The Great awakening History Essay Research Paper Coursework

Great Awakening
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Great Awakening
The Great Awakening refers to a religious revival that had a significant impact on the English colonies in America in the 18th Century. The idea was timely and came at a period when secular rationalism was taking root and gaining popularity. As a result, secular rationalism was causing a decline in the passion for religion. Some of the Christian leaders that emerged during the time include Jonathan Edwards and Charles Chauncey. While the works of these preachers were remarkable, the ideas of the former were misleading while the latter was right.
Jonathan Edwards and the New Lights held the belief of the “dispensations of divine grace” (Minkema, 1997). Such a belief was misleading and shifted from the fundamental teachings of the scripture. For instance, Edwards used threats to push people to listen to him. With sermons like “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Edwards created an illusion of a God who was willing to punish people who rejected him. On the contrary, Charles Chancery and the Old Lights defended the venerable institutions as well as scriptural traditions. Chancery held to the teaching of scriptures without threatening and coercing people to follow strange doctrines.
Furthermore, Jonathan did not preach eno...