praises, and thesis into a paragraph.

The wisdom of the great Thomas Jefferson should

be pondered and treasured. He dedicated his immense

talents and abilities to establish a just and righteous

government for the people of the United States. He

sought the good of the entire country when he might

easily have dedicated himself to personal enrichment

alone as so many others did. Books might be written

exclaiming his wisdom but I will consider just his

concise saying on righteousness.

2. Paraphrase List several synonyms for these words from the Chreia: tremble, country, reflect, God, and just.

tremble:

country:

reflect:

God:

just:

2. Paraphrase Sentence variations: Write four variations of the Chreia. Then draw a star next to the best one; this one will be your Paraphrase.

2. Paraphrase Sentence variations: Write four variations of the Chreia. Then draw a star next to the best one; this one will be your Paraphrase.

I quake for my nation when I remember that the Lord is

righteous.

To contemplate the Almighty’s justice makes me shudder

for this republic.

When I dwell upon God’s impartiality, I quaver for my

people.

I am struck with fear for this nation as I consider that our

Creator passionately hates sin.

3. CauseNine Narrative Components: Identify the who, what, when, where, how, and why of a narrative that shows why the chreia was said. Include recognition, reversal, and suffering.

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

3. CauseNine Narrative Components: Identify the who, what, when, where, how, and why of a narrative that shows why the chreia was said. Include recognition, reversal, and suffering.

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

God punishes unrighteous nations

the man fears God’s punishment on his nation

God’s punishment

a man

reflecting on & obeying God’s commands

unrighteousness will be punished

time of our nation’s birth

United States, our nation

with humility

to experience God’s blessings in life

3. CauseRough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

3. CauseRough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

A humble man (ethopoeia), living at the

time of our nation’s birth, would have enjoyed

the success of his country. Knowing, however,

that God punishes (S) unrighteous nations (R),

he would have feared for his people (V) and

called them to righteousness.

4. ConverseNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative with the same character in the cause paragraph but who does the opposite.

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

God punishes unrighteous nations repentance comes too lateGod punishes a mandisobeying God’s commandstime of our nation’s birthUnited States, our nationwith pride and selfishnessto show that overlooking unrighteousnessGod will not be mocked

4. ConverseNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative with the same character in the cause paragraph but who does the opposite.

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

4. ConverseRough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

4. ConverseRough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

However, if a man had ignored the Judge of nations, then destruction may befall such a man and his country at any moment (S and V). A nation cannot long survive if the people of that nation act viciously (C).

5. AnalogyDiagram: Write the Action of the chreia on the left side and its effect below. Then write a dissimilar Action that has the same effect.

Chriea’s Action Dissimilar Action

Same Effect

5. AnalogyDiagram: Write the Action of the chreia on the left side and its effect below. Then write a dissimilar Action that has the same effect.

Chriea’s Action Dissimilar Action

Ignoring God’s justice e.g. Gambling unresponsibly

Same Effect

Both are ruined; one meets poverty and the other meets

demise

5. AnalogyNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative that demonstrates the analogy from the diagram.

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

5. AnalogyNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative that demonstrates the analogy from the diagram.

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

finds his pockets emptied

meet poverty / meet demise

poverty / demise

gambling fool / nations

gambles money away / ignores God’s justice

anytime

anywhere

irresponsibly

to show the inevitable consequences of

irresponsible behavoir

5. Analogy Rough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

5. Analogy Rough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

Like a gambling fool, who irresponsibly

gambles all his money, so is a nation that

ignores God’s justice. The fool will find his

pockets emptied. He will meet poverty just as

the unrighteous nation will meet its demise.

6. ExampleNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative that demonstrates the chreia with a famous person or event.

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

6. ExampleNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative that demonstrates the chreia with a famous person or event.

Agents

Action

Time

Place

Manner

Cause

Recognition

Reversal

Suffering

6. ExampleNine Narrative Components: Identify the nine components of a narrative that demonstrates the chreia with a famous person or event.

Agents God and IsraelAction God blessed Israel, they disobeyed,

were exiledTime Israel’s beginning until the Babylonian

captivityPlace Israel / land flowing with milk and honeyManner sinfully and foolishlyCause to show that God blesses, but he will

punish wrongRecognition Israel was unjust to the poorReversal The Lord exiled Israel to BabylonSuffering Israel lost its freedom

6. ExampleRough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

6. ExampleRough Draft: Compose a paragraph using the nine narrative components. Include a figure of description. Identify recognition (R), suffering (S), and reversal (V).

Consider Israel’s history. From the

beginning God had blessed them with a land

flowing with milk and honey. Yet because they

disobeyed him and were unjust to the poor,

the Lord delivered them into the hands of the

Babylonians, and they lost their freedom as a

nation.

7. TestimonyQuotation and Source. Choose a quotation that supports the chreia and write it below. Tell the source of the quotation. Write a sentence that explains how the quote is similar to the chreia.

7. TestimonyQuotation and Source. Choose a quotation that supports the chreia and write it below. Tell the source of the quotation. Write a sentence that explains how the quote is similar to the chreia.

King Solomon once said, “Wicked

men are overthrown and are no more, but

the house of the righteous stands

firm”(Proverbs 12.7). Solomon’s words

mean that a ruler must obey God’s statutes

and rule justly or else be met with swift

destruction.

8. Epilogue Audience and Challenge. Write a phrase that names the audience, and then add an imperative clause calling the audience to agree with the chreia.

8. Epilogue Audience and Challenge. Write a phrase that names the audience, and then add an imperative clause calling the audience to agree with the chreia.

Those who consider these points must

admire Jefferson for his outstandingly wise

saying about the necessity for a nation to obey

God’s law.

Final Draft Check each of the eight heads above and correct errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. On a separate sheet of paper rewrite the eight paragraphs in the form of a final draft.