A Period of Religious Revolution

The Great Awakening The Great Awakening was a spiritual renewal that swept the American Colonies, particularly New England, during the first half of the 18th Century.  It began in England before catching fire across the Atlantic.  Unlike the somber, largely Puritan spirituality of the early 1700s, the revivalism ushered in by the Awakening brought people back to "spiritual life" as they felt a greater intimacy with God.   

What did the Great Awakening do? Through the Awakening, the Colonists realized that religious power resided in their own hands, rather than in the hands of the Church of England, or any other religious authority.  After a generation or two passed with this kind of mindset, the Colonists came to realize that political power did not reside in the hands of the English monarch, but in their own will for self-governance By 1775, even though the Colonists did not all share the same theological beliefs, they did share a common vision of freedom from British control.  Thus, the Great Awakening brought about a climate which made the American Revolution possible.

Jonathan Edwards, Extremist (1703 – 1758) Groomed to succeed his grandfather as a pastor, he entered Yale at only 13. In 1729, after the death of his grandfather, he began preaching and was thought to be strong-willed and charismatic.

Jonathan Edwards, cont. Edwards’s formidable presence and vivid, deeply spiritual vision of the universe, and perception of a world filled with God’s presence helped to bring about the religious reformation termed “The Great Awakening.” Edwards preached a combination of science, reason, and observation. He believed that a true conversion to a belief in God required an admission of complete surrender. In order to be saved, one must be “born again” of God.

Why was the Great Awakening necessary? The Great Awakening began at a time when enthusiasm for the old Puritan religion was declining. The Puritan religion was too strict, too filled with expectation, and too hardcore. To offset their decrease in population, churches began accepting “unregenerate” Christians – those who accepted church doctrine, lived the principles set forth, but had not accepted God into their hearts and become “born again”. These parishioners were not considered to be “saved”.

The Extremist Edwards became known as an Extremist because he did not hesitate, in his sermons, to accuse prominent church members by name of relapsing into sin. Edwards strictness eventually proved too much for his congregation, and he was asked to step down as the pastor of the prestigious Northhampton. After being asked to leave, Edwards served eight years as a missionary working in exile. He eventually took a position as the President of the College of New Jersey (later called Princeton University). Edwards died three years later from a procedure thought to immunize or sterilize one from smallpox.

His Views: Divided Edwards straddled two views of belief: the modern, secular world exemplified by such men as Benjamin Franklin, and the religious zeal of his Puritan ancestors. He believed in reason and learning and the value of logic. On the other hand, he believed in the lowliness of human beings in relation to God. He believed that he was “waking those who had been sleeping” on their religious commitments. It was his calling to wake these sinners and create for them a world where God is omnipresent.

Oftentimes… This commitment to God and His place in the individual believer’s life, led to sermons of great anger, frustration and threat. He believed that it was his duty to convey the importance of God at any cost. His deep commitment to God and His spiritual influence is conveyed in one of his most famous sermons, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.