First Great Awakening

Definition

The First Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept through the British American colonies during the mid-1700s. It resulted in increased religious diversity and challenged established authority within churches.

Related terms

Jonathan Edwards: A preacher, theologian, and missionary to Native Americans who played a critical role in shaping the First Great Awakening.

George Whitefield: An English Anglican cleric who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement.

Old Lights vs New Lights: Old Lights were orthodox members of congregations who rejected the emotionalism of the Great Awakening while New Lights supported it.