Great Awakening Essay - 1441 Words

By the beginning of the 18th century, there was an unmistakable feeling in the American Colonies that its intemperate society had become too comfortable and assertive, and had forgotten its original intentions of religious prosperity. The result was a revitalization of religious piety that swept through the American colonies between the 1730s and the 1770s, a movement known as The Great Awakening. This revival was part of an evangelical upsurge occurring simultaneously in England, Scotland, Germany, and other inhabitants on the other side of the Atlantic. In all these Protestant cultures, a new Age of Faith had arisen contrasting the currents of the Age of Enlightenment, advocating the belief that being truly religious meant relying on†¦show more content†¦Under the Half-Way Covenant, adults who did not have an apparent religious experience could have their children baptized as well, as long as they professed a belief in the basic principles of Reformed Christianity. Despit e not being able to vote on church matters, they were welcomed as partial members of the congregation. This trend of religious leniency would extend through the early 1700’s. Reverend Solomon Stoddard, pastor of the church of Northampton, Massachusetts, insisted that the sacrament of the Lords Supper should have been available to all who lived outwardly pious lives and had a good reputation in the community, disregarding the absence of full membership of the church. He argued that it was both impossible and immoral for any human to distinguish the â€Å"sheep from the goats†, and that consequently, it was best to let God decide. In 1725, his congregation decided to bring in Stoddard’s young grandson, Jonathan Edwards, to assist him. When Stoddard died at age 87, the 24 year old Edwards was elected pastor. Jonathan Edwards sought to return religion to its Calvinistic roots, and reawaken the fear of God in the hearts of sinners. His emotionally charged sermons ev oked terrifying images of the utter corruption of human nature and the terrors awaiting the unrepentant in hell. Edwards was a powerful speaker and attracted a large following. His goal was not only to frightenShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightenment and the Great Awakening.1534 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Awakening and the Enlightenment were two historical events that shaped the thoughts of people and religion in America. The most important factor in both of these events is the common theme of reason behind the movements. The Great Awakening began about the 1930s and reached its climax ten years later in 1740. What exactly was the Great Awakening? It was a wave of religion revivals sweeping through New England that increased conversions and church membership. The beginnings of the GreatRead MoreThe Great Awakening Of The 1730s1630 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Awakening of the 1730s significantly altered the social structure of early Americal colonial society. The laity’s in ternal subjectivity and passional experiences were validated in regards to religious sentiments. This novel type of engagement of the laity is significant, as previously voiceless social and racial classes were given the authority to proclaim and propagate their interpretations of biblical scripture. The New Lights’ emphasis on the transformative power of the Holy SpiritRead MoreEssay about Great Awakening912 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Awakening was when religion was sweeping throughout New England with more conversions and church membership. This spiritual awakening took place from 1735 up until 1745. (Brief Outline Notes on the Great Awakening, 1735-45 ) Most of this had taken place within the American Colonies, especially New England.(McCormick, pars. 9) . 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This awakening was led by many religious figures such as John Wesley - a founder of Methodism in the Church of England, George Whitefi eld - an Anglican who preached throughout the colonies from 1739 to 1740, and Jonathan Edwards - an Apologist of the Great Awakening who led the revival in Northampton, Massachusetts. AlthoughRead MoreThe Second Great Awakening Essay531 Words   |  3 Pages In the 1830s, 1840s, and beyond, There is a Second Great Awakening. The Second Great Awakening had a decided impact on American society. In the following I will describe what the Great Awakening was and how it changed life in America. In essence, the Great Awakening was a religious awakening. It started in the South. Tent camps were set up that revolve around high spirited meetings that would last for days. These camp meetings were highly emotional and multitudes of people were filledRead MoreJonathan Edwards : The Great Awakening1210 Words   |  5 PagesMinna Autry Mrs. Nicki Brewer American Literature 20 November 2015 Title Jonathan Edwards was one of the most famed evangelical preachers in the Age of the Great Awakening. He is best known for his most impactful sermon, â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.† Edwards preached with fury and conviction of the All Great our God. He preached for the wanderers; those lost in their spiritual belief. Edwards uses a wide variety of figurative language and rhetorical techniques to urge unregenerate ChristiansRead MoreThe Great Awakening By Christine Leigh Heyrman1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Awakening A restructuring of religious doctrine, beliefs, and social practices during the 17th and 18th centuries in England, and in North America, infused with Calvinistic religious doctrine initiated the beginning of The Great Awakening. Following this further, according to Christine Leigh Heyrman, The First Great Awakening: Divining America,† a New Age of faith rose to counter the currents of the Age of Enlightenment. Ultimately reaffirming the view that being truly religious meant trustingRead MoreThe First Great Awakening And The Age Of Enlightenment1663 Words   |  7 Pagesreason and depend solely on biblical revelation. During the eighteenth century, a great movement known as the First Great Awakening swept through Protestant Europe and America, leaving a permanent impact on Protestantism. Furthermore, during the First Great Awakening, American colonists gained a deeper sense of personal revelation through the salvation of Jesus Christ. Unlike the Age of Enlightenment, the Great Awakening introduced Christianity into the American colonies as well as reshaping many differentRead MoreThe Great Awakening During The British Colonies2401 Words   |  10 PagesThe First Great Awakening in the British Colonies found its way across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe around 1730-1740s, and it had a profound impact on the course of the colonies, especially during the latter half of the Eighteenth Century, as they became independent from King George III’s tyranny. The Great Awakening was a movement rooted in spiritual growth in which it brought a new national identity that swept through the Puritans in Colonial America. Certain Puritans at time began to disassociate