The Great Awakening

The Origins of 18th Century Evangelicalism

The Anglo-American Context for Ongoing Reformation

The material prosperity of England and her North American colonies;

Early industrialization and its attendant social problems (esp. poverty, expansion of slavery);

“Anglicanization” of colonial New England and a sense of “declension” among church leaders;

Dominance of rational religion in England (Deism, universalism, and latitudinarianism);

Churches continued to be entangled in partisan politics (Anglicans = Tories; Non-conformists = Whigs)

The Great Awakening

Early stirrings of revivalism

Subscription Controversy among Presbyterians

The contribution of the Tennents

A “great and general awakening” (1739-1742)

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Presbyterian revivalist Gilbert Tennent(1703-1764 ) warned people about the “dangers of an unconverted ministry”

The Grand Itinerant: George Whitefield

“I am verily persuaded, the generality of preachers talk of an unknown, unfelt Christ. And the Reasons why congregations have been so dead, is because dead men preach to them.”

Sermon at Harvard College, 1740

Anglican revivalist George Whitefield (1714-1770) conducted seven preaching tours in

England’s North American colonies.

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The Morphology of Conversion

Preparationism

Election

Humiliation

Contrition

Vocation

Sanctification

Exaltation

“New Birth”

Callousness

Contrition

Affective Response

Salvation

The evangelical “new birth” is not premised on God’s election, represents an immediate transformation of the individual by God, and is accompanied by effervescent emotions.

An Evangelical Apologist

A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God (1737)

The Distinguishing Marks of the Spirit of God (1741)

Seasonable Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival (1742)

A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (1746) Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was

the leading apologist for the Great Awakening in colonial North America

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The Southern Phase of the Great Awakening

The Baptist background

Shubal Stearns (1706-1771) and Daniel Marshall (1706-1784)

Distinctive practices: “nine Christian rites”

Preaching style: the “holy whine”

Mission among enslaved Africans

Anglican oppositionAndrew Bryan (1737-1812) was among the earliest “slave preachers” among the Baptists

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Evangelical Protestantism among Slaves in the South, 1780-1810

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

1780 1795 1810

Presbyterians

Methodists

Baptists

The Success of 18th

Century Evangelicalism

Appealed to Native Americans and enslaved Africans

Expanded role for women to exercise leadership

Affirmed popular piety against institutional religion

Made 17th c. “intolerance” less defensible because of its sheer popularity

Re-oriented power away from the clergy toward lay people