The Great Awakening

The churches and communities of New England in the 1730’s and 40’s saw mass conversions of individuals led by charismatic ministers, who were sometimes itinerants. The message of the sermons preached during this period contrasted the ecstasy of God’s Love with the terrors of Hell. The services and sermons were often followed by emotional release and physical manifestations like jerking, crying, shouting and groaning. The agony and ecstasy of the converted, the mass numbers of conversions, and the incredible interest in religion in many communities later came to be known as the “Great Awakening.”
Probably the most vital question in exploring this time period is “What caused the Great Awakening?” Was it created by great preachers and/or preaching? Was it due to the decline in the interest in religion and church membership? Was it caused by conflict in socioeconomic status of that day?
Historically, each time period has a predecessor that leads into that ...