Great Awakening

Jonathan Edwards, 18th century preacher

I. Elements of the Great Awakening (evangelicalism in Protestantism, quietism in Roman Catholicism)

A. Enthusiasm--emotional manifestations(weeping, fainting, physical movements)

B. Itinerancy--visiting and preaching in various areas without invitation

C. Challenge to religious authorities and divisions within denominations into "new light" and "old light" factions

D. Democratic movement

1) insisted that all should have the religious experience

2) Stirred impulse towards independence among colonists

3) Broke down strong denominational ties

A. Theodore Frelinghuysen of New Jersey--he preached that Dutch merchants should not take their religion for granted (preserving Dutch Reformed tradition in English colonies)

B. Gilbert Tennent--Presbyterian preacher in the middle colonies

C. Jonathan Edwards--New England preacher of great intellect and power

D. George Whitefield--English preacher who visited most of the colonies, stirring residents with emotional religious appeals

A. Individual revival--rejection of cold rationalism of Puritanism and Anglicanism and more reliance on the "heart" rather than the "head."

B. Creation of new colleges (sometimes called log colleges) to train "new light" ministers--Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth

C. Sharpening of the differences between those who defined religion as a rational process and those who focus on experience

D. Development of revivalism tradition in American religion. Future outbreaks:

1) Second Great Awakening in first half of 19th century--camp meetings and frontier revivals featuring emotional appeals and Arminian theology

2) Charles G. Finney and Dwight Moody--19th century urban revivalism with campaigns in many cities

3) Billy Sunday, Billy Graham and mass meetings--20th century revivalism

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Please cite this source when appropriate:

Feldmeth, Greg D. "U.S. History Resources"
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/USHistory.html (31 March 1998).

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