Contents
Contents.......................................................................................................................................ii
Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
Who was Jonathan Edwards?......................................................................................................3
Who was George Whitefield?......................................................................................................3
What Were the Contributions to the First Great Awakening?.....................................................4
Comparison and Contrast............................................................................................................5
Other Leaders Who Played a Lesser Role...................................................................................5
Discussion of Evangelicalism......................................................................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
While some may know the history of the church to a minimal degree, others may have
only heard of preachers and sermons such as “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” However,
they may not know the amazing impact of the preachers of yester- year that shed sweat and tears
to get to where the church is today. Throughout this essay, the reader will discover the life stories
of two notable preachers, Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, the impacts they played on
the “First Great Awakening” as well as a comparison and contrast of their contributions and
styles, a short discussion of other leaders who played a lesser role, and a description of
Evangelicalism and an explanation of how Evangelicalism began during the “First Great
Awakening.”
Who was Jonathan Edwards?
Jonathan Edwards was born on October 5, 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut to Rev.
Timothy Edwards and Mrs. Esther Edwards. “After graduating from Yale at 17, he studied
theology, [received his Master’s Degree from Yale (1722)], preached (1722-23) in New York
City, tutored (1724-26) at Yale, and in 1727 became the colleague of his grandfather, in the
ministry at Northampton. In 1729, on his grandfather's death, Edwards took sole charge of the
congregation.”1 In 1757, he was offered the presidency of Princeton and assumed his duties in
January of 1758. He died on March 22, 1758 in Princeton, New Jersey from a contaminated
smallpox vaccine.
Who was George Whitefield?
George Whitefield was born December 16, 1714 in Gloucester, England. He attended
college at Oxford and experienced his conversion alongside friends John and Charles Wesley.
1 Sarah Valkenburgh. "1740 Manufacture of Tinware." The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut.
1993. https://www.colonialwarsct.org/1740_s.htm (accessed July 11, 2019).
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“In 1737, he became a deacon in the Anglican Church and immediately began to preach.”2 His
main focus was on leading people to Christ rather than teaching them the “ins and outs” of
Christianity. He accomplished this by preaching in fields, town squares, and any other available
spot. “Whitefield toured the colonies up and down the Atlantic coast, preaching his message. In
one year, Whitefield covered 5,000 miles in America and preached more than 350 times.” 3 He
died on Sept. 30, 1770 in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
What Were the Contributions to the First Great Awakening?
These two men impacted the First Great Awakening in major ways. “The Great
Awakening’ was a religious revival that impacted the English colonies in America during the
1730s and 1740s. The movement came at a time when the idea of secular rationalism was being
emphasized, and passion for religion had grown stale.”4 It is here we see the two intertwined in
the story.
The main constituent for the “First Great Awakening” was Whitefield. “Much like the
leaders of Biblical times, complacency had settled in and the church was struggling to reach
anyone. It was during the latter part of 1740 that George Whitefield as well as John and Charles
Wesley preached in New England and sparked one of the greatest revivals in history.”5 This was
termed by historians as the “First Great Awakening.”
Although Jonathan Edwards did not start the “First Great Awakening,” he did help to
influence and spread the revival fires to other areas. “Jonathan EdwardsMwas the great
academician and apologist of the Great Awakening by preachingMjustificationMby faith alone with
remarkable effectiveness and also attempted to redefine the psychology of religious experience
2 Mark Nickens. Survey of the History of Christianity. Nashville: Wordsearch Academic, 2018. 70.
3 History.com. March 7, 2018. https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/great-awakening (accessed
December 2, 2019).
4 History.com.
5 George Marsden. Jonathan Edwards: A Life. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.
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and to help those involved in the revival to discern what were true and false works of the Spirit
of God.”6 Furthermore, there were also “concern for one's salvation with a resulting new birth,
also known as conversion or a salvation experience, a longing for a personal relationship with
God, a desire for others to come to a salvation experience with God, and possible emotional
release in a variety of forms.”7 Therefore, it can be seen how these two men’s contributions
greatly affected the start of the “First Great Awakening.”
Comparison and Contrast
In trying to compare and contrast the tactics of Edwards against Whitefield, it is vital to
first understand that both men preached justification as their primary theological mission.
Edwards was a more methodical projection in his preaching. Whitefield had a prior background
in theatrics and so he was very moving and stirring in his preaching. “he read his sermons in a
monotone voice while standing still.”8 By all understanding, “Whitefield was an itinerant
preacher that preached without notes and with a theatrical flair and emotion.”9
Other Leaders Who Played a Lesser Role
Others such as David Brainerd, Samuel Davies, and Gilbert Tennent also impacted the
“First Great Awakening.” David Brainerd ignited the support for what would become Princeton
University. Also, “in 1743, Brainerd went as a missionary first to a Mohican tribe in New York
and then to the Delaware [Indians] in New Jersey. His mission work had relatively little
immediate affect and Brainerd claimed fewer than a hundred converts.”10M
6 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Great Awakening.” Encyclopedia Britannica. December 10, 2019.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Awakening (accessed December 2, 2020).
7 Nickens. 113.
8 Nickens. 111.
9 This was paraphrased and summed up by pulling multiple various locations however, most of the comment can be
attributed to Nickens.
10 Paul Matzko. "Life of David Brainerd Published." Association of Religion Data Archives. 2020.
https://www.thearda.com/timeline/events/event_234.asp (accessed December 2, 2020).
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Samuel Davies was a prominent pastor for the Presbyterian church during the “First
Great Awakening.” “He argued the cause [for the Dissenters of the Presbyterian church] before
the Virginia general court and enlisted the support of prominent English and Scottish Dissenters.
Davies furtherMenhancedMhis reputation as the outstanding preacher of his day by sermons given
in England and Scotland.”11 Davies also helped fund Princeton University and became its fourth
president.
Gilbert Tennent was a ‘fire and brimstone’ preacher of the First Great Awakening. “He
became a revivalist preacher along with George Whitefield, who called him “a son of thunder.”
He was known for his fiery exhortations to sinners to repent and also for his scorn of his critics
among the moreMconservativeMPresbyterians. Tennent’s attacks on the majority reached a peak in
1740 in his ‘Nottingham Sermon,’ in which he denounced his opponents as hypocrites.”12
Because of this, Tennent became a well known revivalist throughout the “First Great
Awakening.”
Discussion of Evangelicalism
Edwards and Whitefield’s revival created the new movement of Evangelicalism. The
distinction of this movement is defined by author Mark Nickens as:
“This new spiritual movement has been widely interpreted and defined, but among the
common attributes is a concern for one's salvation with a resulting new birth, also known
as conversion or a salvation experience, a longing for a personal relationship with God, a
desire for others to come to a salvation experience with God, and possible emotional
release in a variety of forms.”13
This new movement was a radical new start to what would become one of the largest
movements in history. Evangelicals as they stand now are primarily: Baptists, Lutherans, and
11 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. " Samuel Davies." Encyclopedia Britannica. October 30, 2020.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Davies (accessed December 2, 2020).
12 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. "Gilbert Tennent." Encyclopedia Britannica. July 19, 2020.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gilbert-Tennent (accessed December 2, 2020).
13 Nickens.113.
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Pentecostals among others. All of these denominations trace their heritage to this creation. At the
root of the Evangelical movement is the notation of salvation. This was the primary focus of
Edwards and was the foundation of Evangelicals now. This was a vital part of the “First Great
Awakening.”
Conclusion
As can be seen in the lives to these two prominent men, these gentlemen played a huge
role in setting the ground work for prominent denominations in our history. Through comparing
and contrasting the lives of Edwards and Whitefield, the reader finds there was a plan God had,
even given multiple different personalities involved even those who played lesser roles. Finally,
through a quick discussion of the meaning of Evangelicalism, the reader sees that the
involvement took a lot of work yet has left a lasting impression on millions of people around the
world.
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Bibliography
History.com. March 7, 2018. https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/great-awakening (accessed
July 11, 2019).
Marsden, George M. Jonathan Edwards: A Life. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.
Matzko, Paul . "Life of David Brainerd Published." Association of Religion Data Archives. 2020.
https://www.thearda.com/timeline/events/event_234.asp (accessed December 2, 2020).
Nickens, Mark. A Survey of the History of Christianity. Nashville: Wordsearch Academic, 2018.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. "Gilbert Tennent." Encyclopedia Britannica. July 19, 2020.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gilbert-Tennent (accessed December 2, 2020).
—. "Great Awakening." Encyclopedia Britannica. December 10, 2019.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Awakening (accessed December 2, 2020).
—. "Samuel Davies." Encyclopedia Britannica. October 30, 2020.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Davies (accessed December 2, 2020).
Valkenburgh, Sarah. "1740 Manufacture of Tinware." The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of
Connecticut. 1993. https://www.colonialwarsct.org/1740_s.htm (accessed July 11, 2019).
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