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1. Early in the 18^th century the European Enlightenment began to infiltrate the American colonies:

—reason was the key tool they thought for building a great society

—Isaac Newton and John Locke were part of this

—the influence was toward throwing off the restraints of any tradition either religious or political

—soon traces of the enlightenment began to be heard in the preaching and writings of some American clergymen.

—the writings of John Locke had a tremendous impact in America.

—there were two wings to this enlightenment influence

(1) conservative

(2) liberal

—the first awakening while it did bring a lot of people back to a more traditional format also created a great distaste for what we call an early form of “fundamentalism” (Puritan in nature)

—some began to reject the idea of the Original sin (sin came by choice and not by birth)

—while these theological debates were consuming the interests of the organized churches another monster was rearing its ugly head

—“deism= the religious expression of the enlightenment rationalism recognized divine a creator ship of the cosmos

emphasized moral law

man’s ethical potential and especially revelation tested by reason had a strong appeal in the colonies and in England

friendly but distant from the organized religions

the Jeffersonian Bible (somewhat anti-supernatural)

envisioned the ideal society

THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED “THE DEIST MOOD” -WHICH WAS STRONGLY ABSORBED AMONG THE REVOLUTIONARY LEADERS.

After puritanism it was a major advance for human autonomy this new current in thinking really took shape in a new American denomination—the Unitarians (denied the Trinity and the deity of Jesus)

It tried to demonstrate that genuine religion could exist without any kind of doctrinal conformity.

2. This new idealism that the awakening concerned with human well-being and advancement.

—Indians,--- Black slaves — orphans— college students

—the frontier ethic channeled the emotions of religion in that direction

—one of the most successful missionaries to the Indians was David Brainerd (1718-1747).

3. Intellectual factors of the American Revolution:

A. The ideas of fundamental law

B. The natural rights of the individual as guaranteed by law (governed by God)

C. Social contract law

D. Currents created by the first great awaking

E. Fear of Anglican ecclesiasticism by the evangelicals (the church of England)

F. Concern over the Quebec Act of 1774— an edict of tolerance of Catholicism when England received the Canadian colonies at the end of the Seven Years War.

4. During the pre-revolutionary ear the pulpit was the most important single force in the colonies’ foe shaping and controlling public opinion.

Ministers were usually the best educated people in town.

—Congregationalist/Presbyterians/Dutch Reformed/Baptist Ministers were overwhelmingly in favor of Revolution.

—philosophy of John Locke was frequently blended with passages from the Old Testament.

—the basis of the rebellion: the Bible taught that the government is compelled to submit to the people and not violate the will of God. And if a King resists he should be resisted by the people.

—the most potent factor in American patriotism: it was the conviction that God Himself had guided the adventure in the new World. They were fortified by the dream and a destiny that could be over whelming.

5. The different groups (practically divided)

A. Congregationalist

—no other group surpassed the fervor of these during the war

—“election sermons” preached before elections were held

—from the studies of Locke and Milton the ministers concluded that government was of divine origin and rulers were limited by law—believed that the people were the only source of civil authority.

B. Anglicans

—the majority of clergy in Virginia were loyalists

—but from them came many outspoken patriots

—there was the Tory faction

—majority of laymen were patriots

—2/3s of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Anglicans.

C. Presbyterians

—British officials were largely convinced that most of the opposition came from their ministers

—a considerable number of revolutionary leaders were Presbyterian

D. Dutch Reformed

—very pro-revolution

E. The German Reformed

F. The Lutherans

—not well organized in America

—when war broke out they preached “fight.”

G. Baptist

—gave intense support to the movement of independence

—they suffered excessively at the hands of the British Army

H. Methodist

— at the time of the revolution they were still a very young denomination

—only had a handful of preachers

—most of the new preachers that arrived from England were loyalists

I. The Friends

— made a very meager contribution to the revolution

—being opposed to war was tantamount to treason

J. Mennonites and Moravians

—usually favored the American side but refused to pay the war tax

—were pacifists?

K. Catholics

they used public opinion to their favor

the influence came mostly from the French who were pro-American

Summary, the Churches fostered a national desire for liberty/the religious temper bred discontent/included a demand for political freedom

6. The Revolution serves as a “hinge” on which American religious pivots.

—the spirit of freedom and the spirit of religion complimented each other

— religion took no direct part in the direction of American affairs but Alexis de Tocqueville considered to be the foremost political institution in the country (Democracy 1835)

—religion was said to be “indispensable to the maintenance of the republican institutions

—this is the Moral Majority was espousing

7. After the war of Revolution there was a drift back toward materialism and immorality

A. The Second Great Awakening begins in New England in 1790

B. There was a renewed call for personal and national piety

C. There were great camp meetings where there was a flourid release of emotions. (Like the great Cane Ridge Camp Meetings)

D. There was the formation of the “Evangelical United Front”

they had a special agenda:

—morality

—evangelism/missions

—humanitarian reforms

—their goal was to “Christianize” the U.S.

—crusades against slavery

E. The Cane Ridge Meeting:

—many settlers moved west after the revolution

—they acquired rough traits caused by some brutalizing effects of the frontier

—there was violence and gambling

—this presented a tremendous challenge to the circuit riding preachers and farmer preachers who worked in that kind of society.

—this burst into flames in Kentucky in August 1801.

—this great awakening took place not in the urban centers but in the back country

—the Presbyterians were the ones who had the most impact on the frontier—among them was Barton W. Stone 1722-1844.

—Stone announced a camp meeting at Cane Ridge

—attended by Preachers including the Baptist and Methodist

—the crowd was estimated to be from 10 to 25 thousand people

(Lexington the state’s largest city only had 2000 people)

—lasted for 6 or 7 days.

—no historian has ever described it very well.

—a great outpouring of religious energy

—Stone “Many things transpired there, which was so much like miracles on infidels and unbelievers; for many of them by these were convinced that Jesus was the Christ and bowed in submission of. Him.”

—its greatest contribution was that it was the revival of revivalism

—and so the organized revival became the major mode for the expansion of the church.

F. All the major denominations began to expand into the frontier areas

—the Methodist growth was spectacular

—especially was this true of the Baptist

their growth depended on two things

An emphasis on individual conversion

Their freedom of style

— OF COURSE this was of no effect without the interest of the common people who populated these frontier outposts

—they were without pretense and simple folk.

G. In the middle of all of this, the Restoration Movement takes root:

(1) The Stonites:

—Stone and others in the Presbyterian church came under suspicion by drifting away from a reformed theology

—instead of standing trial in the church they withdrew and started the Springfield Presbytery

—they decided that they would go back to the Bible uniquely

—there was a current that was concerned for the “primitive gospel”

—in 1809 Thomas Campbell another dissatisfied Presbyterian and some others organized themselves into “The Christian Association” of Washington.

—they took Campbell’s Declaration and Address as their statement of

purpose (where the scriptures speak we speak and where they are silent we are silent)

—Alex. Campbell, Thomas’s son arrives in 1809 and he really becomes the heart and soul of the movement

—they organized their first congregation in Bush Run, Penn.

—it is here that we begin to take note of the fact that Campbell was much more “rationalistic” than the leaders in the denominational world would have been

—the major point around which a great intellectual and emotional battle turned was baptism.

—eventually, the believers called themselves “Christians” reformers” and “disciples.”

—another of the great revival leaders in this restoration movement was Walter Scott 1796-1861 a native of Scotland

—he made what is known as the “Great Discovery” that discovery was the “objective” nature of the plan of salvation in contrast to the subjective nature preached in most of the revivals of the second awakening.

—he preached his first sermon on this theme 18 Nov. 1827 in Lisbon, Ohio

—Scotts five finger exercise:

—faith consists in accepting the proposition that Jesus is the Christ

—repentance follows logically

—baptism for the remission of sins is the obedient response to the Lord’s command

—remission of sins is the fulfillment of God’s promises

—the gift of the Holy Spirit and the eternal life all of which is the work of God

—this movement was “anathema” to the Baptist—an emotional reaction that is felt to this day.

—Here is the way the Baptist summarized the errors of the restoration movement

1. They distinguish too sharply between the Old and New covenant thus abolishing the Law of Moses

2. The hold that conversion is wrought through the Word alone without any direction of the H.S.—this faith and repentance constitute regeneration

3. That baptism should be administered on the profession of belief without examination of experience or church consent

4. They believe that baptism procures remission of sins and the gift of the H.S. —and thus man’s obedience alone brings him in

Purview of God’s grace.

5. They believe that none have a special call to the ministry and that all baptized persons have a right to administer the ordinance of baptism

and the Lord’s Supper

6. They believe that the Christianity of the N.T. is simple and clear with no element of mystery and mysticism. Creeds and enthusiasms which obscure this fact are therefore not tolerated.

—most of the restoration groups merged in 1832 in Lexington, Kent.

8. The four greatest effects of the Second Great Awakening:

a. There was a swelling of Church membership

b. There was a shift away from Calvinism as the dominant theology

c. It splintered many churches and groups/the tremendous emotion of this revival and some of the measures of the preachers polarized a great many.

d. There was a great increase in humanitarian and reform efforts.