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Introduction
The First Great Awakening (or the Great Awakening) was a significant religious movement of revival that
swept through the American colonies in the 18th century. In a time when the “wellsprings of piety that had flowed
freely in an earlier generation had run nearly dry,”1 the First Great Awakening played a pivotal role in reviving the
early American church and reuniting the American colonies. Furthermore, from this movement was the emergence
of what came to be known as Evangelicalism. This paper will provide an overview of the beginning of
Evangelicalism during the First Great Awakening, examining the lives and contributions of its two most prominent
leaders, Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, and briefly discussing other leaders and their lesser, yet still
impactful role in this transformative period of American religious history.
The First Great Awakening
While Christian morality and Protestant convictions guided the formation of the early American colonies
and even became the glue that held them together, “by the beginning of the 18th century, this fiery religious spirit
had died down.”2 As colonies grew in diversity and wealth, the sense of distinct religious identity was fading.
Enlightenment was flourishing, and while “colonists enjoyed an early form of ‘religious voluntaryism,’”3 with
colonies like South Carolina passing laws which required church attendance on Sundays, “faith in American
colonies increasingly became more a matter of a mental pursuit and even social requirement […] than a spiritual
experience.”4 Beliefs about religion were beginning to change again, and though many revivals would spring up,
none had an impact like the revival of Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1733.
The First Great Awakening, spanning roughly from the 1730’s to the 1740’s, marked a period of extreme
spiritual fervor and religious revivalism in the American colonies. It was characterized by widespread religious
1 J.F. Thornbury, “Another Look at the First Great Awakening,” Reformation and Revival, RAR 04:3, (1995),
https://www-galaxie-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/article/rar04-3-02?highlight=first%20great%20awakening
%20evangelacalism.
2 “The First Great Awakening,” USHistory.org,
https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/lessonplan/firstgreatawakening.html.
3 Mark Nickens, A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, 2nd Edition. (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020),
157.
4 Ibid., pg. 157.
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enthusiasm, emotional preaching, and fervent conversions. “The First Great Awakening was largely the work of
itinerant preachers such as John Wesley and George Whitefield”5 (more on him later), who addressed huge
audiences both in the major cities and in remote frontier villages. Many different preachers began to proclaim a
more emphatic message of conversion; a message declaring that being truly religious meant repenting and devoting
oneself wholly to God. In contrast to the older faiths, these preachers preached a doctrine that deemphasized
traditional church structure, ceremony, and even clergy. They stressed the importance of a personal relationship with
God and of the responsibility to God that came along with it. This movement fundamentally changed the religious
landscape of America. “Tens of thousands of non-religious colonists were converted to Protestant beliefs,”6 and
those already believing were being revived in their faith. “The First Great Awakening played a vital role for the
colonies as a whole, as it provided the first common experience among the colonists.”7 It was in the midst of this
unity and spiritual enthusiasm that Evangelicalism began to take shape.
The Emergence of Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism, in the 18th century, was a very distinct Christian movement. It placed emphasis on a
personal conversions, biblical authority, and evangelical outreach. “Evangelicalism emerged in response to the
perceived spiritual decline and moral laxity within the established churches of the colonies, particularly the
Congregational, Anglican, and Presbyterian denominations.”8 Although it was in many ways contrary to the spirit of
the Enlightenment, Evangelicalism was also part of the Enlightenment. “It was opposed to the Enlightenment in that
it maintained a Christian focus on the supernatural activities of God, but it shared with the Enlightenment a similar
idea of knowledge and progress. Evangelicals, like Enlightenment thinkers, emphasized the importance of knowing
things through observation and experience in contrast to tradition and authority.”9 Combined with a desire to know
God at an empirical level, this dissatisfaction with formalism and ritualism led many believers to seek a more
5 “Christianity in 18th Century America,” EDSITEment, https://edsitement.neh.gov/curricula/religion-18th-century-
america.
6 “The First Great Awakening,” USHistory.org,
https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/lessonplan/firstgreatawakening.html.
7 Mark Nickens, A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, 2nd Edition. (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020),
pg. 162.
8 “Christianity in 18th Century America,” EDSITEment, https://edsitement.neh.gov/curricula/religion-18th-century-
america.
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personal and experiential faith. This longing for intimacy with God and a heartfelt conversion spread throughout the
colonies of America, providing fertile ground for Evangelicalism. Evangelicalism would continue to grow and shape
the American church through its desire for others to “come to a salvation experience with God through missions and
evangelism.”10
Leaders of the First Great Awakening
Pastor and theologian, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), is widely regarded as one of the most important
figures of the First Great Awakening. He played a central role in igniting and sustaining the revival fervor of the
First Great Awakening and Evangelicalism. Edward’s was known for his intellect at a young age, and after attending
Yale and preaching at a small New York church for a time, he took over his grandfather’s church in Massachusetts.
Though by all accounts, “he read his prepared sermons in a monotone voice while standing still,”11 Edwards was
known for his powerful sermons and theological writings. His passionate pursuit of “true religion,” “the kind of vital
Christian piety that stems from regeneration (spiritual rebirth) and sets its subjects apart from nominal
Christianity,”12 was the spark that ignited the revival fire in Northampton, Massachusetts. Edwards’ concern for the
spiritual state of his church members and others in the community gradually grew. He began to preach for a
“renewed focus on divine matters and the importance of maintaining a Christian faith.”13 His message of
repentance and the reality of divine judgment stirred up deep emotions, leading to numerous conversions. A small
revival would break out in Northampton, in 1733. This revival grew and increased in popularity, ultimately leading
to what is now known as the First Great Awakening.
9 C.R. Oldstone-Moore, “John Wesley and Evangelicalism in the 18th Century,” Brewminate,
https://brewminate.com/john-wesley-and-evangelicalism-in-the-18th-century/.
10 Mark Nickens, A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, Second Edition. (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic,
2020), 162.
11 Ibid., pg. 159.
12 D.A. Sweeney, “Evangelical tradition in America,” Cambridge University Press,
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-companion-to-jonathan-edwards/evangelical-tradition-in-
america/4DEF3D2F967C697BBE4A864588511A1A.
13 Mark Nickens, A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, Second Edition. (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic,
2020), 158.
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George Whitefield (1714-1770) was an English Anglican preacher and evangelist and was another key
leader of the First Great Awakening. Whitefield is widely considered to be the first American celebrity, as well as
the first American “circuit rider.” Whitefield came from a poor family; however, he was able to attend Oxford
University as an assistant to other wealthy students. This led him to meet John and Charles Wesley, leading to his
conversion to faith and to the Great Awakening. While Edwards was known as a theologian who shepherded his
flock, Whitefield was “more of the revivalist.”14 Whitefield was determined to preach, yet offers were not exactly
piling up so, Whitefield began preaching in town squares and open fields. Renowned for his passionate preaching
style and charismatic appeal, Whitefield captivated audiences and drew large crowds on both sides of the Atlantic
with his eloquent sermons and dramatic delivery. Whitefield’s passion for spreading the gospel and his extensive
travels throughout the American colonies, combined with the already growing revival led by Edwards, fanned the
already glowing flames of revivalism and Evangelical fervor. Whitefield died in 1770, but through the power of the
Holy Spirit, the Great Awakening and Evangelicalism had brought the colonies of America back to life.
In addition to Edwards and Whitefield, several other leaders played significant roles in the First Great
Awakening. Among them were men like Gilbert Tennent, a Presbyterian minister who was nicknamed “a son of
thunder,” by George Whitefield, for his fervent revival preaching and advocacy for spiritual renewal within the
church.15 Another great man of the Great Awakening was Samuel Davies. Davies was a pastor from Virginia who
became known as “a chief defender of the ‘Dissenters,’” or “nonconformists” (Protestants who would not conform
to the doctrines of the Church of England). Davies promoted revivalism and Evangelicalism in the southern colonies
during the Great Awakening. He also “helped rouse Virginians to defend the frontier,”16 during the French and
Indian War of 1754. There are several more God-fearing men who, like those mentioned, witnessed secularism
growing rampant in their land, saw God moving, and risked it all to follow Him. These great men were willing to be
fools for the sake of the true gospel. It is, in no small part, due to these men and their faith and devotion that the
Great Awakening spread, and the American church lives and breathes as it does, today.
Conclusion
14 Ibid., pg. 160.
15 “Gilbert Tennent,” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gilbert-Tennent.
16 “Samuel Davies,” Encyclopedia Britannica,” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Davies.
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The First Great Awakening served as a catalyst for the emergence of Evangelicalism, a vibrant religious
movement characterized by an emphasis on personal conversion, biblical authority, and evangelical outreach.
Moreover, the Great Awakening revived the American church and reunified the American colonies. Jonathan
Edwards and George Whitefield, as two of its most prominent leaders, played instrumental roles in shaping the
trajectory of American religious history through their powerful preaching and theological influence. While they
differed in emphases and style, both Edwards and Whitefield shared a common commitment to revivalism and the
spread of Evangelical faith. Additionally, many other great men of God gave their all and contributed greatly to this
remarkable revival movement, further fueling its momentum and impact on colonial America. Through their
collective efforts, the First Great Awakening left an indelible mark on American religious culture, paving the way
for the continued growth and influence of Evangelicalism in the centuries to come.
(WC: 1597)
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Bibliography
“The First Great Awakening,” USHistory.org,
https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/lessonplan/firstgreatawakening.html.
J.F. Thornbury, “Another Look at the First Great Awakening,” Reformation and Revival, RAR 04:3,
(1995), https://www-galaxie-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/article/rar04-3-02?highlight=first%20great
%20awakening%20evangelacalism.
Mark Nickens, A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, 2nd Edition. (Nashville, TN: B&H
Academic, 2020), 157-62.
“Christianity in 18th Century America,” EDSITEment, https://edsitement.neh.gov/curricula/religion-18th-
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C.R. Oldstone-Moore, “John Wesley and Evangelicalism in the 18th Century,” Brewminate,
https://brewminate.com/john-wesley-and-evangelicalism-in-the-18th-century/.
D.A. Sweeney, “Evangelical tradition in America,” Cambridge University Press,
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tradition-in-america/4DEF3D2F967C697BBE4A864588511A1A.
“Gilbert Tennent,” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gilbert-Tennent.
“Samuel Davies,” Encyclopedia Britannica,” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Davies.
