History Module 2.6 The Great Awakening

Why is it appropriate to characterize the Great Awakening as the “Great Reshuffling”?

• This reshuffled religious authority, reducing the power of traditional church leaders.

• It stirred new ideas about freedom and equality

  • By encouraging people to challenge religious authority, it planted seeds for challenging political authority, too.

How were the “awakeners” different from the preachers who came before them?

• 1. Emotional Preaching vs. Formal Sermons

• Awakeners used dramatic, emotional preaching to stir people’s hearts.

• Earlier preachers focused on calm, logical, and formal sermons that appealed to the mind, not feelings.

• 2. Preaching to the Masses

• Awakeners preached in open fields, streets, and barns, often to thousands at once.

• Earlier preachers mostly preached in church buildings to regular congregations.

• 3. Focus on Personal Experience

  • Awakeners emphasized personal conversion and a deep emotional connection with God.

  • Earlier preachers focused more on church rules, traditions, and being a good member of society.

  • 🔹 4. Questioning Authority

    • Awakeners believed people didn’t need formal church leaders to connect with God.

    • Traditional preachers believed church authority and structure were essential.

    5. Inclusivity

    Some awakeners preached to women, enslaved people, and the poor, challenging social norms.

    • Earlier preachers usually focused on the wealthy and educated.

What were the problematic effects of the Great Awakening?

1. Division and Conflict

• The revival split churches and communities.

• People argued over whether the emotional preaching and new styles were truly Christian.

• Old Lights (traditionalists) clashed with New Lights (revival supporters), weakening church unity.

2. Undermining Established Authority

• The movement encouraged people to question religious leaders—this spread to political and social authorities, too.

• While this helped fuel democracy, it also led to instability and distrust of long-standing institutions.

3. Fanaticism and Extremism

• Some preachers stirred up intense emotions, causing hysteria and even fear.

• People sometimes focused more on emotional experiences than thoughtful religious growth or learning.

4. Exclusion Despite Preaching Equality

• While the movement claimed that all souls were equal before God, many churches still excluded women, Black people, and Native Americans from full participation or leadership.

• Some enslaved people were converted, but it didn’t lead to real freedom or justice.

5. Spread of Untrained Preachers

• Many people began preaching without education or training, which sometimes led to confusing or misleading messages about faith and salvation.

What were the benefits of the Great Awakening?

Women and men had the power to choose, and control their own destiny.

Contributed to higher education.

Protest and resistance was acceptable.

European churches turned into American churches.

Common experiences- people learned that they had things in common.

Laid the foundation for the American revolution.

Deism:

Believed in God, but turned more to nature. Influenced by enlightenment thinking. Reason and science. God created and then “hands off”. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.

Methodism:

Believed anyone could be saved through faith and a personal relationship with God. More emotional and lively. Services included music, singing, and personal testimonies, often outdoors. Focused more on God’s love and forgiveness, and on the individual’s experience of grace. Encouraged moral living, but focused more on personal growth, charity, and helping others, especially the poor.

Johnathan Edwards:

Puritan minister. Famous for fiery sermons. “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”. Appealed to especially young people. Caused love, joy and also distress. Spoke to people’s hearts.

George Whitfield:

Founder of the Methodist movement. English Anglican from Church of England. Cross-eyed. Had been an actor. First preacher to use marketing. Whitefield was famous for his powerful, emotional open-air preaching that drew huge crowds across Britain and the American colonies.

James Oglethorpe:

Military officer. Helped establish the colony of Georgia.