First Great Awakening (jun 1, 1730 – jun 1, 1750)

Description:

• Heavy Doctrine vs easier membership
• Clerical intellectualism vs. lay liberalism
– role of church (predestination reduces the need for church as a saving tool)
• Jonathan Edwards
– Massachussetts
– "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
• George Whitefield
– Charismatic preaching / emotionalism
– "old lights" vs. "new lights"

IMPORTANCE
• Broke sectional boundaries / denominational lines
• First spontaneous mass movement
• Sense of Americanism / unity of people
• Denominational growth (1740-1780)
– Anglican and Congregationalists: approx. 60-75% growth
– Baptist: approx. 470% growth
• Baptists in ALL the colonies



Religious revival movement during the 1730s and 1740s; stressed the need for individuals to repent and urged a personal understanding of truth.
Leaders:
George Whitefield
Jonathan Edwards - "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Historical Significance:
Reduced the number of church leaders and led to a schism within the Protestant Church.

Added to timeline:

Date: