The Great Awakening

The Great Awakening occurred in the eighteenth century as it began in Europe and quickly spread to America, and was considered a “philosophical movement.” (Liberty 155) The Great Awakening was becoming a popular movement for many and changing how society viewed others. However, ministers criticized this new preaching and felt it was causing chaos for society as well as their church (religion). “Many ministers were concerned that westward expansion, commercial development, the growth of Enlightenment rationalism, and lack of individual engagement in church services were undermining religious devotion." (Liberty 156). The revivalists were hated by the ministers and portrayed as uneducated. The “critics of the Great Awakening produced sermons, pamphlets, and newspaper articles condemning the revivalist preachers for lacking theological training, encouraging disrespect for “the established church and her ministers,” and filling churches with “general order.”” (Liberty 157) The critics felt that in order for society to work in an orderly fashion there had to be unity in the religion and the people needed to follow laws. The main criticism that Jonathan Arnold made against Reverend George Whitefield was that he was ignorant, preached “false doctrine” and charged “him as being a deceiver.” (Freedom 85-86) Those that were opposed to evangelical preachers were worried that Reverend Mr. Whitefield exclaimed “against all the bishops and clergymen of the Church of England” and passing “unwarrantable sentences upon men as if he was the Supreme Judge.” (Freedom 86) Based on the defense of George Whitefield who proclaimed that God was “merciful”, preached that “men and women could save themselves by repenting of their sins.” (Freedom 85) Jonathan Arnold was concerned that this movement would cause people to lose their tradition within the Church. After the Great Awakening was over it had people questioning, thinking, and challenging the traditional mindset of why things were they way they were and if it was right or wrong. This included people questioning how slaves were being treated and condemning slavery. The Great Awakening influenced how society freed slaved by viewing “black and white were brothers in Christ (Liberty 158), how people wanted to treat others as equals, the right or freedom of religion and all of those changes have directly affected and/or influenced our freedoms today.